Kylie has been a family day care educator in Hobart for 13 years.
Starting off her career in retail, she always knew working with children was her true calling.
“It was always something that I wanted to do,” she says.
As a mum of two herself, having the flexibility to parent her children while working has always been very important to Kylie.
“It really helped me be a mum.
“You can choose your hours, the flexibility is great.
“I have a daughter with Autism, so that was a deciding factor in me becoming an Educator.
“I needed to be accessible to her when she needed me.”
Kylie says her daughter has thrived growing up in a family day care environment.
“It really helped my daughter.
“She became so social.”
Caring for a maximum of seven children at a time has allowed Kylie to form close bonds with those in her care.
“It actually is like a family.
“We drive down the driveway and they call it home.
“I want them to feel at home.”
Having worked for other early learning providers in the past, Kylie says the support at Uniting is unlike any other.
“Uniting in general is more for the families.
“They go above and beyond, not just family day care wise, but they will help the families that need help in more ways than one.”
Kylie urges others to consider a career in family day care.
“Actually, becoming an Educator is not as hard as people would think.
She says that “one phone call” was all it took to start the process.
Kylie has felt lots of support, not just from Uniting but from other Educators and the families she cares for.
“You think that you’re on your own because you’re an Educator in your own home, but you’re not.
“You actually have a lot of support around you”.
Thirteen years on and Kylie hasn’t looked back.
“I love it. I can’t see myself doing anything else now.”
