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Before learning can flourish, children need trusting relationships that support their emotional wellbeing, confidence, curiosity and enthusiasm to learn about the world around them.
At Goodstart, our key educator approach is a core part of how we run our early learning programs. The approach helps us to ensure every child experiences consistent, relationship-based care for their optimal outcomes.
What is the key educator approach?
Goodstart’s key educator approach means your child is supported by close, meaningful relationships with one main educator and a secondary educator - people who know them best.
Rather than every educator caring for every child equally, children are supported within small, consistent groups. This allows educators to build deeper, more meaningful relationships with each child and their family.
Research shows that when too many adults share responsibility, children can miss out on forming strong attachments.
Our approach reduces that risk by ensuring there is always someone who truly understands your child’s cues, routines, preferences and personality.
Secure attachments through key educator relationships help children thrive
What your child needs (and how we respond)
To feel secure and emotionally safe
Children learn best when they feel safe. A secure relationship with a trusted educator helps children regulate emotions, manage stress and feel confident away from home. At Goodstart, key educators are emotionally available, warm and responsive. They notice the small things – a look, a gesture, a change in mood – and respond with care and consistency.
To be known as an individual
Every child is unique. Their interests, culture, temperament, strengths and needs shape how they experience the world. A key educator takes time to truly know your child, from how they like to be comforted to what sparks their curiosity. This deep understanding allows learning experiences to be meaningful, relevant and engaging.
Predictable care and routines
Consistency builds trust. Key educators support children through daily routines such as meals, rest times, toileting and transitions. These moments are not rushed tasks – they are opportunities for connection. When care is predictable and respectful, children feel confident and capable.
Support with big feelings
Young children are still learning how to understand and manage emotions. Your child’s key educators help them co-regulate – staying calm, naming feelings and offering reassurance during challenging moments. This way, over time, children develop resilience, empathy and self-confidence.
The key educator concept is grounded in attachment theory and the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), where the first and foundational principle is ‘Secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships.’ The EYLF recognises that children learn best when they feel safe, valued and connected to consistent adults. Our approach puts this principle into practice by ensuring every child has a trusted educator who builds a deep, responsive relationship with them and their family.
When children feel safe, secure, and truly known, they have the confidence to explore and learn
Key educator relationships in practice
A familiar face from day one
From orientation, we introduce you to your child’s key and secondary educators. Orientation visits are planned so those educators are present, allowing relationships to form early. This helps children feel a sense of belonging and reassures families that their child is known and supported.
Small groups, deeper learning
Your child will spend much of their day learning in small groups with their key educator. This creates calmer environments, stronger friendships and more opportunities for focused learning, conversation and play.
Thoughtful transitions
Transitions – arriving at the centre, moving between rooms, or heading home – can be big moments for young children. A trusted educator supports these times, helping your child move confidently between home and the centre, and between different parts of their day.
Continuity over time
Where possible, centres plan for continuity of care, allowing children to stay with educators they know as they grow. This strengthens attachments and supports smoother transitions between age groups.
A trusted secondary educator
Your child will also have a secondary educator who steps in when the key educator is unavailable. Educators share information closely, ensuring children experience the same routines, expectations and care, even when staff change during the day.
Partnering with families
Your child’s first and most important relationship is with you, and at Goodstart, families are our primary partners.
The key educator approach strengthens this partnership by providing you with a clear point of contact – someone who understands your child and can share meaningful insights about their day, learning, and development.
Through daily conversations, shared observations and tools like Storypark, families and educators work together to support each child’s wellbeing and learning. This shared understanding creates continuity between home and the centre, helping children feel secure in both environments.
Supporting children at every age
- Infants need close, responsive relationships to feel safe in a fast-changing world. Key educators provide consistent, nurturing care that supports early attachment and brain development.
- Toddlers are building independence while still needing reassurance. Predictable routines and trusted relationships help them explore with confidence.
- Preschool and kindergarten children benefit from having a dependable ‘go-to’ educator who supports peer relationships, learning conversations and emotional growth, even as children become more independent.
Why the key educator approach matters
When children feel secure, known and valued, they are more likely to:
- Explore and engage in learning
- Build positive relationships with others
- Develop confidence, resilience and wellbeing
Families benefit from stronger communication and trust, and educators are supported to work calmly and purposefully, focusing on what matters most – the child.
At Goodstart, the key educator approach brings our guiding principles to life: children are central to everything we do, and families are our primary partners. It ensures every child has a champion – someone who understands the power of connection and is committed to helping them be their very best.