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Family Day Care Australia is proud to announce our National Finalists in the 2026 Excellence in Family Day Care Awards!
What began with over 4,200 nominations is now down to 12 National Finalists who are in the running to be named as a National Winner at the Excellence in Family Day Care Awards Gala Dinner!
Join us in congratulating this year’s National Finalists by visiting our Facebook page.
We now move onto Brisbane, where on 28 November, we will announce the National Winners in the 2026 Excellence in Family Day Care Awards.
Educator Finalists
ACT/NSW - Tivana Sando, CCA Family Day Care, NSW
NT/QLD - Julie Conway, We Belong Family Day Care, QLD
SA/WA - Meenakshi Mahajan, Central Metro Family Day Care Scheme, SA
TAS/VIC - Crystal Way, Family Day Care Tasmania, TAS
Coordinator Finalists
ACT/NSW - Victoria Farrow, Far North Coast Family Day Care, NSW
NT/QLD - Amy Pace, Fraser Coast Family Day Care, QLD
SA/WA - Debbie Grose, Southern Districts Family Day Care Scheme, SA
TAS/VIC - Laura Hewitson, Foundations Family Day Care, VIC
Service Finalists
ACT/NSW - Northern Rivers Family Day Care, NSW
NT/QLD - Whitsunday Shire Family Day Care, QLD
SA/WA - White Gum Family Day Care, WA
TAS/VIC - Dandenong Community Family Day Care, VIC
Educator Star Award - Cheryl Anne Ingram, Collective Family Day Care, NSW
Coordinator Star Award - Mary Wiedman, Kath Dickson Family Day Care - Metropolitan HBS, QLD
Service Star Award - Clarence Family Day Care Scheme, TAS
ACT | NSW | NT | QLD | SA | TAS | VIC | WA
Australian Capital Territory
Georgina Quinn - North Canberra, Communities@Work Family Day Care
Courtney Love - South Canberra, Communities@Work Family Day Care
New South Wales
Viktoria Novak - CBD, Inner West & Eastern Suburbs, Collective Family Day Care
Melissa Murphy - North Shore & Northern Beaches, Family Day Care Sydney Wide
Vijay Kirti - North West & Hills District , Five Star Family Day Care
Sakshi Verma - Parramatta & Western Suburbs, Western Sydney Family Day Care
Mylie Hrymak - Richmond & Hawkesbury, Collective Family Day Care
Se Mi Park - Ryde & Macquarie Park, Polaris Family Day Care
Tivana Sando - South West & M5 Corridor, CCA Family Day Care
Renata Stipanovic - Southern Suburbs & Sutherland Shire, Inner West Family Day Care
Kathleen Bolt - Blue Mountains & Central West, Bathurst Family Day Care
Fiona King - Coffs Harbour & North Coast, Mid Coast Family Day Care
Marshandra Naden - Dubbo & Central, Gunnedah Family Day Care
Jo-Anne Warhurst - Far West & Central North, Far West Family Day Care Services
Danielle Langley - Gosford & Central Coast, Thrive Kids’ Family Day Care
Cecile Christensen - Goulburn & Southern Tablelands, Goulburn Family Day Care
Nicole Hodgins - Lismore & Far North Coast, Far North Coast Family Day Care
Corinne Bell - Newcastle, Maitland & Hunter, Upper Hunter Family Day Care
Rhianne Jarrett - Port Macquarie & Mid North Coast, Nambucca Valley Family Day Care
Jaimie Betts - Tamworth & North West, Northern Rivers Family Day Care
Samantha King - Tumut, Southern Highlands & Snowy, Natural Choice Family Day Care
Kirsty Thomas - Wagga Wagga & Riverina, Intereach Family Day Care
Thanuja Dias Dissanayake - Wollongong, Illawarra & South Coast, Natural Choice Family Day Care
Northern Territory
Vicki Bakunowicz - Darwin, Kentish Family Day Care
Arcadia Cantos Valdez - Alice Springs, Kentish Family Day Care
Queensland
Renae Green - Brisbane North/Sunshine Coast, Inspired Family Day Care
