When we step into leadership roles in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), one of the most powerful things we can do is create a clear and inspiring Vision Statement. It’s not just a sentence to hang on the wall—it’s the heart of our service. A Vision gives us direction, unites our team, and reminds us why we do what we do every single day.
Think of your Vision as a journey. To get there, we need to set out the smaller steps along the way. What do you want your service to look like in one year? In five? Break it down:
What goals do we need to set?
Who will help us achieve them?
How will we know when we’ve made progress?
I always say, the more detail we can put into our Vision, the more it becomes a living, breathing part of our practice—not just words on a poster.
Align with Frameworks and Laws
Of course, a Vision doesn’t exist in isolation. We work in a profession guided by frameworks and laws that hold us to a high standard. Your Vision should weave in:
The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF v2.0)
The National Quality Standard (NQS)
Child safety, rights, and inclusion principles
When our Vision aligns with these frameworks, it gives our educators confidence and ensures families know we are leading with integrity.
Share the Vision with Your Team
Here’s the truth: a Vision Statement has no power if it just sits in a folder. It comes alive when we share it, revisit it, and celebrate it with our team.
Talk about your Vision in staff meetings. Reflect on it during planning. Invite your educators to shape it with their ideas. Most importantly, keep checking in—are we living this Vision day to day?
When teams see themselves in the Vision, they feel connected, valued, and motivated. That’s when the magic happens.
Why It Matters
A strong Vision isn’t just about leadership—it’s about people. It’s about creating an environment where children flourish, families feel they belong, and educators grow together.
For me, a Vision is the anchor that keeps us steady in tough times, and the spark that drives us forward in exciting ones.
Reflective Prompts
Does our Vision Statement feel real and alive, or is it just words on paper?
How do we connect our Vision back to the EYLF, NQS, and child safe standards?
What small steps can we take this week to bring our Vision into daily practice?
Final Thought
Creating a Vision Statement is not about ticking a box—it’s about shaping the future of your service. As leaders, the Vision we set becomes a promise: a promise to our educators, to our families, and most importantly, to the children in our care.
And that’s a promise worth keeping. Thanks for joining me in this important conversation and reflection on setting a Vision to guide your journey.
Janine Kelly
