Courtney Anderson celebrates 15 years in ECEC

Bathurst-based family day care (FDC) Educator Courtney Anderson has been working in the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector for 15 years, and has recently been announced as a regional educator award winner in the 2021 Family Day Care Australia (FDCA) Excellence in Family Day Care Awards.

Ms Anderson was recognised for her passion for nurturing and educating young children, particularly over the last six years which she has spent in regional New South Wales caring for children in Bathurst. 

Her small service is part of the Bathurst Family Day Care Scheme, and Ms Anderson praised her employer when speaking with local news source Western Advocate, acknowledging “all the help they provide the educators”.

“I’ve never won anything like this before…I was actually really shocked,” she told the paper.

“I was really appreciative. It makes you feel really special that all the work I’ve done for the last 15 years sort of pays off in some respect.”

Ms Anderson began the transition to FDC after working in centre-based care because she had “certain beliefs I wanted to see put into kids and I think it’s paid off because so many parents love the way I work”. 

“It’s an amazing job, honestly. I have four kids right now and every one of them can just walk into my house whenever they want…they’re part of the family.”

Ms Anderson is one of 24 winners in NSW and ACT who secured a regional award. All winners will now go in the running to be named as the ACT/NSW National Educator Finalist.

For more information about the Awards, see here. To access the original coverage of this story, please see here.