Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions? At Early Experts, we’ve answered the most common ones about the services we provide.
Operational management support in a childcare setting refers to both the day-to-day and strategic assistance provided to ensure services run smoothly, meet compliance obligations, and deliver high-quality outcomes in line with the National Quality Framework (NQF) and the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF).
Our support is hands-on and tailored, covering all 7 Quality Areas of the NQF. Acting as both Operations Manager and Area Manager, our Operational Business Partners provide guidance across programming and planning, room routines, staffing and ratios, health and safety, educational leadership, learning environments, and family communication. This comprehensive approach ensures your team is aligned, supported, and fully equipped to deliver excellence in both care and operations.
This end-to-end assistance is delivered through our Operational Management consultancy package, designed to strengthen compliance, improve efficiency, and elevate the overall quality of your childcare service.
Our 12-Month Retainer Package is designed to give your service consistent guidance, mentoring, and compliance support so you’re always one step ahead. It includes quarterly on-site compliance visits with in-depth audits of standards, documentation, and daily practices. During visits, we observe routines like mealtimes, nappy changes, supervision, and curriculum delivery, ensuring every aspect of care meets requirements.
After each visit, your manager receives personalised 1:1 mentoring, plus weekly follow-up calls to keep them supported year-round. You’ll also benefit from a 3-hour leadership coaching module for your nominated supervisor and a 2-hour whole-team mentoring session to align staff with best practice. This ensures your manager is never left unsupported and your entire team grows in capability and confidence.
The 12-Month Full-Service Management Package is designed for owners who want to step back while ensuring their Centre thrives. It includes everything in the Operational Management Consultancy Package — plus comprehensive business management.
With this package, you’ll receive strategic financial planning and budgeting, custom KPIs, roster optimisation, staff retention strategies, marketing to boost utilisation, and full risk and compliance management. You’ll also have direct daily phone access to senior consultants and additional mentoring for your staff.
Importantly, this package provides complete Assessment & Rating (A&R) support, from refining your Self-Assessment Tool, to pre-assessment audits, staff coaching, on-site support during A&R, and post-review strategies to maintain quality improvements. It’s a full-service solution designed for long-term success and peace of mind.
Both packages are designed to take the stress out of compliance and operations while empowering your team to deliver excellence every day. With the Operational Management Package, you’ll gain ongoing mentoring and reassurance that your service is consistently meeting NQF standards. With the Full-Service Management Package, you’ll receive all the above plus business strategy, staff retention, marketing support, and complete A&R guidance.
The result is a stronger, more efficient, and future-focused childcare service — one where managers feel supported, staff feel confident, families feel reassured, and children thrive.
Our workshops are designed for Approved providers, Centre Directors, Educational Leaders, and management teams who are committed to professional growth and improving their service’s performance. Whether you are aiming to strengthen leadership, enhance team collaboration, or boost overall centre outcomes, these workshops are tailored to meet the unique challenges of the early childhood sector.
At Early Experts, we deliver premium expertise with exceptional value. Our consultants are seasoned professionals who have successfully navigated the very challenges you face today — often multiple times across a wide range of services. This means we bring refined knowledge, proven strategies, and practical solutions directly to your service without the steep overheads of an additional full-time hire.
Our annual consultancy package costs less than a quarter of the salary of a single Operations or Area Manager, yet provides you with access to an entire team of specialists. With Early Experts, you gain the prestige of executive-level guidance, continuous compliance support, and tailored strategies for sustainable growth — all at a fraction of the cost.
