Sufficiency and Sustainability Team

My early years journey began nearly 25 years ago when I registered as a childminder, joined my children’s pre-school committee, became the chairperson and successfully secured permanent new premises through funding applications. During these years I have experienced working across all sectors, leading and supporting initiatives in relation to the development and sustainability of childcare. Attending many training courses, seminars and workshops has enabled me to gain valuable skills, knowledge and expertise in the sector, along with an early years and adult teaching qualification.

Early years continues to be a passion where I aim to continue to support childcare providers, volunteers and schools with business, place development and sufficiency.

I completed a degree in Health and Social Care in 2005 and gained wide experience supporting children and young people in the private and voluntary sector through various roles, including a Care Manager and a Senior Project worker for a national charity. In 2008 I took on the role of Youth and Play Development Officer for a Borough Council and organised a number of Holiday Playschemes for school-aged children.

I joined the Early Years & Childcare Service in 2014 as a Senior Sufficiency Officer with a lead for Out of School Childcare. Since then I have undertaken professional development in several areas, including achieving a Chartered Management Institute qualification in Business Support and a City and Guilds qualification in Education and Training. In 2021 I also volunteered to become a Wellbeing Champion for The Education People, helping to bring awareness to wellbeing, encouraging engagement in wellbeing activities and signposting the support available as required.

In my spare time I enjoy cycling, reading and spending time with family and friends.

I have been part of the Sufficiency and Sustainability Team for nine years. Before joining my current team I worked in KCC’s Property Department where I managed a maintenance scheme for schools and administered numerous budgets.

I am a qualified accountant and prior to my time at KCC I worked in private practice where I was responsible for generating end of year documents for small businesses.

I began my Early Years life as a qualified Childminder in 1991 when I had my first child.

I gave up childminding in 2002 to run my own business and I became a Childcare Development Officer in 2004. I became part of the Sufficiency and Sustainability Team in April 2013, transferring to The Education People in 2018 as a Childcare Sufficiency Officer.

I have completed qualifications in Business Support, Adult Teaching and Project Management. I have two grown up children and was privileged to be able to spend time at home with them during their early years.

I now have three grandchildren whom I love spending time with. In my spare time I enjoy Clay Pigeon Shooting.

I have worked for KCC for 30 years in a variety of roles. I qualified as an NNEB and my work experience ranges from working in early years provisions, working for the Traveller Service and also working in schools.

I became a District Childcare Officer in 2001 and joined the Sufficiency & Sustainability Team in 2013. I have undertaken further training to gain qualifications in business support. Family is very important to me and I enjoy walking in my spare time.

My love for early years began with the undertaking of the NNEB qualification. I continued further studies including the City and Guilds Teaching Adults Qualification, a business course and the ADCE (Advanced Diploma in Childcare and Education). I have experience working in both early years and out of school as a practitioner and in a management post. I originally joined Kent County Council’s Early Years Team as an Early Years Development Officer. My current Childcare Sufficiency Officer role within The Education People is very varied as it encompasses a whole array of business support and advice for early years and out of school providers, in addition to potential new providers.

In addition to my daily work I am a volunteer for a small national charity which is very close to my heart. This involves listening and chatting to expectant parents who have received a devastating Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia diagnosis on their unborn baby. Over the years I have also organised several fundraising events for this charity.

I started my career in early years over 26 years ago whilst working as a parent helper in my son’s pre-school. During this time I gained my early years qualification, working my way to Manager before I left to continue my career with the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

Since then I have continued my passion for early years, supporting providers with the development and sustainability of their businesses. I continue to commit to my own professional development, attending training where appropriate and gaining further qualifications in business management including a Level 5 Certificate in Business Support.

I love watching horror films, walking around castles, churches, cathedrals and gardens and I also enjoy working out.

With over 30 years of experience in early years and childcare, my career began abroad as a ‘nanny’ in Greece before returning to the UK to take up a position for a number of years as a play therapist with young children and families in a residential care unit, until starting my own family.

