A wooden desk with an open notebook, a closed dark blue notebook, and a black pen. There are also stacks of paper, a small graph paper note, a potted plant, and a blueprint on the desk. A window behind the desk shows a room with shelves and a round table with plants and toys.

Consulting that strengthens systems and everyday practice.

CONSULTING FOR EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES

Early Years Practice Co. supports individual services and multi-service organisations across quality, compliance, leadership and everyday practice.

Start with a policy and compliance review, QIP and Assessment and Rating support, or ongoing advice. We agree a clear scope around your service and the work you need.

Consulting is led by Daniel McErlean, drawing on experience in regulatory oversight, multi-service operations, service leadership and training.

Discuss a project
Explore Consulting Support

Three ways to work together

Each engagement starts with a conversation about your service, the concern and the outcome you need.

Policy & Compliance Review

For providers and service leaders reviewing policies or working through a compliance concern. Receive a review of agreed documents and processes, written findings and a prioritised action plan.

QIP & Assessment and Rating Support

For services reviewing their QIP or preparing for Assessment and Rating. Receive a QIP review, support to describe service strengths and a focused improvement plan with responsibilities and review dates.

Ongoing Advisory Support

For providers and leaders who need regular advice across quality, compliance and operations. Receive scheduled advisory meetings, agreed monthly priorities and follow-up on current concerns. Document review, leadership coaching and implementation support can be included.

We set out the deliverables, fee and timeframe in a written proposal before work begins.

A wooden table with various natural stones, seashells, buttons, and wooden blocks and bowls, used for sensory or educational activities.

How we can support your service

  • Strengthen the connection between regulatory requirements, service policy, supporting procedures and everyday practice.

    Support may include:

    • Priority policy and procedure health checks

    • Regulation 168 policy-suite reviews or rewrites

    • Targeted policy review following an identified concern

    • Policy implementation and maintenance systems

    • Supporting-document, form and register reviews

    • Compliance-response planning following an incident, complaint, breach or internal review

    • Staff communication, knowledge, training and follow-up tools

  • Create a Quality Improvement Plan that leaders and educators understand, use and connect to genuine service improvement.

    Support may include:

    • Quality Improvement Plan reviews and resets

    • Identifying and writing practice-based service strengths

    • Developing focused key improvements and action plans

    • Establishing responsibilities, timeframes and review points

    • Team reflection and Quality Improvement Plan workshops

    • Assessment and Rating preparation

    • Post-visit or post-rating review and next-step planning

  • Create clearer systems for the people responsible for service safety, quality, people, operations and educator practice.

    Support may include:

    • Nominated Supervisor and Centre Manager operating systems

    • Role clarity, delegation and accountability

    • Daily, weekly, monthly and annual operating rhythms

    • Run sheets, compliance calendars and filing structures

    • Leadership meetings, action tracking and decision records

    • Incident, complaint and improvement follow-up

    • Leadership coaching and intentional service walks

    • Multi-service consistency and operational review

  • Strengthen the connection between approved learning frameworks, educator thinking, intentional interactions, environments and children’s learning.

    Support may include:

    • Practice-led programming systems

    • Approved learning framework translation

    • Observation, assessment and analysis

    • Evaluation and critical reflection

    • Intentional teaching and meaningful interactions

    • Learning environments that teach

    • Routines and transitions as part of the curriculum

    • Educational Leader coaching and operating tools

    • Team reflection and educator professional learning

  • Establish a continuing consulting relationship when an organisation requires regular access to policy, compliance, quality, leadership or practice support.

    Ongoing support may include:

    • Scheduled consulting meetings

    • Policy and procedure maintenance

    • Priority document reviews

    • Quality Improvement Plan monitoring

    • Leadership problem-solving and coaching

    • Review of emerging incidents, complaints or service concerns

    • Practical action plans and implementation tools

    • Targeted professional learning or team reflection

    • Multi-service consistency reviews

    • Agreed monthly priorities, actions and follow-up

    Each ongoing arrangement has an agreed scope, deliverables, communication method, response expectations and review point.

Start an Enquiry
A wooden table with sunlit glass art pieces, a mirror, stones, and paper with charcoal drawing near a window.

Ongoing advisory partnership

Senior quality, compliance and practice support when your organisation needs it.

For providers and senior leaders who want ongoing access to practical sector expertise and an external perspective on organisational improvement.

A partnership can include two strategic advisory meetings each month, priority support between meetings, and focused review and implementation work. Scope and response arrangements are agreed with your organisation.

Support can cover quality and compliance problem-solving, policy and procedure review, QIP and Assessment and Rating readiness, leadership coaching and recurring compliance themes.

We also work on implementation planning, organisational systems, tailored tools, professional learning and translating strategy into service-level action.

Enquire about ongoing support →

Collection of blue and white books related to early childhood education placed on a beige surface with a gold pen, small bowl, and green leaves casting shadows.

How consulting works

  • Complete the enquiry form and briefly describe the issue, priority or area requiring support. You do not need to know which type of consulting is the perfect fit.

  • We clarify the service context, current concern, intended outcome and relevant timeframes. This also helps determine whether Early Years Practice Co. is the right support for the work.

  • You receive a written proposal outlining the agreed work, deliverables, fee, responsibilities and expected timeframe. No consulting work begins until the scope is accepted.

  • Relevant information is reviewed through an agreed process. Advice, resources, action plans, revised documents or operating systems are then developed according to the scope.

  • Where included, we support communication, implementation and review so the work does not stop when a document is delivered.

Start an Enquiry

Discuss a project or ongoing support

Tell us what is happening, what you have already tried and what you would like to strengthen.

You do not need to diagnose the entire issue or select the perfect consulting service before getting in touch. We will help clarify the need and determine whether Early Years Practice Co. is the right support.

You can expect clear and honest advice, practical service-specific deliverables and a focus on implementation and follow-up, not paperwork for its own sake.

Start an Enquiry
Outdoor natural play area with water pump, wooden structures, logs, rocks, and greenery, designed for children to explore and play.