.jpg)
I Early Years Consultancy
"Elevate, Educate & Empower"
Welcome to I Love Early Years - your one-stop destination for early years support, resources, online training, coaching, and consultancy services.
For over 20 years, early years education has been my world. I poured my heart into supporting children, creating spaces where little minds could flourish. I trained and mentored early years educators, shaped policies, and worked hard to make a real difference after graduating in 2007. I loved the work, however, over time, I realised something deeper: it wasn’t just about the children I was supporting. I was supporting the adults caring for them too.
Life, however, had its own way of reshaping my path. In 2022, after losing both my parents to cancer, I moved to Wales. Grief changes you. It shifts everything—it makes you see life differently, forces you to slow down, and makes you reflect and question what truly matters. It was during this time that I felt a strong pull toward something new—counselling and coaching. I knew firsthand what it felt like to be overwhelmed, to doubt myself, to keep pushing forward when I really needed to pause. I didn’t want others to feel alone in that.
My journey hasn’t been easy and one of the hardest moments of my career was an Ofsted inspection that left me feeling completely inadequate and deflated. Despite pouring my heart into creating a warm, engaging, and high-quality environment, the inspection felt cold, impersonal, and unfairly critical. The feedback felt like a personal attack rather than constructive support, and it left me questioning my abilities. Complaining seemed like a pointless exercise as it fell on the same inspector to deal with the complaint – how can that be fair?. I remember how that felt—like all the love, effort, and dedication I had poured in didn’t matter. It took the unfortunate suicide of headteacher Ruth Perry for me to realise the real impact of this work wasn’t in ticking boxes but in the smiles, the learning, and the genuine connections that are built with children and families. That experience, as painful as it was, became a turning point. I now use this lesson in my work—helping educators, parents, and caregivers overcome self-doubt, manage stress, and focus on what really matters, connection.
Through my online training, resources and coaching, I support others in finding calm in the chaos—I believe in the power of small moments, simple strategies, and shifting our mindset to create lasting change. I am a lifelong learner and I’m currently studying to become a counsellor which will deepen my ability to support others in a meaningful way. I volunteer for 3 charities, giving back to community is close to my heart. Every day, I work to find that balance—between caring for others and caring for myself.
I may have started in early years but my mission has expanded. I’m here to help people feel seen, heard, valued, and supported—whoever they may be because I know what it’s like to feel overwhelmed, unheard and to doubt yourself. The truth is supporting others isn’t just my profession – it’s my purpose.
With Love & Gratitude,
Sharon Makin (BA, Hons)
