When you hear Elena Zdravkoski speak about early childhood education and care (ECEC), her passion for the sector is clear. As the Director of Operations for two long day care centres (Bonnet Bay and Kirrawee in Southern Sydney) and seven OSHC services in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire, she has made it her mission to uplift professionalism across her teams and in doing so, shift public perception.
Not only has she noticed her staff walking a little taller, but school teachers now frequently approach staff for advice, and families are noticeably more respectful of the role that early childhood education professionals play.
Elena has also noticed an increase in recruitment and retention, and more high school students wanting to do placements with the services, often leading to ongoing employment.
“I tell my staff: ‘If you want the world to take this profession seriously, show them why they should. Show them the passion, show them the knowledge, show them the impact and the love for it,’” enthuses Elena.
“It’s important to reflect deeply on why you’re doing the things you’re doing, and if it’s because of the love for children, the love for this profession, then show it. Advocate for it, support it.”
In a climate where news reports about the sector can feel heavy and demoralising, stamping out stigma and rebuilding hope is vital work. For Elena, this work starts within a service on a day-to-day basis. While pay, conditions and sector support absolutely matter, Elena believes there is a deeper lever for engagement.
“I believe the real secret to engagement and performance is helping educators see themselves as professionals with a powerful role in children’s lives and in the community. We can’t always wait for others to advocate for us; it has to start with us.”
Changing the conversation
Advocacy starts with the way Elena speaks about the profession and how she encourages staff to speak about it too. In her team meetings and daily interactions, language is everything.
“We are not just educators. We are early education professionals.”
This subtle shift in language, Elena argues, is essential to building pride and sending a message to children, families and the broader community that this work is complex, relational and deeply impactful. The ECA recently released a resource called How to talk about early childhood education and care and NOSHSA released How to talk about OSHC which both address the importance of language in the sector.
To reinforce this, she holds regular mentoring sessions with staff and highlights the breadth of career pathways available in ECEC, from casual roles right the to executive positions, regulatory leaders and policy influencers.
“I often share examples of highly successful women in our industry: educational leaders at ACECQA, CEOs of large organisations such as CELA, and other sector leaders, so our team can see what’s possible,” she explains.
The result has been transformative. Since taking this approach, Elena has witnessed higher morale, greater engagement and a willingness from staff to step into new responsibilities.
“Educators feel proud to work with us and speak positively about the profession,” she says. “I’ve noticed increased confidence, willingness to do more and take higher roles, plus word-of-mouth referrals from staff, parents, school teachers and principals.”
Of course, professionalism isn’t just a matter of talking the talk. It’s a matter of actually maintaining high standards and ensuring staff are consistently performing.
“We don’t just pass everyone,” Elena emphasises. “We set high standards and are honest about performance, because working in early childhood is not something you can simply ‘fall into’ when you are unsure of your career path. It’s not easy work! It takes skill, commitment and a genuine capacity to work with children and families.”
Strategies to build professional pride
Elena’s approach isn’t theoretical. It’s practical and grounded in everyday actions. These moral boosting strategies could be adopted by other services.
Watch your language
Consistently refer to your team as “early childhood professionals”. Avoid language that minimises the role staff members play.
Invest in knowledge
Offer structured mentorship and regular professional development to all staff (including CELA’s training sessions).
Start a book club
Promote collaborative learning through a book club. Elena’s team meets once a term to reflect on articles from CELA, ACECQA, and other journals.
Visualise the future
Highlight successful sector leaders and the breath of career pathways available. Introduce role models and allow staff members to set high expectations for themselves.
Set the standard
Create and uphold a clear ‘Guide to professional behaviour’ covering language, appearance and conduct. See ECA's How to talk about early childhood education and care and NOSHSA's How to talk about OSHC for starters.
Lead by example
Maintain a visible, supportive presence and model the passion and professionalism you expect.
Promote from within
Create defined pathways and actively promote staff internally to supervisory, leadership and management roles. Elena says: "This demonstrates loyalty and long-term value. It strengthens our leadership succession, ensuring we continue developing skilled, confident leaders from within our organisation and the community."
Further reading
Amplify! (CELA): What’s in a word? Defining ‘professional’
ECA: How to talk about early childhood education and care