ATTUNE Lab  ·  Leadership · Implementation · Practice

Building readiness
for change in early
childhood settings

ATTUNE is a leadership and implementation framework that helps early childhood leaders build the conditions where change can actually succeed.

Connect Explore the Framework

Why ATTUNE Exists

Why good professional
learning often doesn't stick

The early childhood sector is rich with professional learning and evidence-based practice. And yet the conditions that allow that learning to truly land are not always part of the conversation.

Readiness is rarely part of the equation. When the conditions for change haven't been created, even the best evidence-based practice struggles to embed. ATTUNE was developed in response to that gap — asking not just what needs to change, but whether the human conditions for it have actually been created first.

Implementation is a human process

Resistance is not a problem to manage — it is information about where people are. ATTUNE gives leaders the language and tools to notice that, and respond in ways that build readiness rather than bypass it.

What ATTUNE Does

A framework for leaders who want change to last

Builds Readiness

Helps leaders understand their team's capacity for change before implementation begins — and create the conditions that make it possible.

Supports Leaders

Provides practical, relational tools for having meaningful conversations with teams — as change unfolds.

Embeds Sustainably

Moves beyond one-off professional learning to create the ongoing relational and organisational conditions that allow change to genuinely stick.

What Makes ATTUNE Different

Not another leadership program

Most leadership programs focus on skills, knowledge, and strategies. ATTUNE works at a different level — the human conditions that make any program or strategy possible.

Most programs focus on

  • Skills and knowledge transfer
  • Strategies and techniques
  • Compliance and fidelity
  • What to do
  • One-off professional learning

ATTUNE focuses on

  • Conditions and relational safety
  • Regulation and team capacity
  • Implementation conditions
  • Whether people are ready to do it
  • Sustained, staged support

What Leaders Gain

Real outcomes for real services

01

More meaningful conversations

Leaders gain confidence and tools to have honest, human-centred conversations with their teams about change.

02

Reduced resistance

When readiness is understood and addressed, resistance decreases — because people feel seen, supported and ready.

03

Stronger team culture

A shared language around regulation and readiness builds psychological safety and relational trust across the team.

04

Sustainable practice change

Implementation that is built on readiness and relational safety embeds more deeply — and lasts.

Who ATTUNE Is For

Built for early childhood leaders

ATTUNE is designed for leaders supporting teams through change.

  • Educational leaders
  • Service leaders and directors
  • Organisations introducing practice change

Particularly relevant for services experiencing implementation fatigue, high staff stress, or significant practice change.

Sustainable change starts with readiness

ATTUNE is currently partnering with a small number of pilot services in 2026. If you'd like to find out more, we'd love to hear from you.

Connect See the Evidence Base

The ATTUNE Framework

A readiness-first
approach to implementation

ATTUNE is built around a simple but powerful idea: that before asking teams to change, leaders need to understand whether the conditions for change have actually been created. The framework gives them the language, tools, and support to do exactly that.

The ATTUNE Model

Six capacities for relational leadership

Each letter represents a capacity that leaders develop and deepen over time. These are not steps — they are interconnected ways of noticing, thinking, and responding that together create the conditions for sustainable change.

A

Awareness of Self

Noticing your own regulation, stress, assumptions, and leadership presence in real time — before entering any conversation or implementation context.

What state am I in?

T

Tuning into Context

Understanding how environment, systems, routines, and organisational conditions shape people's readiness and capacity for change.

What conditions are shaping this experience?

T

Tracking Relationships

Noticing patterns of trust, safety, connection, resistance, and relational dynamics — because relationships are where trust and capacity for change are built.

How are people experiencing each other and this change?

U

Understanding Emotional Needs

Interpreting behaviour and resistance through the lens of regulation and readiness — not deficit or non-compliance.

What might this be communicating about readiness?

N

Nurturing Practice

Responding with practical, relational, and psychologically safe actions that build readiness and support sustainable implementation.

What small action could increase safety or readiness?

E

Embedding & Evolving

Reflecting, adapting, and embedding practices over time — so that change becomes part of the culture, not just a program that was delivered.

What needs to continue, shift, or grow?

How ATTUNE Is Delivered

Four waves,
one journey

1

Wave One  ·  Online Group Session

Settling in the Water

Creating the relational and psychological conditions for sustainable change. Leaders explore self-awareness, regulation, and leadership presence — building the grounding needed before conversations with their teams begin.

