About us

Helping Their Future began with a simple yet profound idea: to support children's development through community collaboration. Our commitment stems from a passion to help and support children to develop. We realised the best way to do this was to work with the community. Together, using the students'/child's village, we can create a smooth, holistic, and supportive environment for them to thrive. Everything we share is to help children's development.

Our values

Helping Their Future is driven by relational pedagogy, inclusive practice, and child-led learning. We offer creative, curriculum-aligned resources that celebrate diversity, nurture emotional safety, and spark curiosity. Every service empowers educators and families to support children holistically—academically, socially, and emotionally—through reflective, strengths-based approaches that honour each child’s unique potential.

Our team

Katie Vanderkolk – Founder & Lead Educator
Katie brings deep expertise in schema-based play, curriculum design, and inclusive pedagogy. Her passion lies in creating emotionally safe, creative learning environments where every child is seen, heard, and valued. She’s a reflective practitioner who connects theory to action, and her resources are grounded in evidence, empathy, and joy.

Collaborating Educators & Mentors
Katie partners with like-minded educators who specialize in trauma-informed practice, oral language development, and creative literacy. Each contributor brings lived classroom experience and a commitment to asset-based thinking, ensuring every resource is practical, differentiated, and responsive to real-world teaching.

Creative Designers & Content Developers
Behind the visuals and downloadable tools are creatives who understand the power of design in education. They help translate complex ideas into accessible, engaging formats—whether it’s a schema play guide, a parent resource, or a curriculum map.

 Community Voices
Parents, carers, and fellow educators regularly shape the direction of Helping Their Future. Their feedback, stories, and insights are woven into the evolving content, making this platform a living, breathing collaboration.

Our Impact

At Helping Their Future, we strive to:

Foster Emotional Safety & Belonging: Children feel seen, heard, and valued—especially those navigating trauma, neurodiversity, or social challenges.

Empower Educators & Parents: Through schema-based play guides, inclusive planning tools, and reflective resources, we equip adults to respond to children’s needs with empathy, creativity, and confidence.

Promote Holistic Learning: We support inquiry, autonomy, and creativity—so children don’t just learn content, they become curious thinkers and resilient collaborators.

Bridge Home–School Partnerships: Our resources strengthen communication between families and schools, ensuring consistent support across settings.

Advocate for Inclusive, Strengths-Based Education: We challenge deficit narratives and promote asset-based approaches that honour every child’s identity, culture, and capability.

In Perth, this means working alongside services like MacKillop Family Services Western Australia and Child Development Centre West Perth to complement existing supports with relational, creative, and inclusive tools that make a lasting difference.