More than Leave – How Flexibility and Fairness Build Trust

In early childhood education, trust is everything. Children trust the adults who care for them. Families trust the educators who partner with them. And teachers? They need to trust their workplace to have their back.

That trust is built not through policies alone, but through consistent acts of fairness and flexibility—especially when it comes to time.

Leave Isn’t a Privilege—It’s a Right

Our approach to leave is simple: we say yes.

Always.

Whether it’s for a family holiday, recovery, study, or just rest—when our people need time, we honour it. In fact, we have:

• Never declined a leave request.

• Approved extended leave, including 6-week overseas trips, study blocks, and personal sabbaticals.

• Continued to offer four weeks of annual leave and 11 public holidays, regardless of roster models.

• Fairly distributed leave and cover arrangements to ensure no one carries more than their share.

Because life is unpredictable. And when people feel safe to ask for what they need—they stay.

Flexibility as a Culture, not a Policy

We don’t believe in performative flexibility. We believe in a culture where flexibility is woven into daily operations:

• Teachers swap shifts or adjust hours when needed—without guilt.

• Part-time and full-time roles are regularly reviewed to match lifestyle needs.

• Sick leave isn’t questioned. Mental health days are normalised. Compassion leave is given with compassion.

This kind of responsiveness takes trust in both directions. But it creates workplaces where people feel human first—not just staff members.

The Impact? Loyalty and Longevity

When staff feel supported, they:

• Take less unplanned leave.

• Communicate openly and early.

• Give more during the moments that matter most—because they know they’re not just a number.

And most importantly, they feel safe to be whole people, with whole lives, in a workplace that understands.

Coming Next: Little Things, Big Impact: The Culture of Appreciation in Our Centres