2

Wave Two  ·  Online Group Session

Reading the Water

Understanding team readiness before implementation begins. Leaders practise listening, noticing patterns, and building a real picture of where their team is — relationally, emotionally, and in terms of their capacity to engage with change.

3

Wave Three  ·  Individual Service Session

Guiding the Current

Supporting implementation as change begins. Leaders and champions stay connected and responsive — checking in with their teams, noticing what's working, and adjusting support based on where people actually are.

4

Wave Four  ·  Individual Service Session

Riding the Wave

Embedding and sustaining practice over time. Reflecting on what has changed, what still needs support, and what comes next — so that the shift becomes part of how the service works, not just something that happened.

The ATTUNE Tools

Practical tools for each stage

Each wave is supported by a purpose-built reflective and conversation tool — helping leaders assess capacity for change, guide implementation, and sustain change in ways that feel human and manageable.

"Regulated leaders create regulated teams. Regulated teams create regulated children."

The Research Behind ATTUNE

Grounded in evidence,
built for practice

ATTUNE is grounded in established evidence from implementation science, developmental neuroscience, trauma-informed practice, and adult learning theory — drawing together the fields that help explain how people experience and respond to change.

Why Evidence Matters

Not just intuition —
research-informed practice

The framework draws together multiple evidence bases — each contributing a different layer of understanding about how people experience and respond to change. Together, they make ATTUNE's readiness-first approach both distinctive and robust.

Implementation Science

Implementation Science & Sustainable Change

The foundation of ATTUNE. Implementation science examines why change efforts succeed, stall, or fail — and what leaders and organisations can do to create the conditions for sustainable implementation. ATTUNE's structure, tools, and sequencing are all directly informed by this evidence.

01

Stages of Implementation

Fixsen et al.'s model shows effective change moves through exploration, installation, initial implementation, and full implementation — each requiring different support. ATTUNE's waves mirror this progression.

Fixsen, D.L. et al. (2005). Implementation Research: A Synthesis. University of South Florida.

02

Readiness as a Prerequisite

Organisational and individual readiness consistently predicts implementation success. Ignoring readiness leads to surface-level compliance, not genuine and sustainable change.

Scaccia, J.P. et al. (2015). A practical implementation science heuristic for organisational readiness: R = MC². Journal of Community Psychology, 43(4).

03

The Champion Paradox

Champions can powerfully support implementation — but their impact is shaped by relational conditions, leadership support, and psychological safety within the team.

Stark, H. & Page, J. (2026). The Champion Paradox.

How ATTUNE applies this

ATTUNE's Readiness Conversation Tool and Ongoing Conversation Tool are direct applications of implementation science — creating structured, human-centred processes for assessing and building readiness throughout implementation. Nurturing Practice Through Action and Embedding & Evolving address the later, often neglected stages of implementation.

Adult Learning Theory

How Adults Learn and Grow

Leaders don't implement change by being told what to do. Adults learn through reflection, experience, dialogue, and practice — and they need to feel safe enough to try, fail, and try again. ATTUNE's design honours this at every turn.

01

Andragogy — The Art of Adult Learning

Knowles identified that adults are self-directed, experience-rich learners who need learning to be relevant and problem-centred. ATTUNE's reflective, conversation-based design honours all of these principles.

Knowles, M.S. et al. (2005). The Adult Learner (6th ed.). Elsevier.

02

Professional Learning That Makes a Difference

Timperley's research shows that professional learning needs to be sustained, embedded in practice, and connected to real outcomes — not delivered as a one-off event and expected to stick.

Timperley, H. et al. (2007). Teacher Professional Learning and Development: Best Evidence Synthesis. Ministry of Education NZ.

03

Mattering

When people feel that they matter — that they are seen, valued, and have something to contribute — they are more open, engaged, and willing to take the risks that real change requires.

Wallace, J.B. (2026). Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose. Celadon Books.

How ATTUNE applies this

ATTUNE's wave delivery model is deliberately light touch, high frequency, and relational. Rather than front-loading content, it creates repeated opportunities for reflection, practice, and connection — the conditions under which adults actually learn and change.

Trauma-Informed Practice

Trauma-Informed Organisations

Resistance, avoidance, and disengagement are often adaptive responses — not a lack of motivation. Trauma-informed practice helps leaders understand behaviour through the lens of safety and stress, creating conditions where people feel supported enough to engage with change.

