NSW Early Childhood Directors Governance, HR and Safety Forum 2027
From overwhelmed to in control, all in one day.
You spend one day with other community preschool directors, Employment Compass and Catherine Chen. You work through HR, safety and governance, with question time on financial management, and leave with templates for your service.
$500 + GST ($550 total) per person Networking evening, invitation included
People from 64 NSW services came to the 2026 Forum.
Presented by
and Catherine Chen
Since CCSA closed, there has been no dedicated HR support for community preschools in NSW.
The Forum fills that gap. You and the other directors spend the day on HR, safety and governance, with question time on financial management.
From the 2026 survey: no director rated themselves very confident on award interpretation.
What you take home
- Clarity instead of confusion
- Confidence instead of anxiety
- Templates instead of starting fresh
- A network instead of isolation
Your Monday, from first coffee to a plan
Indicative timetable: the final order will be published closer to the date. Doors open at 8:45am, and the day runs 9am to 4:30pm.
8:45am
Doors open
Find your table and say hello before the welcome.
You take home: A calm start, and a table of directors to share the day with.
9am
Welcome and introductions
Meet the other directors and rate your own confidence.
You take home: A confidence check you repeat at the end of the day.
9:30am
From hiring to hard conversations
Contracts, the awards, probation and performance.
You take home: A recruitment checklist and contract red flags to look for.
11:15am
Bullying, wellbeing and safety
Harassment, conflict and parent complaints.
You take home: A plain test for where the line sits on bullying.
1:15pm
Lunch on the deck
With the water in view.
You take home: Time to compare notes with directors who run services like yours.
2pm
Question time
Governance, money and the new funding model.
You take home: Plain answers to the questions you bring.
3:45pm
Your 30, 60 and 90 day plan
Turn the day into a plan for your service and your committee.
You take home: A 30, 60 and 90 day plan your committee can follow.
Five themes across the day
- HR and employment
- Bullying, harassment and discrimination
- Wellbeing, conflict and complaints
- Workplace health and safety
- Governance for committees and directors
The 2027 programme is being finalised with Catherine Chen. The themes are confirmed; session order and detail will be published closer to the date.
What the other directors say
“Even though I've been doing this job for a really long time, I really have never been confident in knowing what I'm doing with regards to HR. And now I feel confident because I have the backup, I'll have someone to ask.”
“It's just great to come together with other directors and services to understand that we aren't alone in what we are doing and that the issues are everywhere and there is support there for us to access.”
CorieCoolamon Preschool“So, so valuable. It's real world stuff. We can already link it to so many things we're doing and so many questions we had.”
HannahParklands Community Preschool“Just to catch up with everybody and have some face-to-face training because it's really so scarce these days and, yeah, it's just really lovely to get out of the centres and, you know, meet everyone in a different light.”
ShaunyBoorowa Early Education Centre
Getting your committee to say yes
An unfair dismissal claim can cost $10,000 to $50,000 or more. This day costs $500 + GST ($550 total) per person, a fraction of one claim.
- Your contracts and the award checked against what you actually pay.
- A plan for the conversation you have been putting off.
- A 30, 60 and 90 day action plan your committee can follow.
- Templates and tools you can use the next day.
The one-page business case
It has the 2027 dates, the programme and the cost, written for a committee to approve. You can only pay by card or Link at booking, not by invoice later. A tax invoice showing the GST is emailed to you when you book.
Who runs the day
Kristian Inglis
Facilitator, HR and workplace health and safety
Employment Compass
Catherine Chen
Co-host, governance and financial management
CC Consultancy
NSW Early Childhood Directors Governance, HR and Safety Forum 2027
Choose your Monday
One full day on HR, safety and governance, with question time on financial management. Four Mondays in 2027 at St George Sailing Club, Sans Souci. Tickets are $500 + GST ($550 total) per person. People from 64 NSW services came to the 2026 Forum.
The night before
The evening is a genuine chance to build relationships with people who do the job you do. You meet other directors, share what works and keep in touch through the year.
Networking evening dates
- Before
- Before
- Before
- Before
You opt in for each person when you book. Your invitation is included in your ticket. The evening is for Forum ticket holders only, with no partners or guests. We email the time and place in the week before. Stay close to the Forum for an easy morning.
Good to know before you book
Who is the Forum for?
Directors, assistant directors, educational leaders, nominated supervisors and committee members of community early childhood services in NSW. If you carry the people side of running a service, this day is for you.
What is included in the ticket?
The full day from 9am to 4:30pm, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, barista coffee through the day, a comprehensive resource pack, and take-home templates and tools. Your invitation to the networking evening is included in your ticket. You opt in for each person when you book.
How much is it, and will I get a tax invoice?
Tickets are $500 + GST ($550 total) per person. You pay by card through Stripe and a tax invoice showing the GST is emailed to you straight away, ready for your committee and your bookkeeper.
Can I book for more than one person?
Yes. You can book up to 10 tickets in one order and enter the name, email and role of each person. Bringing your assistant director or a committee member means two people go home with the same plan.
Which date should I choose?
All four Mondays cover the same programme. Pick the one that suits your roster. If something changes, you can transfer to another 2027 date at no cost.
Where is it, and is there parking?
The venue is St George Sailing Club, 2 Riverside Drive, Sans Souci, the same overwater room as 2026. There is free street parking on Riverside Drive with overflow on Rocky Point Road, and the room has wheelchair ramp access. By train, get off at Kogarah and take bus 477.
What is the networking evening?
The evening is a genuine chance to build relationships with people who do the job you do. You meet the other directors over a drink and something to eat on the Sunday before your session. Kristian Inglis and Catherine Chen host all four evenings. The evening is for Forum ticket holders only, with no partners or guests. Everyone in the room is there for the Forum and knows the job you do. You opt in for each person when you book. Your invitation is included in your ticket. You order and pay for your own food and drinks on the night. Any food or access needs you give when you book apply to the evening too. We email the time and place in the week before. Already booked? Send us your booking reference on the contact page to add the evening or change your answer.
Where can I stay the night before?
Our local area page lists six places to stay within about 15 minutes of the venue, from serviced apartments to a budget hotel, plus ideas for dinner. Rates are indicative, so check before you book.
Is the content legal advice?
The day gives you general guidance, not legal advice for your situation. Where a matter at your service needs specific advice, we say so and point you to where to get it.
How do I get my committee to say yes?
Ask us on the contact page and we will send you a one-page business case. It has the 2027 dates, the programme and the cost, written for a committee to approve.
What happens to my details?
We use your details to run the Forum and send joining details, and we never sell them. We use dietary and access needs only to cater for the person and make the day accessible. We share dietary needs with the venue kitchen without contact details. We delete dietary and access notes 14 days after the session. Stripe (payments), Vercel (hosting), Resend (email) and Meta (ads) help us, and may store data outside Australia. Card details go straight to Stripe. If you booked from our Facebook or Instagram ad, we tell Meta, but never your name or email. We may use the details of people we know to show them and similar people our ads. A message from the contact form goes by email to the Forum team. So does a request to join the ECEC Governance Network. We count visits to this site with Vercel Web Analytics, which uses no cookies and does not identify you. To see, fix or remove your details, or to stop us using them for ads, use the contact page.