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The annual Excellence in Family Day Care Awards Gala Dinner is just around the corner and a limited number of tickets are still available.
Taking place on Saturday 28 November 2026 at the Pullman Brisbane King George Square, the Gala Dinner will bring the family day care community together for a special evening celebrating the outstanding educators, coordinators and services who make a difference to children, families and communities across Australia.
Join friends and colleagues from across the sector, celebrate this year’s Award Winners and Finalists, and be there as the 2026 National Award Winners are announced.
What does my ticket include?
Your Gala Dinner ticket includes:
FDCA members can secure tickets at an exclusive members-only discounted rate of $165 ($215 for non-members).
Table packages available
Discounted tickets are available if you would like to purchase a table for a group of 8, 9 or 10. If you would like to purchase a table, please email marketing@fdca.com.au for more information.
To find out more about the Gala Dinner, including times and dress code details, click here.
We are on the lookout for our next JiGSAW Book Reviewer. As part of our Scholastic Storytime segment, we will send you a selection of books to read and review with your family day care. The books will be yours to keep and enjoy.
As part of your review we ask for a short 2-3 sentence review on each book, as well as an image of you and your family day care enjoying the books. The magazine inclusion will also include a short paragraph about your family day care.
If you would like to go in the running to be the Scholastic Storytime reviewer in the upcoming edition of JiGSAW Magazine, please send an email to marketing@fdca.com.au.
October 12-18 is National Nutrition Week, shining a light on the challenges, and opportunities, within Australia’s food landscape. Food nourishes more than our bodies. It connects us to family, community, culture, wellbeing and the places we live, learn and work.
This year's campaign explores four themes across the week that celebrate the role food plays in bringing people together, while advocating for a fairer future where everyone can access nutritious, affordable and sustainable food. This year's themes include:
Safe, strengths‑based nutrition messaging; enjoyable and inclusive food experiences.
Acknowledging the rising rates of food insecurity across Australia and the need for fair access to nutritious, culturally appropriate food.
The relationship between food, mood, mental health, and emotional wellbeing.
Sustainable eating; reducing household and food waste in community settings.
Visit Nutrition Australia’s website to access resources and support National Nutrition Week 2026.
Family day care educators spend so much of each day noticing and responding to the needs of children and families. Coordinators and service teams also spend considerable time supporting others. The mental health and wellbeing of everyone in these roles is equally important and deserves attention.
Wellbeing is influenced by more than how an individual manages stress. Work demands, professional relationships, feeling valued and access to support can all affect how we feel and function. Talking regularly about mental health helps normalise these conversations as part of everyday practice, making it easier to have those conversations when concerns arise.
A moment to reflect:
Be You’s fact sheet explores how work-related factors can shape wellbeing and offers practical suggestions for self-care and building supportive, inclusive connections with others.
Explore the Be You fact sheet: Wellbeing for educators.
Want to go further? For a service-level conversation, explore Beyond Self-Care: An Educator Wellbeing Guide.
Small everyday objects can pose a serious choking or ingestion risk to young children, particularly children under three years of age. The ACCC’s free, printable Choke Check is a simple do-it-yourself tool that can help educators and families identify objects that may be small enough to become lodged in a child’s throat.
If an object fits completely inside the top end of the Choke Check cylinder, it may be a potential choking hazard and should be kept out of young children’s reach or removed from the environment. Common household items such as buttons, coins, keys and hair ties can pose a risk.
Educators may wish to use the Choke Check as part of regular safety checks, particularly when reviewing toys, resources and other items accessible to children.
Please note that the Choke Check is a guide for consumers and should not be relied upon to determine compliance with product safety standards or legislation.
For more information and to access the Choke Check resource, visit ACCC Product Safety: Choke check safety tool.
Services Australia is currently balancing Child Care Subsidy (CCS) payments for the 2025–26 financial year.
Before a family’s CCS can be balanced, they and their partner, where applicable, must:
Family day care services may wish to include a reminder in their next newsletter or family communication. Educators can also help by reminding families and directing them to Services Australia for information relevant to their individual circumstances.
For more information, check what action they need to take and track the progress of their CCS balancing on the Services Australia website.
The Australian Government Department of Education has released new guidance and practical checklists to help approved providers and educators when applying for the Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) Child Wellbeing.
ACCS Child Wellbeing helps with the cost of education and care to families where a child may be experiencing wellbeing concerns. Approved providers are responsible for issuing Child Wellbeing Certificates and applying for Child Wellbeing Determinations. Educators can support this process by discussing concerns with their service and providing relevant observations or information.
The updated resources include guidance and checklists for:
Applications can be delayed when evidence does not meet the minimum requirements or required records have not been provided. The checklists are a handy way to make sure services have the right information and supporting evidence before submitting an application.
Educators who believe a child or family may need additional support should speak with their service and continue to follow all applicable child protection and reporting requirements.
To find out more about ACCS Child Wellbeing, visit the Australian Government Department of Education Website.
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