01

Secondary Traumatic Stress

Educators are regularly exposed to the distress of children and families. Without organisational support, this leads to compassion fatigue and burnout — directly impacting readiness for change.

Bath, H. (2008). The three pillars of trauma-informed care. Reclaiming Children and Youth, 17(3).

02

The Body Keeps the Score

Trauma lives in the body, not just the mind. Understanding the somatic dimensions of stress is foundational to creating environments where people feel safe enough to engage with change.

van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score. Penguin.

03

Behaviour as Communication

Resistance, withdrawal, or avoidance in staff is often a stress response — not a character flaw. Shifting from "what's wrong with them?" to "what might they need?" is central to ATTUNE's approach.

SAMHSA (2014). Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach.

How ATTUNE applies this

The ATTUNE shift — from "What's wrong with this educator?" to "What might this person need to feel safe, supported, and ready to engage?" — is a direct application of trauma-informed principles to leadership and implementation.

Developmental Neuroscience

Developmental Neuroscience & Relational Brains

The science underpinning learning, regulation, and social connection. Human brains are shaped by relationships — and the quality of relational environments directly influences people's capacity to learn, grow, and engage with change. This is as true for educators and leaders as it is for children.

01

Ecological Systems Theory

Bronfenbrenner's model shows that development — and readiness for change — is shaped by nested layers of environment, from immediate relationships to broader organisational and cultural systems.

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The Ecology of Human Development. Harvard University Press.

02

The Stress Response & Learning

When the brain registers threat, regions responsible for learning and connection become less accessible. Chronic stress in educators directly impacts their capacity to engage with change.

Perry, B.D. & Szalavitz, M. (2006). The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog. Basic Books.

03

The Developing Mind

Neural pathways are built through repeated relational experiences. Warm, responsive, predictable environments support regulatory capacity — in children and adults alike.

Siegel, D.J. (2012). The Developing Mind (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

How ATTUNE applies this

Tuning into Context and Understanding Emotional Needs help leaders recognise when team members may be outside their window of tolerance — and respond in ways that restore safety and readiness, rather than increase demands.

Polyvagal Theory

Polyvagal Theory & Nervous System Safety

The nervous system lens that helps explain many of the patterns leaders observe in themselves and others. Developed by Dr Stephen Porges, Polyvagal Theory explains how the autonomic nervous system continuously scans for signals of safety or threat. When people feel safe, they can connect, learn, and engage. When they feel threatened, the system shifts into protection. This is not a choice — it is biology.

01

The Social Engagement System

When the nervous system registers safety, the ventral vagal pathway activates — enabling connection, curiosity, and openness to new experiences and change.

Porges, S.W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory. Norton.

02

Neuroception & Felt Safety

The nervous system detects safety or threat below conscious awareness — meaning the relational environment determines whether people can genuinely engage with implementation.

Porges, S.W. (2004). Neuroception. Zero to Three, 24(5), 19–24.

03

Co-Regulation

Regulation is contagious. Leaders who are regulated help regulate those around them — creating the relational conditions for readiness and engagement.

Porges, S.W. & Dana, D. (2018). Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory. Norton.

How ATTUNE applies this

Every wave begins with a grounding and regulation practice. Awareness of Self — the first ATTUNE capacity — asks leaders to notice their own nervous system state before entering any conversation or implementation context. The entire framework is structured to create felt safety throughout implementation.

Full Reference List

The evidence in full

Attachment & Relational Theory

  • Bowlby, J. (1988). A Secure Base. Basic Books.
  • Hughes, D. & Baylin, J. (2012). Brain-Based Parenting. Norton.

Developmental Neuroscience

  • Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The Ecology of Human Development. Harvard University Press.
  • Perry, B.D. & Szalavitz, M. (2006). The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog. Basic Books.
  • Siegel, D.J. (2012). The Developing Mind (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

Emotional Intelligence & Wellbeing

  • Brackett, M. (2019). Permission to Feel. Celadon/Macmillan.
  • Wallace, J.B. (2026). Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose. Celadon Books.

Trauma-Informed Practice

  • Bath, H. (2008). The three pillars of trauma-informed care. Reclaiming Children and Youth, 17(3), 17–21.
  • SAMHSA (2014). SAMHSA's Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach. HHS Publication.
  • van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score. Penguin.

