Mia Mia founder establishes presence in Canberra with Harbour Early Learning 

Wendy Shepherd’s name is familiar to many in the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector, most often in connection with her role as a founding member of Mia Mia Child and Family Study Centre in the Department of Educational Studies at Macquarie University, a service which draws on research-based approaches to help educators and parents give children the best start.

Ms Shepherd is now undertaking a new venture as the Executive Director of Education with early childhood provider Harbour Early Learning, which recently expanded its operations from Sydney into Canberra. 

Harbour Early Learning opened a service in Aranda earlier this year, and will open a second, in Red Hill, early in 2025. 

Distributed leadership

A key point of differentiation with the Harbour Early Learning offer, Director of People and Policy Lee Yelland explained to The RiotACT, is its distributed leadership model, which includes three directors (one each for people and policy, community and compliance, and pedagogy and practice) instead of the traditional model of one centre director.

Each classroom is led by a degree qualified educator, including infant rooms, a move which recognises the value of the first 1,000 days, Ms Yellend continued. 

“There’s a growing understanding of how critical those first 1000 days are, and that having highly qualified staff and a better than regulatory staff-to-child ratio, alongside collaborative leadership, leads to better outcomes for children.”

Supporting children’s agency 

Pedagogy and practice at Harbour Early Learning, she continued, is rooted in the perspectives of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child – namely, teaching children from day one that they have a voice.

“Agency, and the ability to direct their own learning, is important,” she said. “It links back to the understanding that children, if interested in something, will engage with it and use it as a vehicle for learning.” 

From this point, the educators engage in co-learning with the children, scaffolding their journey rather than directing it, and in turn developing shared and sustained interests “that last longer, and go deeper.” 

Thoughtful design, meaningful connection

The Harbour Early Learning philosophy draws heavily on the Reggio Emilia Approach and views the environment, along with parents and educators, as a child’s “third teacher”.

Architectural, interior and play space designers have been utilised to create purpose-built, playful spaces of the highest standard to enhance learning outcomes.

“It’s about conveying respect to the children, that they are deserving of beautiful spaces to play, learn and grow,” Ms Yellend said.

The service connects with the University of Canberra (UC) often to discuss research programs that will encourage professional development and engage staff in the latest research and best practice for children.

“Being active in the University of Canberra study space and the Early Learning Centre bridges the gap between theory and practice,” Ms Yellend explained.

For more information, visit Harbour Early Learning. Material for this story was derived from the work of The RiotACT. Find the original here.