Our Story

The Malin Friends team is led by Claire Vellios, Director and Educational Leader. Claire has extensive teaching experience in both the early childhood and primary sectors including kindergarten, child care, special education and early primary education. In recent years she has lectured in (early childhood) physical development at the University of Melbourne.

 

She has also taught subjects including physical, social, emotional, psychological, cognitive and language development, cultural diversity and additional needs at Swinburne University. 

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In 2005 Claire completed a Master of Special/Inclusive Education research degree at the University of Melbourne investigating auditory processing and language development in pre-school aged children.

 

As a passionate advocate for children with additional needs; for the past ten years Claire has been working with the Department of Education and Uniting Vic.Tas with relation to funding in the Early Childhood Education space for children with additional needs as part of the Regional Advisory Group.

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Claire's passion is to create a centre that provides children with programs that are nurturing, promoting and respectful of individual interests and abilities. She believes that optimal programs have strong links to a child's family, community and culture.

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We are a team Degree-trained, Diploma qualified early childhood educators and Certificate 3 trained early childhood educators who have a passion for demonstrating excellence in Early childhood education and care programs.  We work together to understand children and families, to provide individualised programs to suit the developmental and care requirement of children.  We want to see children thrive and learn, and most of all be happy and enjoying what they do each day!  We show an open, approachable communication style with families and take great pride in delivering programs that are meaningful and valued by our children and their families.