Anti-discriminatory practice
Claire Bevan and Caroline Rees, Swansea Council
Caroline Rees is an Early Years Advisory Teacher and Flying Start Link Teacher with Swansea Council. She supports early years settings to deliver high‑quality practice that meets the needs of children, families and communities.
Claire Bevan is an Early Years and Childcare Commissioning Officer with Swansea Council. She works closely with childcare providers across the city to support high‑quality, inclusive and sustainable early years services.
Both play a key role in Swansea’s journey to embed the Welsh Government’s Anti‑racism Action Plan across the childcare sector. By working with providers and colleagues, and in collaboration with the DARPL team, both Caroline and Claire has helped deliver sector‑wide training, reflective workshops and safe spaces for honest discussion
This work focuses on listening to and learning from DARPL about people’s lived experiences of racism and looking at how systems, policies and everyday practice can be improved in the early years sector.
At the conference, they will share practical learning from Swansea’s journey, the challenges faced, and how meaningful change starts with listening, reflection and strong partnerships.
Early years and childcare workforce survey
Michael Davies, Strategic Research and Insight (SRI)
Michael Davies is an Associate Director at Strategic Research and Insight (SRI) and the Project Manager for the Early years and childcare workforce survey 2026.
Michael is a Welsh speaker with more than 15 years of research experience, including the last 10 years at SRI. He designs, delivers and reports research projects across Wales for public sector organisations.
He has led a wide range of research projects in the early years, childcare, health and social care sectors for organisations such as the Welsh Government, Public Health Wales and Social Care Wales.
By working closely with early years providers, practitioners and stakeholders across Wales, Michael has built a strong understanding of the sector and the challenges facing its workforce. He is passionate about producing practical, accessible research that informs policy and gives people the chance to share their views and experiences.
Leadership and management
Natalie MacDonald, University of Wales Trinity Saint David
Natalie MacDonald is Head of the School of Social Sciences at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. She has more than 20 years of experience in early childhood education, care and leadership, working in both practice and academia. Her experience includes nursery education and Flying Start services.
Natalie recently completed a Doctorate in Education, focusing on how early education and care policies are interpreted and put into practice. She leads and supports research in the early years sector, including projects commissioned by the Welsh Government. She’s also on many national advisory groups that help shape policy, qualifications and professional learning across Wales.
She’s committed to strengthening the connection between research, policy and practice to improve outcomes for children, families and the early years workforce.
Jaime Budding, Carmarthenshire County Council
Jaime Budding is a Residential Childcare Officer and Trauma-Informed Practitioner with Carmarthenshire County Council. She supports children and young people who have experienced trauma and difficult life experiences, helping them build confidence and make positive choices.
Jaime mainly works at Hafan Safer Accommodation, which provides support for young people moving on from secure placements. She also works in Flying Start settings, where she uses her Welsh language skills to support young children and help encourage the next generation of Welsh speakers.
Jaime has achieved a Level 3 qualification in Health and Social Care and is currently studying towards a Level 4 qualification in Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care.
Jaime will share how she’s encouraged her team to embrace compassionate leadership and create a more supportive environment for both staff and the young people they work with.
NEST framework
Gemma Kearney, Powys Council
Gemma Kearney is a qualified teacher with over 16 years of experience in early years and Flying Start. She leads work across Flying Start childcare, non‑Flying Start childcare, sustainability and development, and play. She leads a multidisciplinary team that focuses on improving quality, ensuring sufficient provision and driving continuous improvement across the sector.
Gemma leads on the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment (CSA) and Play Sufficiency Assessment (PSA), helping to shape childcare and play services that are responsive, sustainable and inclusive. She’s passionate about high‑quality, child‑led and experiential learning and inclusive practice. She also holds a Master’s degree in Additional Learning Needs (ALN).
Sharon Titley, Powys Council
Sharon Titley has worked in health and social care since 1999 and has a BA (Hons) in Social Policy. She has worked across mental health, restorative justice, criminal justice and children’s services, and currently works in children’s commissioning in Powys.
