Workforce Council

In Queensland, children's services can be described as either centre based or home based services. A centre based service provides care and education for children up to school age (birth to 12 years).

12 years in the Health and Community Services

Children keep you young" so I find it rewarding and challenging with no two days the same. I spent twenty years in office administration and computers, left for child rearing then returned to the childcare profession. I have since completed a Certificate III in Community Services - Children's Services, a Diploma of Children's Services and I am currently studying an Advanced Diploma. The rewards and happy faces when children achieve their goals drive my vision that children receive high quality care in all centres and are free to explore and are encouraged to reach their full potential.

30 years in the Health and Community Services

I have a passion for childcare, working with children, their families and carers. I enjoy helping to train young and older childcare educators for them to have a positive impact on the learning of the next generation. Maintaining high quality child care services and continuing to mentor and train child care educators guides my future vision.

14 years in the Health and Community Services

I have a wonderful job that gives me the flexibility to work part-time and also be a mum to my two children. The Health and Community Services Workforce Council is a very supportive organisation and encourages staff to further develop there qualifications and have supported me in gaining my Diploma in Business Management. I have the privilege to work with an excellent team of people who have a wealth of knowledge in the industry and who are dedicated in supporting the sector with Professional Development.

20 years in the Health and Community Services

My journey began at the TAFE in Townsville where I completed an Advance Diploma in Child Care and became the group leader at Galbiri Child Care and Preschool Centre in Belgian Gardens Townsville. Whilst continuing to work, I completed my Bachelor of Education (EC) at QUT. After completing my degree, I became a Preschool teacher, and after 10 years of teaching I became the director of Galbiri Child Care and Preschool Centre. I am still their longest serving director in their 30 year history. My wife was transferred to Brisbane and I started work at Workforce Council as a project officer in the Professional Support Coordinator Queensland (PSCQ) Project. Currently I'm back in Townsville at our regional office supporting the needs of child care professionals in the four North Queensland regions.

20 years in the Health and Community Services

I chose this job in community services because of the help I had received with my (visually impaired) child; I wanted to give something back to other children and their families. I started with a school certificate and since have completed a Certificate III and a Diploma of Children's Services. When I see the look on a child's face when they achieve something they thought was too hard it reminds me why I love my job. I hope that the developmental skills we share now assist the children in their endeavours in the future.

10 years in the Health and Community Services

I went from being a full-time mum to a career in childcare. When my children started school I wanted to go back into the workforce and thought a career in childcare would be both enjoyable and rewarding. Since starting work I have completed Certificate III and a Diploma of Children's Services. I love watching the children learn and grow and the excitement they feel and knowing that I play a part in it. My hope for the future is that all centres offer a high quality of care, that childcare workers become more valued and that everyone realises how important young children are and how the early years influence their lives.

10 years in the Health and Community Services

My deep belief in assisting people to reach their full potential, to have a productive and comfortable life and that everyone has the right to be respected and cared for led me to work in this industry. My jobs enable me to give encouragement and support to two different age groups. I had to study Certificate III and do a Diploma in Children's and Community Services to work in the Early Learning Centre. I am presently studying Certificate III and IV in Aged Care. Wages in Aged Care and Child Care are definitely a slap in the face for the carers who often have to expend energy and time outside of their prescribed work hours. My hope for the future is that carers will receive the recognition they deserve as being valuable assets to society and the community.

18 years in the Health and Community Services

After a short stint as a teacher, I was quickly led away to a new career in the early years as I found the sector vital for children in getting quality outcomes and becoming life long learners. I began my new journey as a Group leader in Long Day Care (LDC) before spending seven years as non-contact director of a small (42 place) Occasional Care Service. I have now opened my own 75 place LDC centre. I love that I am able to provide an environment where children are engaged, are taking ownership and creating learning experiences that reflect their interests and abilities. I hope that early childhood educators are recognised for the quality educators they are and that we continue to up skill them.

25 years in the Health and Community Services

One of the things I love most about my job is the flexibility & incredible opportunities to support, guide & extend the [child care] centres to provide a comprehensive environment that best meets expressed needs within the community. I feel such a sense of achievement when interacting with young people through my life, combined with my desire to help others of all ages to strive for their personal best. I hope the child care sector continues to be an active port of exciting changes so I can promote & encourage their implementation. I hope we continue to strive to always give and to be the absolute best that we can be.