Polyvagal Theory

  • Porges, S.W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory. Norton.
  • Porges, S.W. & Dana, D. (2018). Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory. Norton.

Adult & Professional Learning

  • Knowles, M.S., Holton, E.F. & Swanson, R.A. (2005). The Adult Learner (6th ed.). Elsevier.
  • Timperley, H., Wilson, A., Barrar, H. & Fung, I. (2007). Teacher Professional Learning and Development: Best Evidence Synthesis. Ministry of Education NZ.
  • Timperley, H. (2008). Teacher Professional Learning and Development. UNESCO International Bureau of Education.

Implementation Science

  • Damschroder, L.J. et al. (2009). Fostering implementation of health services research findings into practice. Implementation Science, 4, 50.
  • Damschroder, L.J. et al. (2022). The updated Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Implementation Science, 17, 75.
  • Fixsen, D.L. et al. (2005). Implementation Research: A Synthesis of the Literature. University of South Florida.
  • Greenhalgh, T. et al. (2004). Diffusion of innovations in service organizations. The Milbank Quarterly, 82(4), 581–629.
  • Meyers, D.C., Durlak, J.A. & Wandersman, A. (2012). The Quality Implementation Framework. Psychological Bulletin.
  • Nilsen, P. (2015). Making sense of implementation theories, models and frameworks. Implementation Science, 10, 53.
  • Scaccia, J.P. et al. (2015). A practical implementation science heuristic for organisational readiness: R = MC². Journal of Community Psychology, 43(4), 484–501.
  • Scott, K., Quach, J., Dawson, G. & Goldfeld, S. (2023). Variations in schools' readiness for change. AERO/University of Melbourne.
  • Scott, K. et al. (2024). Strategies to Enhance Schools' Readiness for Change. AERO/University of Melbourne.
  • Stark, H. & Page, J. (2026). The Champion Paradox: The dual effects of implementation champions on the sustainment of evidence-based practices.

About Halina McNally

Implementation Specialist.
Early Childhood Leader.
Researcher.

Founder, ATTUNE Lab

Halina McNally

Halina McNally is a Melbourne-based early childhood professional and the founder of ATTUNE Lab. With over 20 years of experience across early childhood education, intervention, and systems improvement, she has spent her career at the intersection of relationship, regulation, and real-world change.

Halina began her career as an early childhood teacher before spending nearly a decade at the Royal Children's Hospital's Early Childhood Intervention Service — first as a key worker, and later as manager. She has since contributed to large-scale implementation and research projects across the sector, deepening her understanding of what it actually takes for change to stick in early childhood settings.

The early childhood sector is rich with professional learning and evidence-based practice. And yet the conditions that allow that learning to truly land are not always part of the conversation. Halina's observation is that readiness is the missing piece. ATTUNE was her response — a framework that asks not just what needs to change, but whether the human conditions for change have actually been created first.

Qualifications

Specialist Certificate in Implementation Science

University of Melbourne, 2024

Graduate Certificate in Research (Education)

University of Melbourne, 2023

Certificate IV in Training & Assessment

RMIT University, 2015

Bachelor of Education

RMIT University, 2009

Diploma of Children's Services

Swinburne University, 2005

Why Halina Is Uniquely Positioned

The experience behind ATTUNE

ATTUNE draws on a rare combination of frontline practice, leadership experience, research, and implementation science — built over more than two decades in the early childhood sector.

01

Frontline Practice

Over 20 years working directly with children, families, educators and leaders in early childhood — including nearly a decade in early childhood intervention at the Royal Children's Hospital.

02

Implementation Science

Formal training in implementation science at the University of Melbourne, combined with hands-on experience supporting large-scale implementation projects across the sector.

03

Research & Systems Improvement

Graduate-level research training and experience contributing to systems improvement work — understanding not just what works, but why, and how to create the conditions for it to stick.

Get in Touch

Let's start a
conversation

ATTUNE is currently working with a small number of early childhood services in its pilot phase. If you're interested in finding out more, we'd love to hear from you.

Connect with ATTUNE

Tell us a little about you and your service. We'll be in touch to explore whether ATTUNE is a good fit for your context.

Based inMelbourne, Victoria — working Australia-wide online

Websiteattunelab.com.au

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We look forward to connecting with you and your service.

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Last updated: June 2026

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