Baw Baw Celebrates 30 Years of Family Day Care

Published on 21 March 2019

Baw Baw Family Day Care has celebrated 30 amazing years of quality care and education for children and families in Baw Baw.

To celebrate the milestone, Family Day Care educators joined families and children at a sausage sizzle and picnic yesterday afternoon in Warragul’s Civic Park. 

Since the program’s beginning in 1989, over 200 educators have provided care and education to approximately 2,500 children in Baw Baw Shire.

Today, the program provides an alternative to traditional child care where qualified educators offer high quality, personalised and monitored care in a nurturing, natural and flexible home-based environment.

Currently, over 200 children between the ages of two months and 12 years access the Baw Baw Family Day Care service. The program offers flexibility in routine and adapts to the interests and needs of children in their care. This enables educators to provide a diverse and meaningful program tailored to each family.

Baw Baw Family Day Care is a consistently high-performing service, rated as Exceeding the National Standards under the National Quality Framework, designed by Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. This rating means going ‘above and beyond’ what is expected at the standard level.

In more recent times. The team have received several Excellence in Family Day Care Awards including 2016 State Service of the Year and 2018 State Educator of the Year for Martha Smith.

For more information about Baw Baw Family Day Care please visit www.bawbawshire.vic.gov.au/FamilyDayCare

“Family Day Care is a wonderful service offering child care, learning and lots of fun in a warm, nurturing and inclusive home environment. We’re thrilled to be celebrating this milestone. Congratulations to the team for 30 wonderful years of service to families in Baw Baw.”

“We’re proud to have such a dedicated, professional team running this service for our community. Recently we celebrated long-service milestones with two educators - Cheryl Kimm and Julie Metselaar, each with 25 years of service. Jo Sheehan has been a staff member for over 28 years. Later this month, Beryl Saunders will receive her 30 years of service award. The longevity of many educators and staff is a credit to the positive working relationships at Baw Baw Family Day Care.”

“Over the last 30 years, the Family Day Care program has evolved into a highly professional and well-regarded child care alternative and career of choice for educators. Supportive and knowledgeable educators work alongside families to tailor programs that fit in with all aspects of their family life. Families and children’s needs are considered at the time of placement, ensuring they are matched with an educator who can best support them.”

“We are very proud of the cohesive working relationships that have been built and continually strive to make our service family-friendly whilst providing a rich and nurturing learning environment.”

“We’re a small service and love the sense of community that this program fosters. We know each child and family well and are able to develop strong connections overtime. We love welcoming children and families into our homes and always strive to create fun, educational and inclusive programs that suit everyone involved.”

Image: Baw Baw's Family Day Care educators and families sharing in the fun at the 30-year anniversary celebration in Warragul's Civic Park. 

Image: Levi and Carolynne.

Image: Allieson and Mia.