A City of Ballarat employee is a national finalist in the 2019 Excellence in Family Day Care Awards.
Family day care educator Melissa Dreger last month won the competition’s Ballarat and Central Highlands educator of the year award for the third time in the five years she has worked for Council.
On 14 October, Melissa was announced as one of four national finalists in the only Australian awards dedicated to the family day care sector.
An initiative of Family Day Care Australia, the Excellence in Family Day Care Awards recognise the amazing work done by educators, coordinators and services to deliver high quality early childhood education and care to children across Australia.
Melissa said she loved “absolutely everything” about being a family day care educator.
“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 into my care.”
“I take tremendous delight in knowing that I help the children in their growth and development.”
A total of 15 City of Ballarat family day care educators were nominated in this year’s awards by families in their services.
The national educator of the year will be crowned at a gala dinner in Hobart on 23 November.
