Meet Jane 

Our Founder, Owner & CEO. 

In 2001, Jane Chambers was at uni studying primary school teaching. When she had nearly completed her degree, she realised that didn’t want to teach in schools... 


Instead, she found a little blue house in Busselton, complete with bluebird stained glass windows, and opened her first childcare centre the following year. She was only 21 and a first-time mum! The project quickly expanded and she purchased the two houses next door, moved after-school care to the community centre down the road, and acquired another existing service in Busselton. 


Fast forward 20 years, and Chambers Childcare Group has become one of WA's most trusted privately-owned childcare providers. Jane is still very much the heart and soul of the business, along with a passionate team. 

The whole story.

Jane has always been an entrepreneur. From a young age, she would ask family members if she could clean their cars for $20, seek out babysitting gigs, and offer tutoring. Working at Woolworths at 17, Jane noted the value of following systems. She gained sales knowledge selling cars at her dad’s business, and learnt the meaning of hard work while employed at a vineyard and protea farm. 

When Jane was in the final year of her teaching degree, a lecturer informed her cohort that they were “very lucky” to be entering their teaching careers on $35k a year. Jane’s heart sank. It’s not all about money, but to have spent four years studying to come out on less than what she was currently earning was heartbreaking. And frankly, not viable. So, Jane pulled out of uni, bought a house in Busselton and converted it into a childcare centre. 

Bluebird Childcare started in February 2002 with 25 children operating out of one converted house. Jane was now a business owner, cook, cleaner, bus driver, educator, bookkeeper… and had no idea what she was doing. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Jane spent every spare moment researching, learning, and adapting. She enrolled in a business course to learn how to operate her business more efficiently.  


As she thrived, so did Bluebird.  

Now, 20 years on, we’re not just Bluebird. Across WA, we have multiple childcare brands and partnered services under our Chambers Childcare Group. We’ve won business awards for fastest growth, best turnaround, and business of the year, and Jane was awarded Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017.  


Through the implementation of innovative ideas, we’ve grown from a small family business to an ever-expanding company. These ideas have come from listening to our families, our team, and genuinely responding to their needs. Together, we’ve developed new service types and implemented services nobody else does. 

WJane’s passion for accessible childcare stems from a career where she’s too-often encountered children in vulnerable situations, either at home or in refuges. National foster home shortages, lack of childcare and education access, and very little support for families is taking a toll on local communities. Through Chamber’s Childcare, Jane is ready to change that.  

Family.

Jane and Ben have five children of their own and are approved foster parents. Raising their own family — alongside running many childcare centres and the transient nature of foster care — is a privilege, a challenge, and a joy. 

Our Vision

Accessible childcare for all.

We see a world with accessible childcare that caters to the needs of each community, enabling families to get the care and education their young children need. We’re aiming for an Australia with 24/7 childcare centres — specifically in regional areas — where our children, our future, the next generation can access safe spaces. 

Our Mission

To make a difference.

  • Making a difference in the community.

    The level of support we provide exceeds that of regular childcare and early learning services. Alongside exceptional care and education, we’re highly connected to the community through our transport service, offering home and school pick-ups/drop-offs, sports, training, and anything else our families need support with. 

  • Making a difference to our team.

    We offer a higher level of support to our team through compassion, care, and understanding. We put people first, always, offering flexible work arrangements and many opportunities for professional and personal growth. Professional development is ongoing so every team member feels equipped and confident in their roles.  

  • Making a difference in children’s lives.

    This is true for all children in our communities, but especially vulnerable children. Vulnerable children can access a safe environment and have their basic needs met — which often isn’t the case in their home environments. They also have access to quality education and compassionate care in a nurturing and engaging atmosphere.  

  • Making a difference through our network.

    We’re in this together, and slowly, we’d like to change the way we view, value, and prioritise childcare in Australia. Sharing our why and our vision with our network of people (Department for Community, Communicare, SAFE), we’re educating the community on how they can make a difference.  

Company values.

Inclusivity

Everyone has the opportunity to contribute and be heard.

Family

We exist to serve families — the heart of our community.

Integrity

We’re open, honest, and follow up our words with actions.

Above the line

In time and finances, we strive to be generous, always.

More than a childcare centre.

  • The “yes” movement.

    Early on, Jane implemented a “yes” policy across all her centres. Her team are instructed to say “yes, we do!” to all family requests. If it’s a service we don’t offer, we turn it into a new offering, or fulfil the request for that one family and tailor our services accordingly.  


    The “yes” movement significantly expanded the business, shaping and defining what Chambers Childcare is today. It’s what lead us to the two types of care that no one else offered: casual care and a pick-up and drop-off service.  

  • Bridging the gap.

    Over the past 20 years, Chambers Childcare has been recognised and awarded for a number of entrepreneurial programs that have helped bridge the gap between children in vulnerable situations and accessible opportunities for care.  


    One of these programs is our transport initiative. We now transport 5,000+ vulnerable children per month to and from home, women's refuges, school, and extracurricular activities. In doing so, we've developed strong partnerships with families, The Department of Child Protection, women's refuges, and a number of government agencies. 

  • Accessible care for the vulnerable.

    Working with vulnerable children, local women's shelters, and numerous community services, we’re able to cater to children who require extra care. This includes urgent care through our home pick-up and drop-off services, care for children in high-risk home environments, and children suffering abuse and neglect. We provide these children with a safe environment, food, and love they deserve — and desperately need. 


    This is not an initiative we intend to “hoard” — we’re so pleased to see other centres adopting our ideas and care practices. This makes our community stronger! 

  • Supporting working women.

    Jane employs around 200 permanent people, the majority of whom are women who have been out of the workforce due to raising their own families. Providing these women with a supportive workplace and many opportunities to shape their careers is truly a joy. While they provide deeply-rooted maternal instincts and nurturing care, we support their mental health, provide fulfilment outside the home, and offer a flourishing career. 

Awards & recognition. 

We’re humbled and proud to have achieved a number of milestones during our history. 

  • Action Coach: Best Turnaround Business, March 2015 
  • Action Coach: Fasted Growing Business, December 2015 
  • Business Excellence Forum & Awards: Best Service Based Business Australasia, 2017 
  • 40 Under 40: Jane Chambers, Winner 2018 
  • Ausmumpreneur Awards: People’s Choice, 2020 
  • Business Excellence Forum: Young Entrepreneur of the Year (Over 10 Employees) 
  • ACECQA: Rated Exceeding National Standards. 


Professional development. 

As our people grow, so does our company. 

For Jane, learning is a lifelong experience and she adopts an active, ongoing approach to growth and development. This is true for her professionally and personally, as well as for all staff in her employment — she is particularly rewarded seeing others grow. 

Jane’s personal and professional development: 

  • Instructors and Leadership Training Program. 
  • Board of Directors. 
  • Money and You Curriculum.
  • DISC Profile Assessor. 
  • Business Course.