Juliet Hancock: Chair and SCMA President
Juliet has been the President of SCMA for many years and, once again, will be our chairperson for the SCMA Conference 2025 - welcoming delegates from all across Scotland to the event.
In terms of her background, Juliet started teaching in primary schools in London before moving to a promoted post as part of the management team with a primary school in Cambridge, then worked for two years in a State Secondary school in Karoi, Zimbabwe as Head of Department for English. In 1990, she moved to Scotland and worked with the third sector as part of an initiative supporting under-fives education, before taking on a national role promoting early years education, with the Scottish Pre-School Play Association.
Holding a lecturing post at Falkirk College, Juliet developed flexible learning programmes in early childhood education, before taking on the role of development officer with Learning and Teaching Scotland. During her time at Learning and Teaching Scotland, she had responsibility for taking forward Scotland’s first national guidance of Birth to Three, as well as leading developments on pedagogy in early childhood education, curriculum and listening to children.
Juliet subsequently moved to the role of Senior Education Officer for early years with local government - continuing her focus on pedagogy, curriculum and children’s rights, before joining Moray House School of Education and Sport, the University of Edinburgh, as a Lecturer, also acting as an international early years consultant for the Open Society Foundation and taking on the role of Director of Professional Learning for Moray House in August 2017. Juliet served as a consultant for the Open Society Foundation in Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia and Moldova, working on early years inclusion. She has also served as a Qualifications and Development Specialist within SQA and served on a number of Scottish Government and national advisory groups.
Recently retired from her full-time post at Moray House School of Education and Sport, Juliet continues her keen interest in children's education, wellbeing and rights through her consultancy work. Becoming a first-time Gram-gram to her granddaughter in January will ensure that Juliet continues to keep her hand in!
Barbara Dennistoun: SCMA Convener
For over 20 years, Barbara has dedicated her career to creating nurturing and engaging environments for children in South Lanarkshire. As a registered childminder since 2002 and a partner provider with the local council since 2018, her passion lies in fostering children's holistic development through enriching experiences.
Along with embracing childminding, Barbara spent 10 years as a foster carer in Glasgow, gaining invaluable experience in understanding the diverse needs and sensitivities of children. This foundation, coupled with her SVQ Level 3 in Children's Learning, Care and Development, solidified her commitment to continuous learning.
Recognising the power of play in early childhood development, Barbara undertook the Froebel course in Childhood Practice at the University of Edinburgh which has deepened her understanding of play-based philosophy and its practical applications in professional early years practice today. She tirelessly advocates for high-quality childminding practices that prioritise children's well-being and growth and her rich experience and knowledge of Frobel now empowers her to champion play-based pedagogy and to support fellow childminders in implementing these principles in their settings.
Barbara’s commitment to supporting children extends beyond her individual practice and she was delighted to be accepted last year onto the Scottish Childminding Association's Family Childminding Partnership contract – expanding her reach and providing specialised care to local vulnerable families.
Natalie Don-Innes MSP: Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise
Natalie Don was born in Paisley and grew up in Bridge of Weir. Natalie attended Gryffe High School and then went on to study History at University of Glasgow.
Before and during her time at University, Natalie worked in a variety of sales roles working her way up to manager of a local food retailer.
Natalie was elected as the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Renfrewshire North and West in 2021. Prior to this, she served as the Councillor for Bishopton, Bridge of Weir and Langbank.
Natalie Don was appointed as Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise in March 2023.
Graeme McAlister: Chief Executive of SCMA
Graeme took up post as Chief Executive of SCMA in April 2019, and since then he has worked to strengthen membership engagement and support, to increase the influence of SCMA and the value attached to childminding.
In 2021, he launched an ambitious new ten-year Changing the Narrative strategy for SCMA, with the first phase of implementation (from 2021 - 2024) focusing on Strengthening Childminding, Supporting Families and Increasing Choice. This strategy provided a catalyst for change which created much wider interest in and support for childminding, including securing vital commitments to childminding in the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government.
We are now one year into the second phase of the strategy – a delivery phase focused on ‘Childminding: Providing Solutions for Scotland’ (2024 – 2027). This work includes SCMA delivering the Programme for Scotland’s Childminding Future (PSCF), a three - year programme predominantly funded by Scottish Government which aims aims to grow the childminding workforce. This will be achieved through piloting new ways to support and retain our current childminders, as well as recruiting new childminders in areas where they are needed.
