Dear childcare educators... we still see you.

Daily Telegraph

a day ago

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Dear childcare educators,
*Content warning: Contains content that some may find distressing*
To the ones who know our children's giggles by heart.
The past few days have been heavy.
For every parent who has ever handed over their baby's nappy bag and kissed their toddler goodbye at the gate. But also for you.
You carry a parent's trust like it isn't the heaviest burden in the world.
Photos of my son loving life at daycare. Image: Supplied
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The weight of trust
The news out of Melbourne this week has been horrifying.
As a parent, it's a frightening reminder of how vulnerable children are and how much we rely on the people we entrust them to.
It rattles something deep. It churns our stomachs. It makes us question what we thought was safe. It shakes the quiet, everyday faith we place in you.
But I need you to know something: we still see you.
We know the vast majority of daycare workers are angry too. We know you're just as shaken by this news as the rest of the country.
We see how sacred your work is and we know that when stories like this break, you're pulled into the firing line of doubt and second-guessing.
You're the ones who soothe the tears, change the nappies, teach tiny fingers how to hold a crayon. Who knows our child's favourite colour, their nap schedule, the toy they refuse to share.
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My son loves daycare.
Every morning he races in to give huge hugs to his teachers.
Every afternoon, he comes home with paint on his clothes and a new nursery rhyme we'll all be singing by week's end.
I never question his safety. But this week I did. And I know I'm not the only one.
Because when you're a parent, fear lives just under the surface.
As a working parent, we have no choice but to hand over that trust every day, which is why that trust needs to be bulletproof.
For too long, we've seen a steady drip of stories about childcare neglect. We've waited for the straw that might finally break the camel's back and force action.
Today, the Education Minister promised urgent reforms, including cutting off funding for centres that fail to meet minimum standards. He also flagged changes to background checks for workers.
'It's taken too long to do the work necessary to make sure that our Working with Children Check system is up to scratch,' he told reporters during a press conference.
It's about time. This isn't child's play. Our children must come first.
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We still believe in you
I spoke to a friend who works in childcare and this week has shaken her.
But what struck me most was what so many educators had to do this morning: show up.
With full hearts and brave faces. To put the children first, even as their own hearts felt heavy.
She asked to remain anonymous, so I'll call her Carla.
'We still have a job to do and we just need to handle these emotions as educators the correct way so the children will still continue to have fun while at care,' she told me.
Carla says this job isn't a job you enter if your passion isn't there.
'You definitely have to love your job when working in childcare. Paycheck isn't the greatest but watching children grow, learn and achieve many life skills is more important than a paycheck... their smiles are our paycheck' she said.
So to all the educators who showed up today, and every day, with love, patience, and purpose:
This week might make some people look at your profession with suspicion.
But I hope you know how fiercely respected, valued, and needed you truly are.
Originally published as Dear childcare educators... we still see you.