National finalists announced for Excellence in Family Day Care Awards

Family Day Care Australia (FDCA) has announced the 2019 Excellence in Family Day Care Awards national finalists, representing the top contenders for this years’ awards, which will take place on 23 November in Hobart.

The Awards, which have been running for eight years, highlight “the incredible work completed by family day care educators, co-ordinators and services each and every day and showcases the vital contribution family day care makes to families and children around Australia,” an FDCA spokesperson said. 

In the Educator of the Year category, finalists have been chosen from New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria. 

Mark and Michelle Tregillgas, from Blue Mountains Family Day Care, in NSW are joined by April Eaton from Kids At Home Family Day Care in Queensland, Meenakshi Mahajan from Central Metro Family Day Care in South Australia, and Melissa Dreger of Ballarat Family Day Care in Victoria. 

Ms Dreger, who last month won the Ballarat and Central Highlands Educator of the Year Award for the third time in five years said she loved “absolutely everything” about working in family day care. 

“These children and their families are like an extension of my own family,” Melissa said.“The small environment and low child/educator ratio helps me to intimately and positively influence the children entrusted to my care.”

In the Co-ordinator of the Year category, national finalists are:

• Victoria Edmond, Rainbow Bridge Family Day Care (NSW) 
• Kellie Still, We Belong Family Day Care (QLD) 
• Lynne Brooke, Bright Futures Children’s Services (WA) 
• Julie Metselaar, Baw Baw Family Day Care (VIC) 

The national finalists in the Service of the Year category are:

• Leichhardt Family Day Care (NSW) 
• Kids at Home Family Day Care (QLD) 
• Bright Futures Children’s Services (WA) 
• City of Greater Geelong Family Day Care (VIC) 

FDCA CEO Andrew Paterson said being chosen as a national finalist “is a significant achievement,” which highlights each of the finalists’ “dedication to providing quality early childhood education and care for families in their community.”

More information about the Excellence in Family Day Care Awards can be found here.