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In this episode of the FDCA Online Engagement Series our panel of guests will examine the topic of recruitment in family day care. The panel will cover topics such as the applicant experience, talent pooling, the recruitment process and proactive recruitment techniques.
FDCA Advocacy and Engagement Manager Michael Farrell will be joined by Senior Policy Officer, Janet Callus from the Department for Education in South Australia, National Recruitment Manager, Damon Somerfield from FDCA and Recruitment Officer, Peta Fitzpatrick, from Enhance Family Day Care in Queensland.
Janet Callus
South Australian Department for Education, Family Day Care
Senior Policy Officer – Quality and Compliance
Janet has been part of the early childhood education and care sector for over 20 years. Janet commenced her career as an educator working in long day care and out of school hours care. Janet’s experience with other early childhood service types, including family day care came about during her 9 years working for the South Australian regulatory authority where she was responsible for monitoring and supporting educators, coordinators, nominated supervisors and approved providers in relation to the National Quality Standard and assessment and rating.
Janet’s passion for supporting improved outcomes for children has led her return to a service where she now works as a Senior Policy Officer for the Department for Education, Family Day Care. Her role involves an overarching focus on service quality and compliance encompassing recruitment and induction of quality educators.
Damon Somerfield
Family Day Care Australia
National Recruitment Manager
Damon has been leading complex national and international recruitment programs for over 20 years, predominantly specialising in candidate short markets.
He has recruited across most sectors in his career, prior to joining FDCA Damon set up and lead a national recruitment function within the veterinary sector for one of the leading Petcare businesses in Australia.
Outside of work Damon is an active surf lifesaver, trainer and assessor for Surf Lifesaving Australia, and is a volunteering board member for his local surf club in NSW.
In 2021 Damon joined the FDCA leadership team to set up, deliver and manage FDCA’s national educator recruitment program to directly address the recruitment challenges FDCA members were facing in the family daycare sector.
Peta Fitzpatrick
Enhance Family Day Care, QLD
Recruitment Officer
Peta Fitzpatrick is an Early Childhood Teacher who has worked for the state government and across a wide variety of not-for-profit children’s services organisations in her 36-year career. She has also worked with peak organisations including QCAN (co-developing and training OSHC leaders within a Core Knowledge and Competencies framework) and is currently working for FDCQ under Enhance Family Day Care, as Early Years Workforce Recruitment Officer across Queensland.
She is a member of the Social Justice in Early Childhood group, and is interested in the evolution of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Wellbeing practices across all services for children, particularly in looking at gaps, and ways we can support our service staff and educators to continue to grow equitable, responsive services.
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