Prior to joining SCMA, Graeme worked for almost 20 years in a number of roles spanning membership, communications and advocating evidence-based policy and practice in the Third Sector and health. He has a strong interest in mental health and wellbeing, inequalities and influencing change.
Dr Suzanne Zeedyk: Developmental Psychologist, Connected Baby
Dr Suzanne Zeedyk is a research scientist fascinated by babies’ innate capacity to communicate.
Since 1993, she has been based at the University of Dundee, Scotland, within the School of Psychology, where she now holds an honorary post. In 2011, she stepped away from full time academic work in order to set up her own independent training enterprise to disseminate what she calls the Science of Connection. Humans beings are born connected, and as a species we have a physiological need for emotional connection in order to lead happy, healthy lives. Suzanne thought the public deserved to understand the science that gives depth to these insights. In 2014, she expanded her reach by founding the organisation connected baby, which enabled her team to create events and resources that support her message.
We estimate that, in the past 10 years, well over 100,000 people have heard her speak live, and many more have watched videos or read her books and blogs. Suzanne brings to her work her awareness of the latest discoveries on infant communicative capacities and brain development, as well as her own research expertise on parent-infant relationships and the socio-political contexts within which scientific information emerges.
Suzanne now works closely with organisations throughout the world, holding on to the same goal with which she set out: We need to increase awareness of the decisions we take about caring for children, because they are integrally connected to our vision for the kind of society we wish to build.
Ben Kingston-Hughes: Managing Director, Inspired Children
Ben Kingston-Hughes is an international keynote speaker, author and multi award-winning trainer. He is also the Managing Director of Inspired Children and has worked with vulnerable children across the UK for over 30 years.
He has appeared on television several times working on a variety of children’s projects and his distinctive blend of humour, neuroscience and real-life practical experiences have made his training invaluable for anyone working with children.
His ground-breaking book, “A Very Unusual Journey into Play.” is now available and his new book “Why Children Need Joy” was a finalist for the Nursery World Professional Book of the Year 2024 where it was awarded “Highly Commended”.
Louise Steel: Speech and Language Therapist
As a Speech and Language Therapist with over 30 years’ experience, Louise has worked in a variety of roles from specialist practitioner to clinical leader, to service manager. A fierce advocate for children and families, Louise has worked with partners across Scotland to drive forward improvement specifically focusing on reducing inequalities and empowering families. In 2023, Louise was seconded from NHS Ayrshire and Arran to Education Scotland as the team lead for the National Early Language and Communication Team. The current focus of her work is to support transformational systems change at a national and local level to reduce the poverty related gap in early language and communication.
Louise Illingworth: Speech and Language Therapist
Louise is a Speech and Language Therapist who has extensive experience and knowledge of the Early Years. As a Scottish Improvement Leader, she is skilled in using QI methodology. Within her role as Universal and Targeted Advisor in NHS Forth Valley, she collaborated with local authorities, and health, at both strategic and operational levels, developing Early Years services and building capacity in the workforce to build children’s language and communication skills.
Currently, Louise is seconded to Education Scotland, working as part of the National Early Language and Communication Team (NELCT). NELCT works at a local and national level to drive systems change in support for early language and communication.
Claire Shepherd: Workforce Manager
With 21 years of childcare sector experience, Claire joined SCMA in 2022 - initially as the Childminding Development Officer for Aberdeen City and then more recently as Workforce Retention Manager. Over the years working in various childcare settings, including becoming a childminder for six years and now as a mum, Claire understands first-hand the passion childminders have for making learning fun in a warm and nurturing home from home environment, and that the relationships you build are lasting.
Claire also recognises that observing children is so much more than just saying what a child can do. Learning to tune into what the child is doing and being an active listener can allow us to view children’s actual developmental milestones, fond interests, characters and more. Through quality observations we have the ability to create strong relationships with children and in turn, this creates a platform for children to feel secure to share and develop their ideas, and for us to facilitate their learning.
Susannah Knox: Professional Learning Manager
Susannah was a childminder for 17 years before becoming SCMA’s Professional Learning Manager three years ago. She previously worked as a Project Co-ordinator and trainer for young people as well as an SQA Assessor for Modern Apprenticeships. Having extensive knowledge and understanding of childminding as well as listening to lots of our members feedback has really helped the Professional Learning Team at SCMA to shape our learning to ensure it is interesting, relevant, and accessible.
In the last three years our existing professional learning offering has been extensively updated, revised, and added to. We have also introduced webinars, podcasts, and new content on our bespoke learning platform. We are also participating in further work to support members including a review of all resources, including paperwork.