Understanding the mental well-being of family day care educators in Australia - A qualitative study
Abstract
Family day care (FDC) is part of the Australian early childhood education and care ECEC) sector. FDC educators provide services supporting families who appreciate convenience and versatility, with smaller groups of children attending home-like environments. Mental well-being (MWB), often overlooked by FDC educators, is vital to ensure that optimal education and care are provided to children, while educators and families maintain successful partnerships. This study aimed to identify factors influencing FDC educator MWB alongside strategies to maintain and support MWB. Interviews were undertaken with FDC educators (n = 15) and service coordinators (n = 8). The unique FDC environment underpinned themes impacting MWB: working closely with children; isolation; relationships with others; societal perceptions; and self-employment. Resilience strategies that FDC educators employed as enablers of positive MWB were identified, which alongside increasing positive societal perceptions of FDC are vital to ensure that this essential service remains available to children and families who depend on and value this service.
RAS ID
79449
Document Type
Book Chapter
Date of Publication
2-4-2025
School
School of Medical and Health Sciences
Copyright
subscription content
Publisher
Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.
Identifier
Theresa Rayfield: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4115-0529
Brennen Mills: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7409-7007
Karen Lombardi: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8016-2197
Ruth Wallace: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5392-5195
Comments
Rayfield, T., Mills, B., Lombardi, K., & Wallace, R. (2025). Understanding the mental well-being of family day care educators in Australia – a qualitative study. In Handbook on families and education (pp. 157-175). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035300686.00019