Every door
worth knocking.
A live, deep-dive scan of who controls, funds, gathers, regulates, amplifies and already echoes the message Simply Safe Group™ is built to deliver — across government, peak bodies, the largest operators, conferences, social, podcasts, journalists, and competing platforms.
The sector has never been more ready to listen.
Four shifts have converged in 12 months — each one validates the Simply Safe thesis publicly, on the record, by the people who write the rules.
Strengthened National Law, new offences and penalties, expanded regulatory powers. Centres are scrambling for systems that make compliance visible — not just documented. This is Connect™'s whole pitch.
ACECQA reform packageEvery approved provider must enter and maintain workforce information in the NQA ITS portal. A once-in-a-generation forcing function for centres to digitise records — and a wedge moment for any platform that makes it less painful.
The federal response after the Melbourne abuse case. Surveillance is being floated as the answer — which leaves a clear lane for a privacy-first, educator-led alternative that improves safety without filming children. This is your counter-position.
"A path to universal early childhood education and care" — the Albanese government's blueprint. Calls for an inclusive, high-quality, universal system. Connect™ is the operating system that thesis assumes exists.
PC final reportConferences — the rooms to be in (or on the stage).
The leading conference in the sector. Theme: Holding the Past, Creating the Future. Goodstart's Chief Children's Officer Prof. Cathrine Neilsen-Hewitt is keynoting — exactly the audience for Connect™. Aim: exhibit, submit a session abstract, or run a fringe educator wellbeing event nearby.
ecaconference.com.au/2026Australian Childcare Alliance — represents ~70% of privately owned services. Runs annual National Conference + state events. The buying audience.
childcarealliance.org.auSmall, invite-only senior leadership gathering. Long game — the room where Connect's™ ethics-first design language is the native tongue.
thesector.com.au — the news outlet the industry actually reads. Their podcast, webinars and event listings are how new platforms get noticed by directors.
thesector.com.auWho controls the standard you're aligning to.
National authority for NQF, NQS, EYLF. Owns the NQA ITS portal and the new National Worker Register.
acecqa.gov.auMinister Jason Clare. Owns the universal-ECEC roadmap and the child-safety reform package.
Your home regulator. ECRU (Education and Care Regulatory Unit) authorises and monitors WA services.
Peak advocacy body since 1938. WA committee is your direct entry point — they champion local voices like yours.
ECA WA CommitteeRepresents ~70% of privately owned services. State branches (ACA WA is your first call).
childcarealliance.org.auEarly Learning & Care Council — large not-for-profit and community providers (Goodstart, KU, etc.). Quality-led.
elacca.org.auPeak body for community-owned & not-for-profit services. Strong PD pipeline.
National policy think tank. Their evidence shapes federal reform. Cite them in your investor brief.
thefrontproject.org.auLong-running early-years equity research. Strong moral cover for a privacy-first thesis.
If two of these run a pilot, the sector follows.
A 'large provider' under NQF is 25+ services. These are the biggest — strategic-partnership targets per Bodie's advice.
~650 centres. Mission-aligned with Connect's™ ethics. Chief Children's Officer keynoting ECA 2026 — warm route in.
goodstart.org.auPublic company. Compliance and reputation pressure highest. Investor relations channel matters here.
Recently rebranded around safety + curriculum. Active on "safety commitment" messaging — your pitch lands.
affinityeducation.com.auPremium positioning. Educator wellbeing pitch resonates with their brand.
Owned by Partners Group. Operational efficiency narrative + ESG pressure both work here.
Oldest not-for-profit ECEC in Australia (since 1895). Quality-first credentials.
30+ WA centres listed across Perth and regional. Practical first-call list for a pilot.
nido.edu.au/waWA-led group with strong family-feel positioning. Cultural fit for Simply Safe.
sparrow.edu.au/waMid-size, quality-led group. Right size to actually trial new infrastructure.
What everyone else is — and isn't — doing.
Most existing platforms started as parent-comms or admin tools and bolted observations on top. Simply Safe Connect™ starts from operational intelligence and privacy. That is the defensible gap.