28 years in the Health and Community Services

I have had children around me all my life; through my work in the child care sector, as well as through my four wonderful children. At 17 I chose to be a maternal and child health nurse to get a better understanding of the care and welfare of children. Since then I have been a justice of peace, manager, franchise owner, child care assistant, assistant director and now a director. I have worked seven years in Long Day Care and 21 years in Occasional Care. Through my work in the child care sector I have been able to gain my Certificate III as a childcare assistant, a Diploma as an Assistant Director and Bachelor of Education. I enjoy the challenges, variety, decision making and satisfaction of a job I love, in an industry that I am proud to belong to.

16 years in the Health and Community Services

My first nephew was born when I was 11 and I played a big part in his upbringing particularly in the first five years of his life where I taught him lots of 'life long skills' and found this 'teaching' very rewarding. Prior to entering childcare I did an associate diploma of education, since then I have completed an advanced diploma of childcare. The thing I love most about my job is that everyday is different. I get to work with children, families, staff and the community. The children are the real teachers they teach me so much about myself and my practices.In the future I hope for more integrated practices across services, having a sustainable workforce and that childcare is seen as a place of learning and educating.

31 years in the Health and Community Services

I always wanted to work with people and in particular children and families. Nursing was my passion, which I did for 16 years, but as I got older I became interested in preventative support for families, so I went onto to study Social Welfare and obtained a Bachelor of Social Science. Support of families and in particular children has always been a priority, and now I provide support to the wonderful women who work as family day carers. The thing I love most about my job is watching both the children and carers I support grow and develop into confident and caring individuals. Into the future I hope that childcare is recognised by everyone for the important work that it is.

35 years in the Health and Community Services

My love of children is what inspired me to choose this Career path, Since I began my career in Childcare I have completed a Cert III diploma in Children's Services and a Cert IV in Training & Assessment.  I owned a Long day care for 11 years, ran a Family Day Care, was a private nanny and have been an OSHC coordinator for 7 years. The thing I love most about my job, and what keeps me here, is playing and connecting with the children. I hope that in the future OSHC will have a recognised place in the industry and not just be grouped in with Long Day Care.

20 years in the Health and Community Services

Although I have explored work options as an enrolled nurse, a medical receptionist and a medical specialist clinic coordinator, my passion for working with and for people has kept me in the child care sector. Being able to help people enrich their lives and become empowered by their own self confidence and self esteem is one of the things I love most about my job. It is wonderful to watch people grow and develop. My hope for the future is that childcare workers, family day care and other service types are seen and treated as very important professionals; and therefore remunerated accordingly.

20 years in the Health and Community Services

After having my children I decided to get into childcare. During my time in the industry I have explored jobs in Outside School Hours Care, followed by Long Day Care, teaching at TAFE and currently I am a Senior Coordinator at the Gold Coast YMCA Family Day Care/In Home Care. Throughout my career I have gained my Diploma of Childcare and Education, Behaviour teaching (P-10), a Bachelor of Education and finally a Masters of Education. Presenting at the Family Day Care Conference in Alice Springs with Associate Professor Caroline Fewtser has been one of the highlights throughout my journey in the Health and Community Services.

18 years in the Health and Community Services

My passion for children and their right for excellent education and care is the inspiration I had for choosing a job in the health and community services. Having had to commute to the main land whilst living on an island, I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time when a job came up. I''ve previously worked as an Early Childhood trainee with KDIECS and prior to that worked in various roles in Long Day Care centres. Along the way I've obtained my Advanced Diploma of Children's Services and a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.

17 years in the Health and Community Services

I wanted to work as well as care for my own children; my work in the children's services allowed me to do that. The qualification I have completed whilst working in the industry is a Diploma of Community Services (Children's Services). The thing I love most about my job is being able to watch the children develop into people of their own accord. What I would pass on to future colleagues is to gain knowledge as you can through workshops, conferences, etc as you can.

13 years in the Health and Community Services

After working casually, I gradually worked through the ranks to get to my current position of Coordinator. My inspiration behind working in children's services is to ultimately be able to have an impact on their life and because I enjoy children's development. I currently hold a Diploma in Children's Services. An important lesson I have learnt that I would pass on is that if you are not having fun, the children are not having fun. Meeting different children and watching them grow as individuals, then seeing them ten years later has been the highlight for me.

