Early Childhood Education & Childcare Consultants Australia

Specialist Childcare Consultancy & Centre Management

The Education Collective provides specialist childcare consultants across Australia, supporting Approved Providers with childcare centre management, Assessment and Rating preparation, quality and regulatory compliance, and leadership development.

Meet Our Early Childhood Education & Childcare Consultants

Sector experience you can trust

The Education Collective (TEC) is a Gold Coast-based early childhood education and childcare consultancy supporting Approved Providers, childcare owners and education and care organisations across Brisbane, Queensland and Australia.

Founded by Jennifer Harvey and Fiona Alston, TEC brings more than 55 years of combined executive leadership experience across Australia, the UK and UAE. Our team of experienced early years consultants provides specialist support in childcare centre management, operational performance, quality assurance, regulatory compliance and educational leadership.

We work across early childhood education and care (ECEC), outside school hours care (OSHC), family day care (FDC) and school-based education settings, helping organisations navigate regulatory requirements, strengthen service quality and improve operational outcomes.

What we do

Childcare Consultancy, Centre Management & Regulatory Support

The Education Collective provides specialist early childhood education consultancy, childcare centre management and regulatory support to Approved Providers across Australia. From Assessment and Rating preparation and compliance audits to provider approvals, operational management and leadership development, our experienced consultants deliver practical solutions that strengthen services and improve outcomes for children.

Childcare Centre Management

Expert childcare centre management and operational support for Approved Providers. We strengthen leadership, compliance, occupancy, financial performance and day-to-day service operations.

EXPLORE CENTRE MANAGEMENT

Quality, Compliance & Risk Management

Specialist childcare compliance audits, risk assessments and regulatory support. We help ECEC, OSHC and FDC providers strengthen governance, child safety and compliance with the National Quality Framework.

EXPLORE COMPLIANCE SUPPORT

Assessment & Rating Readiness

Prepare confidently for Assessment and Rating with mock assessments, National Quality Standard reviews, QIP support and tailored improvement plans that strengthen practice and regulatory readiness.

PREPARE FOR ASSESSMENT & RATING

Provider Approvals & Transfers

Specialist guidance for Approved Provider applications, childcare service approvals, service transfers and regulatory requirements. We support new and existing providers through complex approval processes.

EXPLORE APPROVAL SUPPORT

Leadership & Workforce Development

Build confident, capable education and care leaders through tailored coaching, leadership development, child safety training and professional learning for ECEC, OSHC and FDC teams.

DEVELOP YOUR TEAM

Governance & Strategic Advisory

Executive-level consultancy supporting childcare business governance, operational reviews, due diligence, strategic planning and sustainable service improvement for Approved Providers and education organisations.

EXPLORE ADVISORY SERVICES

Stay Connected with The Education Collective

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Follow us for practical insights on childcare compliance, Assessment and Rating, centre management, child safety and leadership across Australia’s education and care sector.

Why Providers Choose The Education Collective

Executive experience. Practical solutions. Measurable improvement.

At The Education Collective, we bring more than 55 years of combined experience in education, operational leadership, governance and regulatory compliance across Australia and internationally.

We’ve worked at every level of the sector, from educators and teachers to senior executives, national leaders and Approved Providers. We understand the realities of managing education and care services, balancing quality, compliance, people and commercial performance.

Our approach combines strategic thinking with practical, hands-on support. Whether we’re managing a service, preparing for Assessment and Rating, strengthening safeguarding or advising on complex operational challenges, we work alongside our clients to deliver sustainable improvements.

What our clients say

“We have been working with The Education Collective over recent months on several research initiatives supporting our 2026 project planning and the experience has been exceptional. Jen and Fiona bring a remarkable depth of experience, insight and genuine passion to every aspect of the work they lead. Their ability to understand the Early Learning sector and translate complex insights into meaningful direction has been invaluable. The project has been impeccably managed by Bec, whose professionalism, timeliness and attention to detail have ensured the process has run smoothly from day one. Every interaction has reflected a strong commitment to quality and clear communication. Importantly, the team has demonstrated the utmost respect for confidentiality while maintaining a strong focus on achieving positive, practical outcomes. Even though the project is still in progress, we are extremely pleased with everything delivered to date. I would highly recommend The Education Collective to any organisation in the Early Learning sector seeking credible, thoughtful, and highly capable partners to support research, strategy, or sector insights.”

Sean MurphyChief Executive Officer | XAP Technologies

“The Education Collective came to our OSHC service to complete a compliance audit and help us get our systems, policies and procedures back on track. Jennifer delivered so much more than I was expecting. Being new to the OSHC Coordinator role, Jen became a mentor, not only teaching me about compliance, the National Quality Standards and the QIP, but also helping me translate my ideas into practice.”

Astrid HartOSHC Coordinator

“Thank you for helping us recognise that we have so much to showcase and for removing the fear of Assessment and Rating.”

OSHC Service

Are you ready to work together?

Whether you need expert childcare centre management, support with Assessment and Rating, regulatory compliance or strategic advice, The Education Collective is here to help.

We work alongside Approved Providers and education leaders across Australia, delivering practical, tailored solutions that strengthen quality, improve operational performance and support sustainable growth.