Making the KU Difference
For children
The annual KU Difference Awards are designed to recognise and celebrate staff who have worked over and
beyond their normal duties, and made a significant contribution to KU. The awards are peer nominated and
are open to any KU staff member or team who has made the KU Difference in one of the award categories.
Jeanette Davidson
Director, KU Bulli Preschool
Jeanette was nominated for this award because of her
outstanding work with children with additional needs at
KU Bulli Preschool. She spends many additional hours
planning and preparing enriching experiences for the
children with whom she works.
The patience and compassion Jeanette demonstrates with
the children and the wonderful support she provides to
their families, has earned her a reputation within the local
community as a dedicated early childhood professional.
Many local families of children with additional needs now
seek out Jeanette and KU Bulli Preschool because they know it
is a place where their children will be welcomed and included.
KU strongly values the importance of play-based learning
and Jeanette has worked hard to ensure this approach
forms the basis of the program at KU Bulli. This ensures
that the learning experiences are purposeful, building
upon children’s strengths and focusing on individual
children’s interests.
Under Jeanette’s leadership, the team at KU Bulli have
been inspired to create an environment that fosters
children’s interest in learning and enables them to
understand and embrace diversity.
Jeanette’s colleagues describe her as a quiet achiever with
a calming manner, who always makes the wellbeing of
children and their families a priority. Truly an unsung hero,
Jeannette is making the KU Difference for many children
in her service, and is a worthy recipient of this recognition.
KU’s commitment to Inclusion
We are very proud of the initiatives we have undertaken to include and support children with additional
needs in KU services during 2010:
• KU’s Early Learning Inclusion Team supported 946 children
• The Speech Pathology Program carried out 183 assessments of children
• KU Indigenous Programs supported 112 children
• KU Family Programs supported 603 children from 480 families
Additionally, KU’s Early Learning and Literacy Initiative (ELLI) expanded into a third preschool and
provided numerous information sessions and resources for families, to promote language and literacy in
the home environment.
6
KU Children’s Services