Recognition & Reviews
The Educators Well has grown through connection, professional learning, mentoring and a commitment to supporting the people behind the work.
Recent feedback
Feedback from educators who have learned, reflected and grown alongside The Educators Well.
“I left Rachel's Sustainability in the Toddlers Room workshop feeling inspired and full of practical ideas. Rachel showed us that sustainability doesn't have to be complicated or expensive and that even toddlers can be active participants in caring for their environment. The workshop was engaging, relatable, and full of ideas that could be implemented immediately. It completely changed the way I think about sustainability and how it can be embedded into everyday learning experiences.”
“I attended Rachel's workshop on Canva in a Family Day Care setting and absolutely loved how practical and relevant it was. Rather than focusing on complicated design features, Rachel showed us simple ways to use Canva to create professional templates for observations, learning stories, and everyday documentation. I left with ideas I could implement immediately, saving time while still producing high-quality resources. Rachel's approachable style and real-world experience made the workshop engaging, practical, and easy to follow.”
“I participated in Rachel's Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud workshop and it was honestly the most fun I've ever had in a professional development session. More importantly, it challenged me to think differently about messy play and the value of allowing children to get dirty, explore, and learn through hands-on experiences. Rachel created a relaxed, engaging environment that encouraged reflection while still being practical and relevant to everyday practice. I left feeling inspired, confident, and excited to embrace more messy play in my service.”
“Rachel helped me simplify planning and programming when I was feeling completely overwhelmed by the planning cycle and its requirements. Her workshop was incredibly practical, hands-on, and easy to understand. What I loved most was that Rachel showed us how to simplify our processes without compromising quality or compliance. I left feeling far more confident in my planning and with strategies I could implement immediately. I would highly recommend her workshops to any educator looking to reduce stress while still exceeding expectations.”
“As a Nominated Supervisor, I am always looking for professional development opportunities that are engaging, practical, and capable of creating meaningful change within our service. Rachel's Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud workshop delivered exactly that. She challenged educators to reflect on their own perceptions of risk, mess, and learning while highlighting the immense value of hands-on, sensory-rich experiences for children. The workshop was interactive, thought-provoking, and grounded in current practice. Our team left feeling inspired, motivated, and more confident in embracing messy play as a valuable part of children's learning and development.”
In-service support
“When Rachel first visited my service, I was nervous about having someone look at everything I was doing. Like many educators, I was working incredibly hard, but I constantly felt like I was chasing my tail and never quite getting on top of everything.
What stood out to me was that Rachel didn't come in with judgement or criticism. She took the time to listen, ask questions, and genuinely understand both my service and me as an educator. Her feedback felt supportive rather than overwhelming, and for the first time in a long time I felt understood.
Rachel helped me see that I didn't need to do more. I needed to do things differently. Through her guidance, I was able to simplify many of my systems, focus on what truly mattered, and reconnect with why I became an educator in the first place.
The biggest change wasn't in my paperwork or environment; it was in my confidence. I now feel proud of my service, more balanced in my approach, and far more confident in my ability to provide quality care and education for children and families.”
“I originally contacted Rachel because I knew Assessment and Rating was on the horizon, but I wasn't sure whether my service was truly showcasing the quality of what I was doing each day. Like many Family Day Care educators, I was so busy caring for children that I struggled to step back and view my service through a professional lens.
Rachel's audit was incredibly thorough and gave me a completely different perspective. She helped me identify strengths I hadn't recognised, highlighted areas for improvement, and showed me practical ways to better demonstrate the quality practices already happening within my service.
What I appreciated most was that Rachel didn't provide a generic checklist. Her recommendations were personalised, realistic, and tailored specifically to my environment, philosophy, and way of working.
Following the audit, I felt far more prepared, organised, and confident. The process helped me move from feeling anxious about being assessed to feeling proud of what I had created. Rachel's experience, attention to detail, and understanding of Family Day Care made the entire experience invaluable.”
One-to-one support
“Rachel spent a full day reviewing my service practices and operations, looking at everything from how I welcomed children and families each morning through to my daily routines, documentation, and business systems. At first, I thought she had forgotten about me when I didn't hear back for a week, but what she returned with was incredible — a personalised six-month action plan tailored specifically to my service.
Rachel then spent two hours with me working through the plan step-by-step, helping me understand not only what needed to change, but how to actually implement those changes. The difference has been remarkable. My service is more organised, professional, and efficient, and I now have more time to focus on building meaningful relationships with children and families. Even my supervisor has commented on the significant improvements and increased professionalism within my service. I cannot recommend Rachel's support highly enough.”
Recognition
A collection of recognition received across education, training, business and community work.
Allens Training Partner Award
WinnerMarketing & Brand Presence
Moreton Bay Local Business Awards
FinalistEducational Services
AusMumpreneur Awards
FinalistEducation & Training Award
Australian Small Business Awards
FinalistSole Operator
AusMumpreneur Awards
FinalistWomen Changing the World Award
NomineeBEAM Awards
FinalistEmerging Business of the Year
BEAM Awards
FinalistWomen Supporting Women
Family Day Care Australia, Educator of the Year Awards
Regional WinnerLimestone Coast
AusMumpreneur Awards
NomineeAusMumpreneur Awards
NomineeFamily Day Care Australia, Educator of the Year Awards
Regional WinnerWagga Wagga
AusMumpreneur Awards
NomineeWagga Wagga Golden Crow Awards
NomineePeople's Choice Award
Australian Early Education and Care Awards
NomineeEarly Childhood Service of the Year
In the media
Podcasts, articles and interviews about education, family day care and the realities of this work.
An article by Rachel Smith exploring why educator burnout cannot be addressed through individual resilience alone, and why sustainable change requires stronger support, connection and workplace wellbeing.
Read the article(opens in a new tab)These links open external websites that are not operated by The Educators Well.