17 years in the Health and Community Services

My job in children's services fitted in well with the raising my young family but after gaining my qualifications I became inspired to improve the services I provided and the outcomes for children and families. After working as a family day care provider, I took on a role as coordinator and then stepped into the Senior Coordinator role. Being able to attend network meetings and conferences to share and gain ideas as well as meeting support services in the industry has been a highlight, as it assists me in continuing to advocate for Family Day Care and Community. The knowledge I would pass on from what I have learnt is to share the inspiration of change and improvement.

13 years in the Health and Community Services

Redundancy from previous long term employment and a craving for a career change was the reason why I entered the children's services industries. I began working in a Family Day Care and moved into Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) all based in a small rural town. Later I moved to a larger service in regional Brisbane where I have been for the last 8 ½ years. I also currently work with other QCAN and offer training and support for other OSHC services. Opportunities to build relationships with other educators, creating experiences for the children that are stimulating and fun, building up my current OSHC service and working with other committed and supportive educators are the aspects of my job that I love. An important thing to remember is to have faith in yourself, network industry colleagues and take all professional development opportunities.

21 years in the Health and Community Services

When I enrolled my daughter into kindy and noticed that she was not settling in well because of difficulties with her English, I gave up my job as a high school teacher to assist her. After spending three months at the kindy I decided to take up a position in children's services. After my experiences, the words of wisdom I would pass on to anybody entering the industry is that we all smile in the same language. The parts of my job that stand out for me is meeting  all the directors, educators and children as well as seeing children's services implement cultural and indigenous programs into their organisations.

19 years in the Health and Community Services

The love of children and ensuring they have every opportunity to feel safe and protected whist encouraging them to progress and excel in all their needs and interest is the reason I chose a job in Children's Services. During my work in Family Day Care, In Home Care and Outside School Hours Care my highlight has been assisting children and educators to encourage children in their early stages of care and slowly both the educator and child excel. One of the reasons I love my job is being able to assist educators who have no previous qualifications in childcare and encouraging them to provide children with a fun day. However it is also important that as educators we are mindful of children's needs and ensure they are constantly supported with their interest and needs.

10 years in the Health and Community Services

Four years ago I began working as an Inclusion Support Facilitator (ISF) after working in School Age Care. This seemed to be a natural progression from the role I had been in, supporting positive behaviour in council school age programs in which I had a lot of contact with the Inclusion Support Agency (ISA). I have finally completed my Bachelor of Psychological Science and look forward to further studies, specifically in Children's Services. In my roles it has been wonderful to celebrate achievements and milestones with childcare educators when they have had successes including children with disabilities and team building with like-minded colleagues. The message I would pass on to future educators would be to enjoy the abundance of professional development being offered, stay motivated and know why you're here.

10 years in the Health and Community Services

I advanced to a Director role 4 ½ years ago after I recognised my passion to really have an impact. I originally started as a trainee and quickly progressed to be a group leader. The inspiration behind my chosen career path in the children services, is being able to work with heart and passion and really be a part of what I do. Along the way I have gained my Advanced Diploma in Children's Services. One of my highlights is building a close family centre, seeing it flourish and making a difference. It's integral to the job to always laugh and embrace all those you work with (families, children and colleagues).

15 years in the Health and Community Services

After working as a primary school teacher for ten years, I decided that the younger age group afforded more opportunity for creative learning. Along the way I've gained my Bachelor of Early Childhood Education & a Graduate Diploma in Primary Teaching. I value working with a great team of people towards a common goal. Creating environments that reflect the local community & working with educators to support meaningful learning opportunities for young children is what I enjoy most about my job. It's important to make sure you feel passionate about early childhood education, as it's the passion that gets you through the tough times. My highlight has been winning a Workforce Innovation Award alongside my co-director Karen Broomfield for Effective Leadership by a Board of Management 2010.

3 years in the Health and Community Services

12 years in the Health and Community Services

5 years in the Health and Community Services

Having worked with Corporate Australia for 15 years, I did not want my child in a corporate run centre which at the time time, dominated the market. Instead I took an old run down centre and embraced an educational philosophy- Montessori- and joined the community! I've since gained a Certificate III in Children's Services and a Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Children's Services. In my job I love the smiles from children who have discovered something new. If you are entering childcare it's important to know your industry, be willing to learn, remember that you have chosen to be part of someone else's family. Watching children learn to read and watching them leave for school has been my highlight whilst working in the industry.

1 year in the Health and Community Services

10 years in the Health and Community Services