In the mining communities of Dysart and Moranbah in Central Queensland, families are experiencing new opportunities to access early education and care through an innovative partnership between BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA), Family Day Care Australia (FDCA) and Excellence in Care (EIC) Family Day Care.

For years, families within these tight-knit communities have balanced shift work and family life with limited access to child care. Long day care centres often operate at or near capacity, and infant care options that meet local demand and shift-work needs are very limited. As a result, many parents – particularly those in Dysart – have had little choice but to travel to nearby towns such as Moranbah, rely on unpredictable care arrangements or make difficult decisions about reducing hours or leaving the workforce altogether.

“For a town with a transient workforce and a high proportion of shift-working families, this lack of accessible care was unsustainable,” explained Excellence in Care Director and Approved Provider, Kimberley Diefenbach.

Recognising the impact on both families and local industry, BMA, FDCA and Excellence in Care have created a model that works in tandem with other childcare initiatives to not only support local families but also build workforce participation and community stability.

The partnership provides financial and practical support for new family day care educators to establish their own education and care environments in Dysart and Moranbah. BMA’s contribution helps cover start-up costs such as training, resources and home modifications, while FDCA manages coordination and recruitment, and Excellence in Care provides mentoring, compliance oversight and ongoing guidance.

Family day care offers the perfect model for the demographics of these communities. Parents are often working rotating or extended shifts that don’t align with the opening hours of traditional center-based care, and local educators are best placed to understand these unique rhythms of mining life.

“Educators who live in the mining towns understand the culture and the rosters - they live and breathe it, and that makes all the difference,” Kimberley stated.

Establishing the model required persistence, flexibility and trust. Navigating challenges such as access to training, long travel distances for coordinator visits, and building community awareness of the family day care model all took time – but the results have been worth it.

“The start-up costs, blue cards [working with children check], police checks – having BMA support these has been a really big help,” Kimberley explained. “Without that incentive, many educators wouldn’t have been able to start.”

Today, two new family day care educators are now providing family day care in Dysart, supported by Excellence in Care as a direct result of the partnership, with the hope that more locals will help to expand the model.

For families, the impact has been immediate. They can now access education and care close to home, delivered by trusted local educators who can offer flexible hours to suit shift work and community routines.

“Families have shared that without this care, they could have been forced to leave town. For some, it has been genuinely life changing,” Kimberley stated.

For educators, the partnership has opened meaningful professional opportunities and a clear pathway into early childhood educator – one that combines training, mentoring and local employment. The model demonstrates that with the right partnerships in place, innovation and compliance can work hand in hand to deliver sustainable care for regional communities.

Employers, including BMA have observed the benefits, with improved workforce stability and greater support for employees balancing family and work. Excellence in Care has strengthened its educator network, deepening community relationships, and enhanced its reputation and visibility as a trusted local provider.

Partnerships such as this one between Excellence in Care, FDCA and BMA are evidence that innovative pathways can support to alleviate the child care challenges faced by regional and remote communities. It’s a model that could be replicated across other regional towns facing similar barriers to child care.

As Kimberley reflects, collaboration has been the key.

“This model shows that Family Day Care has a place in small towns. It’s about building trust, relationships, and giving families the chance to access early education and stay connected to their community.”