|
"Where Children Can be Children"We believe that all children have the right to a high quality childhood including regular access to nature and the right to play.
We recognise each child as an individual, we value their personalities, learning styles and interests and believe, as competent and capable individuals, they have the right to develop skills and knowledge at their own pace with the support of skilled adults. |
Who We Are
|
Natural Learning Early Childhood Consultancy was established in 2015 by Sue Robertson, Beryl Mort and Niki Buchan. The team is based in Australia and also work internationally.
About Niki: International Educational Consultant and Child Care Services Manager With a biomedical background, Niki has lived and worked in South Africa, Scotland and has been calling Australia home since 2011. She has a great love for the outdoors and has been working with both adults and young children in very consultative, naturalistic environments both indoors and outdoors for more than 35 years. She is an award winning author, has vast experience working directly with children and educators as an educator, pedagogical leader, head of centres, as well as founder and owner of her own child care and education centres. She works internationally as a conference keynote speaker, nature pedagogue, mentor and author and has been invited to work in the UK, USA, Canada, Iceland, Sweden, South Korea, China, New Zealand, Norway, Denmark and South Africa. Niki has developed a reputation as a strong advocate for children’s right to a high-quality childhood with a deep concern about children’s mental health and trauma. She trusts children as being capable and competent and believes children have a right to regular access to nature and to have their voices heard in matters that affect them. She is considered a leading voice in promoting Nature-based practice and is the author of “Children in Wild Nature”, “A Practical Approach to Nature-based Practice” , “Adventurous Play”and co-author of STEM Detectives and the "Look, Look, Look Again" series of seasonal books. Niki is the proud mother of four adult children and 2 delightful grandchildren, an adventurer and keen photographer seldom seen without a camera in her hand! About Sue: Sue is an Early Childhood Education Teacher and her first posting was to a remote West Kimberly town of Derby in Western Australia. This was very rural and children played in the vivid red dirt which inspired her love of nature and the outdoors. Sue left teaching and travelled the world before having her son and then went on to manage a Family Day Care Service in the South West of WA. Sue believes children thrive in small groups where they can access normal daily experiences, build resilience and become confident individuals. She is a partner and manages the privately owned Nature Alliance Family Day Care Service About Beryl: Beryl originally worked in the finance industry for ten years before starting her own Family Day care business when her 2 sons were young. She has remained in the industry and continued to work in both administrative and support roles. Beryl has also lectured at TAFE and mentored students in the field. Beryl also comes from a rural background and has many memories of wide open spaces, playing in the creek and catching tadpoles, climbing trees, building cubbies, picking wild flowers, playing with the farm animals and being surrounded by a nurturing family. This rural environment was the greatest playground ever and Beryl believes all children can thrive if given the opportunity and especially if immersed in nature. She is a partner and manages the privately owned Nature Alliance Family Day Care Service. Facebook Sites Niki Buchan Natural Learning Australian Learning Tracks Bush, Forest and Beach School Education Australia Nature-based Pedagogy International |
Niki
Sue and Beryl
|