About the Awards

The Australian Family Fisher-Price Child Care Awards will publicly recognise Australia’s child care workers and celebrate those who have made the most outstanding contribution to children, the community and to individual families.

The Awards also provide a great way for families to say “thanks” to the special child carers in their life.

Awards nominations are open from 15 November 2007 to 5 April 2008. Please nominate the child care worker who has made a difference to your life – they could win a prestigious award and you could win $1,000 of Fisher-Price toys!

Who can Nominate?

Anyone over the age of 18 can nominate any Australian child care worker, children’s services director or coordinator or a children’s service for an Award.

Eligibility

All Australian children’s service workers are eligible to be nominated for an Individual Award. All approved Australian child care providers are eligible to be nominated for a Team Award. This includes long day care centres, family day care schemes, occasional care centres, crèches, kindergartens, preschools and outside school hours care.

Categories

Australian Child Care Worker of the Year
5 finalists will be selected (one per state group of QLD, NSW/ACT, VIC/TAS, SA/NT and WA). The national winner will be selected from amongst the 5 finalists.

Australian Child Care Director of the Year
One national winner will be selected from amongst all Directors/Coordinators nominated in this category.

Australian Children’s Service of the Year
One national winner will be selected from amongst all Services nominated in this category.

How to Nominate

• Nominations open on 15 November 2007 and close at 5pm 5 April 2008.
• To nominate online click here
• Alternatively you can download an official nomination form here and return the completed form to:
• Email: nominations@childcareawards.com.au
• Mail: Australian Family Fisher-Price Child Care Awards, PO Box 3087, Auburn, Vic, 3123
• Fax: (03) 9819 6733
• Nominations will only be accepted on the official Nomination Form (or a photocopy of it).

How will Winners be Selected?

After the nomination closing date, nominees will be shortlisted based on the written submissions forwarded with each nomination.
Each shortlisted nominee will be interviewed by phone, and finalists will be selected.  The winners will then be determined following a personal interview by the judges.  The judging panel will made up of representatives of the Awards sponsors and industry partners along with other childhood and family experts.

The Prizes

Every child care worker, director/coordinator and service nominated for an Award will receive a special certificate acknowledging the outstanding work they perform in child care and the special place that they hold in the hearts of the children they care for and their families.

All finalists will receive a range of fantastic Fisher-Price toys for their centre/scheme and will enjoy the Awards celebration, including the Awards event and be treated to a special pamper package.  Flights and accommodation will be included.

In addition, the three national winners will receive industry training and be well rewarded for their outstanding contribution to the child care industry.

Nominator Prize

Everybody who nominates a child care worker, director/coordinator or service has the chance to win $1,000 of fantastic Fisher-Price toys! Entries for the Nominator Prize will be judged based on the most interesting and creative submission to the last question on the nomination form. For full conditions click here.