Strong learning stories + parent comms. Heavy photo culture. Weak on role-based operational intelligence.
incumbentOwns CCS + billing + admin. Workflow giant. Weak on educator wellbeing & EYLF connectivity.
incumbentAggressively marketed to centres. Photo-feed-first. Privacy-light by design.
competitorDocumentation focused. Mid-market.
competitorPhoto / update tool. Small team. Not built for operational intelligence.
competitorEYLF-aware. Similar feed pattern. Not role-scoped at the architecture level.
competitorStrong UX. Limited Australian-NQS depth.
watchSometimes pitched in AU. Not built for NQF.
watchThe whitespace: role-scoped privacy + real-time NQS/EYLF intelligence + educator wellbeing built from the floor up — not bolted on. That's Connect™.
Allies whose existing message overlaps with yours.
CEO. Loud, credible voice on reform. Wrote to PC inquiry.
$10-a-day campaign. Universal-ECEC narrative.
Guardian / SMH / ABC op-eds on safety + reform.
Investigative reporter who has driven the 2025 safety reforms.
Won the historic 15% pay rise. Educator-trust currency.
- Prof. Cathrine Neilsen-Hewitt
Goodstart Chief Children's Officer · ECA 2026 keynote.
Co-author of EYLF. Endorsement currency is unmatched.
Burnout + leadership in ECEC. Direct narrative overlap.
Podcast host. Educator-audience reach.
Speaks to approved providers and supervisors.
The channels that already own educator attention.
Official ECA channel. Sector authority.
Largest Australian educator community + content site.
ECT-turned-creator. Curriculum + puppets. Loved by educators.
Official regulator. Reform announcements.
Approved providers, weekly.
Practice + research.
Reform + leadership.
Owners and directors.
Huge educator community. Burnout + practice convos.
ECA's main channel.
- Educator IG creators
@play.based.educator / @miss_emmas_world / @theempowerededucator and similar — natural fit for an educator-led brand drop.
- LinkedIn — directors + EL community
Most underrated channel. Directors live here.
Non-dilutive funding worth chasing.
$5k–$50k for retention-focused projects with approved Victorian providers. Pair with a Victorian pilot.
vic.gov.au/innovation-grants-programFunds programs and accelerators, not individual startups — but their accelerators (e.g. SBE, Startmate-AU) are the funnel.
launchvic.orgRuns Thrive by Five. Backs early-childhood reform. Strategic-partnership channel, not a grant form — but worth a thoughtful approach.
"WA-built, WA-hired, WA-first" sits inside their narrative. Worth a meeting with the WA Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation.
Use this intel — don't just read it.
- 01Week 1 · Lock the WA pilot lane
Pick 5 centres from Nido WA, Sparrow WA, plus 3 independents in your network. Send each the LOI from /letters with a link to /try-it. Aim: 2 verbal yeses.
- 02Week 1 · ECA WA Committee intro
Email the committee with a one-paragraph pitch + link to /vision. They are your home-state amplifier.
- 03Week 2 · The Sector + Aussie Childcare Network
Pitch a guest article on 'privacy-first ECEC infrastructure'. Aussie Childcare Network has the largest educator audience.
- 04Week 2 · Submit ECA 2026 abstract
Conference is Sept-Oct 2026 — abstract calls open soon. Submit even if accepted on a panel only — the room is the prize.
- 05Week 3 · Three podcast pitches
Everything Early Childhood, Early Years Learning Hub, The Learning Future. 4-line pitch + your founder story.
- 06Week 3 · Goodstart + Affinity warm intros
Both are publicly leaning into safety. Use ECA Conference attendee lists and LinkedIn to find the Head of Quality / Head of Pedagogy at each.
- 07Week 4 · Vic Innovation Grant
Apply with a Victorian pilot partner. Up to $50k — pure runway.
- 08Week 4 · LinkedIn launch
Write the founder-story post — link /vision, /try-it, /walkthrough. Tag Georgie Dent, Lisa Bryant, Kari Sutton, Jacqui Ward. One of them will share.
You no longer have a list of doors to find.You have a list of doors to knock.