Following several years experiencing various roles and positions in a range of early years provisions, I went on to set up and run my own full day care nursery and holiday playscheme. As part of my continuous professional development and with a passion and drive to share my knowledge and experience I gained my Cert Ed (post education) and enjoyed an opportunity and experience of setting up and running my own early years and childcare training company delivering CACHE level 2 and 3 qualification courses.

Since joining Kent County Council in 1999, I have held a variety of both quality and business positions within the Early Years & Childcare Service. These have included a post as a trainer and NVQ assessor, an Improvement Advisor supporting out of school provision and most recently as a Childcare Sufficiency Officer. My various roles and experiences have provided me with the opportunity to access continuous professional development within the early years sector including out of school, business and training, from which I have gained many key skills and qualifications.

I graduated as a primary school teacher with a BEd (hons) Education in 2000, and taught in many primary schools in South East London before joining a national company working as an Account Manager in teacher and aviation recruitment.

In 2010 I started working at Kent County Council as a Childcare Business Officer, and remain as part of the Sufficiency and Sustainability Team.

Most of my free time is spent with my two young children and at the gym.

I joined the early years and childcare sector when my own children were growing up approximately 25 years ago. Initially I joined a pre-school management committee as a trustee taking on the treasurer role. I went on to join the staff team and studied for my early years qualifications eventually becoming the manager before taking on the role of a Childcare Development Officer in 2007.

During my time with KCC, and now The Education People, I have had the pleasure of supporting a diverse range of settings across the county with business matters. I have continued my studies gaining a qualification in Childcare Business Support.

In my spare time I enjoy dog walking, horse riding and reading.

In 1995 I started my involvement in early years as a voluntary treasurer at my children’s charity run pre-school. This role subsequently developed into an administrator position and once my children started school I studied for the Diploma in Pre-school Practice, qualifying in 2000. In 2004 I became a Pre-school Development Worker for the Pre-school Learning Alliance (now Early Years Alliance), moving into Kent County Council in 2006 and then into The Education People in 2018.  In 2019 I successfully completed a Business Advisors Award.

I have five grandchildren who take up most of my spare time, but I also enjoy attending live music concerts.

My first involvement with early years education came 30 years ago. I took on the role of assistant at a committee-run kindergarten in my children’s primary school. Whilst there I gained my early years qualification and later went on to manage a small pre-school and work as a classroom assistant in a local primary school. I joined KCC in 2003 as a District Childcare Officer and have continued in similar roles up until now. I have also continued to improve my knowledge by completing a level 5 course in Childcare Business Support. I very much enjoy meeting and supporting the range of childcare settings in the areas I cover.

In my spare time I enjoy cooking, walking and reading.

Hi, my name is Sue Bailey and I am a Childcare Sufficiency Officer covering predominately Tonbridge & Malling. I have worked for Kent County Council since 2008 transferring to The Education People in September 2018.

Previously I worked for 19 years for Greenwich Borough Council, firstly as a playworker then as a play development coordinator. In my free time I enjoy long walks in the country and playing with my grandchildren.

I began my business career in financial accounting employed in UK import/export sales companies. I studied business and became an accounts manager and led a UK sales team. My career path changed direction into volunteering when my daughter and son started school and pre-school. In 2000 I was employed by the Pre-school Learning Alliance supporting parenting skills in the voluntary sector. I trained as a tutor and graduated with honours from Canterbury Christ Church University. I delivered family learning including the Jump Start programme, funded by the Basic Skills Agency.

In 2007 I joined Kent County Council as a development officer and transferred to The Education People in 2018 as a Childcare Sufficiency Officer. My business acumen, ability to engage and be solutions focused are key attributes that drive my passion to make a difference.

Closest to my heart are my family and supporting Diabetes UK. I am a friend of Cornwall’s open-air theatre and enjoy walking the South West Coastal Path.

I have been working in early years for over 20 years, primarily as a provider; supporting children’s learning and development and managing a range of settings.

I joined the Sufficiency and Sustainability team in 2019, as a Childcare Sufficiency Officer working in the Sevenoaks area. I enjoy supporting nurseries in their quest to offer high quality, sustainable early years provision for our youngest children.

I have a little boy, who keeps me very busy when I am not working. Family time with him and Daddy is very important and we make sure that we have lots of fun and spend time with our wider family and friends.