General News
19 October, 2024
Educator recognised for day care devotion
A Horsham resident has been acknowledged nationally for her excellence and passion in early childhood care and education.
Catherine Sostheim received the accolade at the 2024 Excellence in Family Day Care Awards, designed to highlight the benefits of family day care.
Ms Sostheim, from Uniting Family Day Care (FDC), claimed the title of Horsham and Grampians Educator Winner in the Excellence in Family Day Care Awards.
She is now in the running to be named as a finalist nationally for the 2024 Educator of the Year Award.
"I met my husband Andrew in 2004 while living in Bendigo," Ms Sostheim said.
"I moved to Horsham a couple of months later and went looking at childcare centres for a job.
"With nothing available l looked into a new career path as a FDC educator.
"After completing my childcare studies and previously working in childcare centres and as a nanny, it was a new role in a wonderful career l loved."
Ms Sostheim said she hadn't looked back after decades in FDC.
"I have now been a childcare educator for 29 years," she said.
"I was working as a FDC educator before we started our own family.
"This was extremely rewarding to be able to continue my career not long after the birth of our first son Tom.
"Being able to work from home, run my own business and raise my family has been gratifying and melts my heart watching our now three children grow up having made friendships with the children in my care."
Ms Sostheim said the ability to work the days and hours she chose around her family had been helpful and all the Uniting FDC educators were caring and supportive of the children and families in their care.
"Educators care for up to four children under four years of age," she said.
"We can also care for three school-age children during the holiday periods.
"As it is a smaller group it gives opportunities for more one-on-one care as the planning undertaken tailors for each child’s learning."
Family Day Care Australia chief executive officer, Andrew Paterson said Ms Sostheim's dedication and work to creating a nurturing and unique environment for learning is why FDC was a choice naturally for so many Australian families.