Gold Coast's best childcare educator: Mum Skye Matthews named 2021 winner

We asked, you voted Gold Coast - now we can reveal a Gold Coast mum has been crowned the city's best childcare educator for 2021. 

• Nominate now: Gold Coast Women of the Year for 2021
• Good, bad and ugly: Every Gold Coast childcare centre rated

A Gold Coast mum and childcare educator of 15 years has taken the public vote and won the Best Childcare Educator for 2021.

Little Scholars Early childhood educator Skye Matthews, 32, dreamt of her career since she was young saying she “always wanted to work with children”.

“In high school we had the opportunity to study our Cert 3.

“When I finished I got a job where I was doing my prac,” Ms Matthews said.

Ms Matthews said her job gives her constant recognition but she is happy with the news.

“It's good to know that I still have a lot of people behind me,” she said.

Little Scholars Yatala turns eight this October and Ms Matthews loved seeing it grow.

Skye Matthews, from Little Scholars School of Early Learning Yatala, has won the Best Childcare educator on the Gold Coast. Skye has been working in childcare for 15 years. Skye with her son Huxlee Grainger, 3. Picture: Jerad Williams

“We get to be in different classes so it is not a consistent age group so it is good to help them grow and nurture them,” Ms Matthews said.

At the age of 29 she gave birth to her son Huxlee who is now three.

“I do think about wanting to go further and do social work, probably when my son goes to school and I can study again.

“For now I am here to stay,” Ms Matthews said.

She warned the demand in the industry dropped in recent years.

“I think it is because people are worried about the study or not very confident.

Skye Matthews, from Little Scholars School of Early Learning Yatala, has won the Best Childcare educator on the Gold Coast. Skye has been working in childcare for 15 years. Picture: Jerad Williams

“It is a good industry to work in, if you are interested definitely come give it a go,” Ms Matthews said.

Izabelle Hottes from Bluebird Early Education Robina was second in the poll and Kylie Grant Vutilolo from Goodstart Early Learning Currumbin was not far behind.

LAST WEEK:

When we asked readers to nominate the Best Childcare Educator in the Gold Coast, we were inundated with replies.

Parents were full of praise for the work of staff in childcare centres the length and breadth of the city.

Gold Coast dad  Kyle Martin nominated Belle Johnman, who works at YMCA Benowa. 

"She is extremely kind and so caring," he said.

"I know how hard she works every day to help the kids, definitely going above and beyond for them."

All of our ten finalists received similar praise. Vote for who you think should win in the poll below.

Good, bad and ugly: Every Gold Coast childcare centre rated

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• Facebook nominations closed on Monday, May 3 @ 12pm.

• Nominations, via the comment section on our Facebook post, will be calculated and finalists will be announced on Monday, May 3 @ 6pm.

• Finalist voting will be a subscriber-only poll vote that runs on the Bulletin website.

• The poll will close on Friday, May 7 @ 9am.

• The winner will be announced in the Gold Coast Bulletin paper and online. 

Originally published as Gold Coast's best childcare educator: Mum Skye Matthews named 2021 winner