ABOUT SCIENCE MINDED
Sharing the Science of Childhood with the Adults who Shape it
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At Science Minded Child Development, we help early childhood educators, leaders and families understand children more deeply (not just manage their behaviour).
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Founded by Dr Siobhan Kennedy-Costantini, our work is grounded in developmental research, shaped by real-life experience with young children and designed to turn the science of childhood into practical support for everyday moments.
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Based in Queensland and working across Australia, we support the adults who care for, teach and raise young children through professional development, coaching, parent education and sensory play programs.
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About Siobhan
Siobhan holds a PhD in developmental psychology and has spent over 15 years studying how children grow, connect and make sense of the world around them. Her published research spans early social learning, the parent-child relationship, attachment and children's cognitive development. She's the kind of person who reads the studies and then explains them in a way that actually makes sense over a cup of coffee.
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Before starting Science Minded, Siobhan worked as a research fellow at the University of Auckland and University of Queensland, where her work in early childhood development was published across peer-reviewed journals. She's also the co-host of the Parenting Unpacked podcast alongside Dr Kristyn Sommer, where they unpack the science of parenting with warmth, humour and zero judgement.
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Siobhan is also regularly featured on ABC's Queensland Southern Drive radio, sharing her expertise on child development and parenting with a broader audience. Whether it's a national conference stage, a podcast studio, or live radio, she brings the same warmth and clarity to every conversation.
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But her work isn't just academic. Siobhan is a mum of two young boys, and she brings that lived experience into everything she does. She knows what it feels like when the theory meets a 7 am meltdown in the kitchen because her two-year-old isn't allowed ice cream for breakfast. This is the reality she's navigating, too. It's what makes her sessions feel grounded, honest and deeply relatable for the educators, teachers and parents she works with.
Why Science Minded Exists
Science Minded started with a simple idea: that the research on how children develop shouldn't stay locked in journals and university libraries. Parents deserve access to it. Early childhood educators deserve Professional Development that goes deeper than behaviour management checklists. And children deserve adults who understand them, not just manage them.
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That's what Siobhan does. She takes the science of attachment, temperament and nervous system regulation and turns it into practical, relationship-centred tools for the people who spend their days with young children. Everything is grounded in evidence, but none of it feels like a lecture.
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Whether she's running Sensory Play Incursions in an early learning centre, delivering a keynote at a national conference, or sitting on the floor of a toddler room coaching an educator through a tricky moment, the approach is the same: warm, practical and built on real understanding of how children's brains and bodies actually work.
On Stage and On
the Floor
Siobhan is a regular keynote speaker and presenter at some of Australia's most respected early childhood education conferences. Her sessions are known for being evidence-based but emotionally resonant. She doesn't just talk at educators. She talks with them about the real challenges they face every day, like what to do when one child is crying, another is climbing the shelves, and someone is asking for help all at once, and how the research can guide what actually works in those moments.
2025 National Conference Engagements
Early Childhood Teacher's Association (Keynote)
Annual Conference 2025
"I think all educators need to hear Siobhan's message.
Her insights were clear, practical and incredibly valuable for supporting children's emotional regulation and connection."
Australian Childcare Alliance Queensland National Conference 2025
“Siobhan’s presentation was detailed, insightful & amazingly presented.
Everything just made sense. The information was useful, easy to understand & delivered in such a well-spoken way.”
Montessori Australia
Best Practice for the Modern World 2025
“This session was incredibly validating. ​Siobhan’s focus on delight, connection and presence with children was powerful, and the practical examples made it easy to see how we can bring this into our classrooms.”
Family Day Care Australia
National Conference, Melbourne 2025​
It’s essential that the industry places more emphasis on exactly the kinds of things Siobhan is talking about.
Her focus on connection, care and presence is what our children need more of. Brilliant talk!"
Beyond the Stage
Conference keynotes are one part of the picture. Most of Siobhan's work happens in early learning centres, in classrooms and with families across South East Queensland and Northern NSW.​​
PARENTS & FAMILIES
Siobhan runs the Circle of Security Parenting Program, self-paced Masterclasses in child development and education resources backed by research. Her approach is the same one she brings to the stage: no judgment or jargon, just honest conversation about what children need and how we can best show up for them.
Siobhan offers tailored Professional Development (PD) workshops and On-the-Floor Coaching for your centre.​​She works with educators in the moment, not with scripts or checklists, to understand children's behaviour, testing ideas, refining strategies and building confidence through real-life interactions.
LEADERSHIP TEAMS
Centre directors and educational leaders book Siobhan when they want a shared, consistent approach across their team. She helps management and leadership teams build a culture where educators, families and children all feel supported, confident and connected with the their community.