Our Dedicated Team of Staff
Sherri Clifford
Training Consultant Manager
– Bachelor of Teaching Early Childhood
– Certificate in Child Care Studies
– Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training
Sherri has been working in the children’s services sector for just short of 20 years and has had a range of experiences in long day care, preschool, family day care, out of school hour’s care and working with additional needs. She has worked for private, community base and government organisations and has held various management positions as an early childhood educator and as a project manager.
Sherri has been responsible for the organisation and implementation of training programs for local government children’s services and for child care workers in the wider community. She has led a team that planned, developed and presented training over a wide range of interests including curriculum approaches, motivating staff, exploring diversity, environments, additional needs, child protection and challenging behaviours. She has also developed and presented customized training for child care services on a needs basis.
Sherri has been a facilitator and assessor for learners of Certificate III and the Diploma in Child Studies and has co-facilitated Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training.
A large part of Sherri’s past work has been managing and overseeing a project that facilitated the inclusion of children 0-12 years with additional needs into children’s services in the area. Her advocacy for the inclusion of children in child care centres, the important emphasis on transition and her work with the child care centres and other support agencies was a tribute to the success of the project.
Due to her commitment to the early childhood profession Sherri has been a member of community committees. This has included:
-Â A Committee Member of the Early Childhood Intervention Coordination Program (ECICP)
-Â A member of the Transition to School Reference Group – Department of Education
Sherri is presently directing a children’s centre and has first hand knowledge and understanding of the issues, triumphs, and responsibility of staff in the early childhood sector.
Kelly Nickless 
Training Consultant Manager
-Bachelor of Teaching Early Childhood (with Distinction)
-Associate Diploma of Social Science
-Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training
As an experienced early childhood educator, and leader of 16 years, Kelly has gained valuable experience in all areas of the profession. Kelly has worked in management positions for family resource and network support agencies, Long Day Care, OOSC, and Preschool’s within both private and local government organisations.
Kelly’s warm approach and experience integrating children with diverse abilities has provided her with the skills to design appropriate individualised programs for managing behaviour and supporting children with additional needs and families in crisis. Kelly also worked with the Department of Education as a member of the transition to school reference group.
Kelly’s popularity as a training facilitator is largely due to her inspiring and nurturing approach and dedication to researching innovative topics and approaches influenced from around the world. She is passionate about injecting concern into our educative intentions to ensure we are not getting caught up in the pressures of blindly following procedures or teaching in ways that are no longer appropriate. Most recently Kelly spent 12 months researching a range of early childhood topics in New Zealand and is eager to share them in our training DVD’s.