Sea Jung Kim - Brisbane South, We Belong Family Day Care
Julie Conway - Brisbane West/Ipswich/Boonah, We Belong Family Day Care
Rachael Bach - Cairns & Far North, North Qld Family Day Care
Lisemay Townsend-Lalloo - Logan/Redlands/Gold Coast, Choices Family Day Care
Katherine Beil - Mount Isa/Western Qld, Holistic Approach Family Day Care Scheme
Tennille Gallagher - Rockhampton/Central Qld, Quality Beginnings Family Day Care
Vanessa Gibbon - Toowoomba/Darling Downs/Somerset/Lockyer, Kath Dickson Family Day Care Metropolitan HBS
Josephine Robertson - Townsville/Northern Qld, Bowen/Collinsville Family Day Care
Jillian Pace - Wide Bay/Hervey Bay/Maryborough, Fraser Coast Family Day Care
South Australia
Meenakshi Mahajan - Adelaide, Central Metro Family Day Care Scheme
Pam Sims - Adelaide Hills & Barossa , Central Metro Family Day Care Scheme
Samantha Gilgen - Coober Pedy & Outback SA, Southern Districts Family Day Care Scheme
Belinda Cox - Mt Gambier & Limestone Coast, Foundations Family Day Care
Leonne Gaye Capes - Riverland & Murray Mallee, Southern Districts Family Day Care Scheme
Tara Utting - Whyalla & Eyre Peninsula, Southern Districts Family Day Care Scheme
Julie Patricia Fuss - Yorke Peninsula & Clare Valley, Central Metro Family Day Care Scheme
Tasmania
Trudy Chilcott - Devonport & North West, Adventure Patch Family Day Care
Charne Chandler - Hobart & South, Family Day Care Tasmania
Crystal Way - Launceston & North, Family Day Care Tasmania
Victoria
Yattowita Nilanthi Withana - Bayside & South Eastern Suburbs, Dandenong Family Day Care
Angela Mammone - CBD & Inner Suburbs, Foundations Family Day Care
Mahnoosh Khayamim - Eastern Suburbs, Shining Stars Family Day Care Services
Alejandra Sierra Buitrago - Northern Suburbs, Whittlesea Family Day Care
Krupali Patel - Western Suburbs, V.I.P. Family Day Care
Karlee Coles - Bairnsdale & Gippsland, Uniting Family Day Care – Gippsland
Joanne Bell - Ballarat & Central Highlands, Wyndham Early Learning Family Day Care
Renee Hinds - Bendigo, Goldfields & Macedon Ranges, Bendigo Family Day Care
Uditha Dassanayake - Geelong & Great Ocean Road, All Kids Family Day Care
Catherine Sostheim - Horsham & Grampians, Lets Go Family Day Care
Belinda Oellermann - Mildura & Murray, Intereach Family Day Care
Megan Dunks - Traralgon & La Trobe Valley, Baw Baw Shire Family Day Care
Danielle Kennedy - Yarra Valley & High Country, Kids Individual Daycare Solutions
Western Australia
Maritta Josephine Moar - CBD, Inner & Western Suburbs, Uplyft Family Day Care
Tanzia Zaman - Eastern Suburbs, Connections Family Day Care
Leanne Dowsett - Fremantle & Southern Suburbs, Nature Alliance Family Day Care Service
Katayoun Afghan Tolouei - Northern Suburbs & Joondalup, Rightway Learning Family Day Care
Emma Fox - Rockingham & Kwinana, Garden Play Family Day Care Service
Nicole Fairall - Albany & Great Southern, YMCA Family Day Care Service
Elizabeth Stanger - Broome & Kimberley, Nature Alliance Family Day Care Service
Madianne Hynes - Bunbury & South West, Nature Alliance Family Day Care Service
Lilik Setyawati - Geraldton, Gascoyne & Midwest, Elite Family Day Care
Roslyn Humbles - Kalgoorlie, Goldfields & Esperance, Uplyft Family Day Care
Jessica Ware - Mandurah & Peel, YMCA Family Day Care Service
Girlie Joy Vicedo - Northam & Wheatbelt, White Gum Family Day Care Service
Kirandeep Kaur - Port Hedland, Karratha & Pilbara, Uplyft Family Day Care
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