Only About Children invites Campus Directors to contribute to strategic direction

At the recent National Campus Director Conference, early childhood education and care (ECEC) provider Only About Children (OAC) unveiled its ‘bold new transition’ to a decentralised leadership model where Campus Directors act as “CEOs of their own business.” 

The initiative began last year, when the provider invited  Campus Directors to share their voice and contribute to shaping the company’s strategic direction. At the time leaders clearly communicated that they wanted to place more responsibility in the hands of those directly shaping the development of young minds while creating spaces for diverse voices and perspectives to be heard and valued.

Transitioning to a decentralised leadership model has seen leadership and decision making across the network transform, allowing for greater autonomy, ownership, and accountability.

“We are moving away from a traditional, centralised model to one where each campus is empowered to thrive independently, supported by the expertise of our Support Office,” Only About Children COO Michael Lyon said.

“This is so we can build a culture where our Campus Directors have the confidence to lead and the tools to innovate, ensuring we continue to deliver exceptional outcomes for children and families.”

The CEO Roadmap: A Sector-First Initiative

A key highlight of the conference was the introduction of the CEO Roadmap, a comprehensive year- long training program designed to prepare Campus Directors to graduate as fully-fledged “CEOs of their campuses” by the end of 2025. 

Combining leadership training, mentorship and practical learning, the program has been created to equip campus leaders with the skills, support and confidence they need to drive real change.

During the conference there were a number of engaging and thought-provoking sessions designed to ‘light the fire’ for this new way of working including:

• An inspiring keynote, Diary of a CEO, delivered by Anna Learmonth, encouraging leaders to think boldly and embrace challenges.

• Creative workshops that sparked fresh ideas and fostered innovative thinking for 2025 and beyond.

• A Shark Tank-style pitch session, where Campus Directors showcased their vision and passion, encouraging collaboration and excitement across the group.

You’re the Voice

The conference theme ‘You’re the Voice’ captured the ideal of the OAC vision for this next phase, to inspire a leadership culture that shifts from permission-seeking to confident, empowered decision-making. 

“We are proud to be reimagining what’s possible in early childhood education to offer more,” Mr Lyon said. 

“By empowering our Campus Directors to step up, take charge, and lead with purpose, we will deliver the best outcomes for the children in our care.”

OAC Enmore Campus Director Stephanie Mutton said that in her five years of attending conferences with the provider the ‘You’re the Voice’ conference was “by far the most inspiring and engaging two days” that she has ever experienced. 

“The two days were filled with everything that I love about working for OAC – passion for quality education, reaffirming what we do and why we do it, and support and trust in the people that led our Campuses,” she said. 

Learn more about OAC here.