AUSTRALIA’S best Early Childhood Educators and Carers were revealed at the 2023 HESTA Early Childhood Education & Care Awards during a special celebration in Adelaide earlier this month. 

Rachael Phillips, a proud Gomeroi woman and Director of Birrelee Multifunctional Aboriginal Children’s Service in Tamworth, NSW, won the ‘Individual Leadership’ award. 

Ms Phillips was recognised for her leadership in advancing education for First Nations children and advocating for more culturally appropriate early childhood settings. 

For the entirety of her career, Ms Phillips has worked with and for the local Gomeroi community and attended Birrelee herself as a child. 

For Ms Phillips, being selected as a HESTA winner was a proud moment and presented an opportunity to continue to grow as…