Emma Taylor

Owner / Service Manager

Hi, I’m Emma Taylor, the founder and manager of Emma’s Explorers Out-of-School Service.

Originally from Kinross, I’ve lived in Dunning since 2018, where my husband and I are raising our two children. Becoming a parent—particularly to a child with additional support needs—has given me a deep, personal understanding of how important nurturing, flexible care is for families. It also sparked a passion in me for supporting children of all abilities in a way that is inclusive, responsive, and child led.

I bring a strong background in early years and school-age childcare, having worked as a registered childminder for several years. In my most recent inspection by the Care Inspectorate, I was proud to receive 5s – Very Good across all areas. These grades reflect my commitment to delivering safe, nurturing, and high-quality care that supports every child’s wellbeing and development.

As demand for childcare in our local area grew, I saw a real need for a larger, community-based service that could support more families. That’s what led me to develop and launch Emma’s Explorers—an out-of-school club based in the heart of Dunning, providing both breakfast and after-school care for children aged 4–12.

I’m proud to work alongside a dedicated team of trained and experienced staff, each of whom shares my passion for providing nurturing, child-centred care. Together, we create a warm, engaging, and inclusive environment where children can relax, play, and thrive beyond the school day.

At Emma’s Explorers, we believe in building trusted relationships with families and supporting children as individuals. We look forward to welcoming your child to our setting and becoming a part of their out-of-school adventure.

 

My Qualifications

  • Level 2 Food Hygiene
  • PKC Introduction to Childminding Training
  • NSPCC Child Protection Training
  • Level 2 Paediatric First Aid & Emergency First Aid in the Workplace
  • Paediatric OT Sensory Training
  • Emotional Regulation Training
  • Supporting Young People with Anxiety Training
  • Social Coaching Training
  • Thinking About Inflexible Thinking Training
  • Help the Demand Avoidant (PDA) Child in Your Class Training
  • SVQ 3 Customer Service at SCQF level 6
  • SVQ 3 Social work in Children and Young people Level 7

Working towards

  • Diploma in Autism Awareness
  • SVQ 3 Social work in Children and Young people Level 9
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Maggie Gallacher

Senior Childcare Practitioner

I’m absolutely delighted to welcome Margaret Gallacher—known to many as Maggie—to Emma’s Explorers Out of School Service as our Senior Childcare Practitioner. Many families in the community may already know Maggie as the heart and soul behind Maggie’s Childminding @ Old Mill Farm, where she built a much-loved and respected service. After a brief retirement, I’m thrilled (and very lucky!) to have persuaded Maggie back to join me in launching the brand-new Dunning Breakfast Club and After School Club.

 

Maggie and I previously worked together at Old Mill Farm, where we quickly became known as “The Dream Team”—a title we proudly carry forward into this exciting new venture.

 

Maggie brings with her a truly unique blend of experience. Before moving into childcare, she spent 25 years working in the care of the elderly, specialising in end-of-life and dementia care across residential, nursing, and community settings. Her leadership extended into the training sector, where she managed the Training Department for the largest homecare company in South Wales and the Southwest of England. There, she developed and delivered both core and specialist training programs—including for NHS providers—and helped over 1,000 carers and managers achieve their SVQ/NVQ qualifications in Health & Social Care.

 

Her impressive professional background is matched by her qualifications, holding SVQ Level 6 in both Health & Social Care and Business. She is also a qualified SVQ/NVQ Assessor and “Train the Trainer” in areas such as Health & Safety, Risk Assessing, and Food Hygiene.

Maggie moved into childcare after the birth of her daughter, allowing her to apply her vast skill set to the early years sector. For over 10 years, she’s worked closely with children of all ages—including those with additional support needs—bringing joy, calm, and a rich developmental focus to every setting she’s been part of. She often says that working with children brings her endless joy because of their curious minds and unfiltered sense of fun and adventure.

 

At Emma’s Explorers, Maggie plays a key role in shaping a nurturing, inclusive, and engaging environment for all of our young explorers. She brings structure, warmth, and a lot of laughter to each day. Whether she’s leading a creative art project, supporting a child one-on-one, or simply making everyone feel safe and heard, Maggie does it all with compassion and care.

We’re truly privileged to have someone with Maggie’s incredible breadth of knowledge and heart on our team. She’s an essential part of what makes Emma’s Explorers such a special place for children to grow.

 

Qualifications & Professional Training:

  • SVQ Level 6 in Health & Social Care
  • SVQ Level 6 in Business
  • Qualified SVQ/NVQ Assessor (Levels 2–4)
  • Train the Trainer (Health & Social Care)
  • Paediatric First Aid
  • Child Protection Training
  • Food Hygiene (Level 2)
  • Health & Safety & Risk Assessment Certified
  • Mental Health and Wellbeing in Children Training
  • Autism Awareness and Inclusive Practice
  • Outdoor Learning & Risk Assessment Training
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✨ Our Relief Practitioners ✨

At Emma’s Explorers, our Relief Practitioners play a vital role in ensuring the smooth, consistent running of our service. While Emma and Maggie lead the setting as our core team Monday to Thursday, our relief team step in to support, cover and enhance the service whenever needed — and we are incredibly lucky to have such a skilled and experienced group.

Elspeth

Relief Practitioner

Elspeth brings an exceptional depth of knowledge and understanding to Emma’s Explorers. With a career spanning decades in education — including roles as a headteacher, learning support teacher and HMIe Associate Inspector — her experience is truly invaluable. Elspeth has a calm, reassuring presence and a natural ability to connect with children, supporting their wellbeing, behaviour and development with care and understanding. Her involvement in pioneering restorative approaches in Scotland reflects her commitment to nurturing positive relationships and supporting children to thrive. She continues to share her expertise not only with the children, but also by supporting and guiding the team.

Ross

Relief Practitioner

Ross brings a fantastic energy to the setting that children naturally gravitate towards. With decades of experience managing teams within the energy sector, he has strong leadership, communication and organisational skills that translate seamlessly into working with children. Ross is approachable, engaging and always ready to get involved — whether that’s through games, conversations or supporting children to build confidence. Having previously worked alongside Emma in a childcare setting, he also has valuable experience supporting children with additional support needs, ensuring every child feels included and supported.

Kat

Relief Practitioner (Joining Soon)

We are delighted to soon welcome Kat to our team. Kat brings a wealth of experience in wellbeing, inclusion and leadership as the founder of Winstanley Wellbeing and Inclusion. With extensive accreditations — including recognition as a Times Top 100 employer — and experience working with global organisations and managing care services for vulnerable adults, Kat offers a strong, values-driven approach. Her passion for inclusion and supporting individuals to feel valued and empowered aligns perfectly with everything we stand for at Emma’s Explorers. We are excited for the positive impact she will bring to both the children and the wider team.

✨ Why Our Relief Team Matters

Our relief practitioners are much more than cover staff — they are an integral part of our service. They step into their roles with professionalism, care and consistency, ensuring that children feel secure, supported and comfortable no matter who is present. Their flexibility allows us to maintain high-quality care at all times, while their varied backgrounds bring fresh perspectives, skills and experiences that enrich what we offer.

Together, they help us create a setting that is not only reliable and well-supported, but also dynamic, inclusive and full of opportunity for every child