The Prospectors Room team at Maiden Gully Hub has been awarded the 2026 Team Excellence Award, recognised for the kind of collaboration that doesn’t just keep a room running, but that provides the continuity of care where children feel safe, supported and genuinely known.
At the heart of their practice is a shared belief that strong outcomes begin with close attention.
Pictured below: Members of the Prospectors Room at Shine Bright’s Maiden Gully Hub, with Chief of Education (far left), Belinda Schultz.
“The better we know children, the better we can support them, teach them, and notice when something is wrong.”
In a busy service, “knowing every child well” is built through intentional, everyday moments: using peak times to actively observe, listening closely to what children’s actions communicate, and prioritising small group play where educators can talk, explore and notice what children are drawn to.
“All behaviour is communication,” Sherrie explains. “It’s lots and lots of small moments – listening to voices, watching behaviour, and noticing what children are telling us.”
Partnerships with families are central too, with consistent conversations helping educators better understand each child’s world beyond the room.
That same attention to detail is also what makes the Prospectors team’s collaboration so effective. Their approach is simple and powerful: share the load, communicate openly, keep common goals in view, and ensure everyone feels safe and valued. As Sherrie puts it, “We support each other on the good and tough days. Open and honest communication—and respect—makes all the difference.”
Recently, that culture of noticing and working together became critical when the team began to see subtle changes in a child they knew well. The child appeared unusually flat and tired, began withdrawing from play, and showed increasing reluctance to move.
“We knew this wasn’t normal – this child loved running and riding bikes and his personality seemed different. We began to notice that it seemed painful to walk and small walks across the yard seemed exhausting. Even his voice began to sound different,” says Sherrie.
The team documented what they observed, kept in close contact with the family, and continued detailed documentation as symptoms worsened. When repeated medical advice suggested the child would recover from a virus—but the team’s observations didn’t align—they encouraged the family to seek further support at the Royal Children’s Hospital. The child was later diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Through ongoing calls, private Storypark messages, and calm, consistent reassurance, the Prospectors team supported the family and helped the child transition back into their care.
“We worked together with the family, child’s physiotherapist and occupational therapists who came to our service and gave us advice on how we could support the child in their recovery process,” Sherrie said.
Working alongside the family and visiting therapists the Prospectors Team showe3d what can happen when educators trust their professional noticing, and when a team stands together.
