Family day care services provide play-based learning to thousands of children living all around Australia, from tiny villages to busy cities, and make up one of the largest networks of women in home-based small business in the country.

The Chief Executive Officer of Family Day Care Australia, Andrew Paterson, said more than 5000 nominations were received for the recent 2024 Excellence in Family Day Care Awards, which was “a testament to the irreplaceable role of family day care educators and service staff across the nation”.

“Family day care plays a critical role in the lives of children, families and communities throughout Australia and these awards celebrate the dedication, professionalism and passion that our members demonstrate every day,” Mr Paterson said.

Family day care educators are registered with Australian Government approved services and operate from their own homes to provide personalised early childhood education and care to small groups of children.

The awards were presented to staff and services from each state and territory (see NSW list below) at a gala dinner in Parramatta on 23 November.

Long-time NSW educator Cheryl McQuillan, from Rainbow Bridge Family Day Care, was named the Perpetual Educator Star, a national award that recognises an educator for their contribution to the family day care sector.

The other national winners were: National Coordinator of the Year - April Eaton, Kids At Home Family Day Care, Queensland; National Service of the Year - Northside Family Day Care Scheme, South Australia; and National Educator of the Year - Roslyn Humbles, Wanslea Regional Family Day Care, Western Australia.

NSW Department of Education Early Childhood Outcomes Executive Director Jenny Merkley said there were 23,000 children in NSW who attended family day care services, which were particularly important in outer regional and remote areas where there were greater barriers for families to access quality early childhood education and care services.

In a speech at the awards, Ms Merkley said many children would miss out on early learning all together if it was not for the access provided by family day care.

Recent reports by the Productivity Commission and the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal NSW have highlighted the lack of early childhood and care services in geographical areas of greatest disadvantage.

“Family day care centres are well placed to serve remote and rural communities where low population density and lack of workforce makes large centres financially unviable,” Ms Merkley said.

“Both the IPART analysis and the recent Productivity Commission note how important family day cares are as providers of services in these thin markets and other disadvantaged areas.

“Family day care plays a pivotal role in providing a safe and welcoming learning environment for children and families in regional areas; or for families in areas of disadvantage; or who experience other barriers to participating in early childhood education and care. In fact, 27 per cent of family day care places are in the most disadvantaged areas.”

2024 Regional Educator Award winners NSW

• Kristen Tobias - Albury Wodonga & Murray, Greater Hume Children Service
  

• Kathleen Bolt - Blue Mountains & Central West, Bathurst Family Day Care

• Gabriela Gasinska - CBD, Inner West & Eastern Suburbs, Family Day Care Sydney Wide

• Jane Aitken - Coffs Harbour & North Coast, Mid Coast Family Day Care

• Sarah Thomas - Dubbo & Central, Cabonne Family Day Care
  

• Jo-Anne Warhurst - Far West & Central North, Far West Family Day Care

• Jamie Thomas - Gosford & Central Coast, Coastwide Family Day Care

• Nicole Albury - Goulburn & Southern Tablelands, Goulburn Family Day Care

• Nicole Hodgins - Lismore & Far North Coast, Ballina-Byron Family Day Care
  

• Nadine Statham - Newcastle, Maitland & Hunter, Maitland Family Day Care

• Shoko Wark - North Shore & Northern Beaches, Artarmon Family Day Care

• Elena Shemet - North West & Hills District , Baulkham Hills Family Day Care

• Sreevidya Yadatisastrula - Parramatta & Western Suburbs, Twinkle Family Day Care
  

• Annette Johnson - Port Macquarie & Mid North Coast, Kempsey Family Day Care & In Home Care

• Sonia Jaswal - Richmond & Hawkesbury, Little Star Family Day Care

• Navnit Kaur Sachdev - Ryde & Macquarie Park, CCA Family Day Care

• Jamie Watt - South West & M5 Corridor, Camden Family Day Care
  

• Magda Sanchez - Southern Suburbs & Sutherland Shire, Inner West Family Day Care

• Carrie Leader - Tamworth & North West, Gunnedah Family Day Care

• Samantha King - Tumut, Southern Highlands & Snowy, Natural Choice Family Day Care

• Kirsty Thomas - Wagga Wagga & Riverina, Intereach Family Day Care
  

• Mence Maneva - Wollongong, Illawarra & South Coast, Early Years Care

The NSW Department of Education is a sponsor of the 2024 Excellence in Family Day Care awards.