Her work focuses on emotional well-being services and the NYTH NEST Framework. She champions relational working, co‑production and system change. Sharon’s particularly passionate about embedding trauma‑informed, relational practice across organisations, so children and families experience joined‑up support wherever they access services.
Leanne Griffiths, Powys Council
Leanne Griffiths is an Early Childhood and Play Advisory Officer with Powys County Council. She has worked with Flying Start children and families since 2005, first as a Setting Leader and since 2018 in her current advisory role. Leanne is passionate about supporting high-quality early years provision. She visits settings regularly, delivers training, and provides ongoing guidance. Leanne works closely with practitioners to help create inspiring, child-led play experiences that nurture children's learning, development, and well-being.
Jessica Williams and Naomi Watkins, Flying Start Setting Leaders, Ser Bach y Cwm, Ystradgynlais
Ser Bach y Cwm is a pre-school setting that delivers the Welsh Government’s Flying Start programme for children aged two to three. The setting offers part-time Flying Start sessions for families in the Ystradgynlais area.
The setting has achieved an excellent Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) rating. They focus on providing high-quality care that supports children's well-being and development in a warm, safe and stimulating environment.
A career highlight for Jess was winning the Higher Apprentice of the Year at the Apprenticeship Awards Cymru in 2004, after completing the Level 5 Leadership and Management qualification.
A career highlight for Naomi was receiving the Powys Childcare Leadership award 2025 at the Powys Childcare Conference.
The setting follows the Welsh government NEST framework and places strong importance on supporting families. Jessica and Naomi will be talking about how they support families by being their trusted adult, giving parents time and space to communicate their feelings and supporting them in accessing agencies that can help meet the needs of both them and their child.
Amie Evans, Enfys Fach Nursery, Brecon
Amie Evans is the Business Manager and Responsible Individual at Enfys Fach Nursery in Brecon. She has led the development of Enfys Village, a community-focused approach designed to strengthen early intervention and support for children and families, which aligns with the principles of the NYTH/NEST Framework.
Amie is a qualified counsellor and recently completed an MSc in Psychology and Childhood Trauma with University College London (UCL) and the Anna Freud Centre. She was the only Welsh participant on the programme. Her work focuses on trauma-informed practice, early intervention, family engagement and children’s emotional well-being.
Through Enfys Village, Amie has focused on bringing support closer to families, creating accessible opportunities for connection, well-being, early help and parent-child relationships within a familiar early years environment. She’s passionate about showing how early years settings can play a key role in putting the NYTH/NEST principles into practice and improving support for children and families at a community level.
Well-being
Nikki Davies, Healthy Working Wales
Nikki Davies is a Senior Workplace Health Adviser with Healthy Working Wales and is passionate about improving health, well-being and inclusive employment. She helps organisations create safe, healthy and supportive workplaces where people can thrive.
She has a particular interest in women's health and in developing flexible job opportunities that help people stay in work, return to work and progress in their careers at different stages of life.
She’s committed to removing barriers, promoting equality and well-being, and working with others to develop practical solutions that benefit both employees and employers.
Corinne Nott and Clare Hinton, Aman Little Inspirations
Corinne Nott and Clare Hinton have both worked in early years for more than 20 years and bring a wealth of experience and training to their roles. As Aman’s management team, they’ve worked hard to develop a nursery they are proud of. Their efforts have helped the nursery achieve, achieving an Excellent Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) inspection report and several Rhondda Cynon Taf Childcare Team Awards, including staff well-being, leader of the year and practitioner of the year.
Corinne and Clare put children at the heart of everything they do. They also place a strong focus on staff well- and building a strong, supportive team.
Little Inspirations is an award-winning organisation with 14-day nurseries across South Wales. It focuses on valuing and empowering staff and children, and creating a positive environment where everyone feels happy, safe and secure.
