Sandy has a background in early childhood and family support work. She has been involved in early childhood teaching, centre development and management, professional development facilitation, and teacher education.
Sandy was a member of an Education Council Complaints Assessment Committee in 2014-2015, and the Project Manager of the MOE Christchurch Earthquake Early Childhood Education Participation Project in 2012-2013.
In 2010 Sandy was the recipient of the Sir John Mowbray Award in Barnardos NZ. This enabled her to travel to the UK and visit integrated service delivery initiatives, an area in which she has a particular interest. Integration is a way to enable children and their families/whānau to have easier access and connection to what they need without blurring different service offerings (and the professional disciplines that go with them) — for example, early childhood education alongside health care and social services.
Sandy is also interested in child protection, infant care and learning in out-of-home settings, parenting, and the ways in which early childhood education services meet the needs of diverse families.
Sandy has expertise in:
- Infant and toddler care and education
- Home based ECE
- Leadership and management
- NZ Teachers Council – full registration
2014 NZ Homebased Care Association, Wellington
2013 NZ Homebased Care Association, Queenstown
2008 NEONZ, Christchurch
2007 Infantastic, Christchurch
2007 Early Childhood Convention, Rotorua
2006 NZ Home-based ECE Association, Christchurch
2005 Infantastic, Christchurch
2004 Australian Association for Environmental Education, Adelaide, Australia
- 2010 Barnardos Mowbray Award
I grew up in rural north Otago but I have lived in Christchurch for over 20 years. My husband Graeme and I have four adult children and three grandchildren. I still hanker after the rural life and I try to recreate the good life in the suburbs whenever possible.
