Chum Creek family day care educator Lorraine Thomas has been recognised as one of Australia’s finest early childhood educators.

Lorraine has been announced as the Yarra Valley and High Country regional winner in the 2019 Excellence in Family Day Care Awards.

Lorraine, who is registered with Murrindindi Family Day Care, is one of more than 13,000 family day care educators who play a wonderful and vital role in the lives of more than 126,000 children around the country.

Now in its eighth year, Family Day Care Australia’s Excellence in Family Day Care Awards highlights the work completed by family day care educators each and every day, as well as showcasing the strong bonds shared between family day care educators and the children they work with.

Family Day Care Australia Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Paterson, said a record number of more than 5000 nominations were placed in the awards this year; testament to the growing recognition of the sector’s many and unique benefits in supporting children, families and communities across Australia.

“To be chosen as a regional winner is not only a reward for Lorraine’s dedication to providing quality early childhood education and care, it also underscores the relationship that Lorraine has with the children in her care,” said Mr Paterson.

The awards celebrate the uniqueness and diversity of family day care and highlight how strong relationships between educators and children and a nurturing home learning environment make family day care the natural choice for quality early childhood education and care.

“The Excellence in Family Day Care Awards highlight the special contribution that educators like Lorraine make to the lives of the children in their care,” Mr Paterson says.

Lorraine is now in the running to be named as a national finalist for the national Family Day Care Educator of the Year Award.

National finalists will be announced on October 14, with the National Educator of the Year to be announced at the Family Day Care Australia 2019 Excellence in Family Day Care Awards Gala Dinner on November 23 in Hobart.