‘I loved it from the start’: Emma Bradley celebrates 30 years as a family daycarer
Emma Bradley was at Chemist Warehouse last week when a teenage boy, who’d been staring at her, eventually walked over and asked: ‘Are you Emma? I remember you!’
This kind of thing happens to Emma a lot — and it’s not surprising given she’s cared for more than 80 local kids as a Family Daycare educator.
In 2025, Emma celebrates 30 years as an educator, making her one of the region’s longest serving family daycarers. Emma finds it hard to believe she’s been looking after local children for three decades, but describes it as “the best job in the world for someone like me”.
Emma as a young educator, with her first group of children in 1995.
“I started family daycare because it was a way for me to stay home and care for my own daughter, who was 18 months old at the time,” Emma says.
“It was October of 1995 and I absolutely loved it.”
In the mid-1990s, kids were into Batman, Superman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Sesame Street. All of those things are still popular today, she says, but Emma is hoping Dora the Explorer also makes a comeback.
Emma’s career has included hundreds of excursions, events and playgroup visits, with highlights including Wiggles concerts, the dinosaurs at the Australian National Botanic Gardens and the snow at Corin Forest.
The level of administration required of a family daycarer has increased over the decades, Emma says, but learning to do educational planning and developmental reports for the children has only made Emma a better educator.
Over the years, Emma has cared for kids with diverse needs. In the early 2000s, she looked after a young girl with anaphylaxis. For eight years, Emma also cared for Taylor, a beautiful local girl with cerebral palsy. Taylor’s mum Megan says Emma opened her home to therapists and adapted her care to meet Taylor’s needs.
Emma and Taylor.
“Emma’s dedication was crucial in Taylor’s growth, enabling her to hit milestones that we weren’t always sure would be possible,” Megan says.
“We are deeply grateful for her care and support. Congratulations on 30 years as a Family Daycare mum, you have made a huge contribution to many families in the area.”
Now in 2025, Emma is caring for the kids of the kids she cared for in the 1990s. Her current group of children happily includes four of her five grandchildren. She loves seeing the children she used to care for all grown up, making their mark on the world.
Has there been a most memorable moment in daycare?
“There’s too many to mention a particular one,” she says.
“But we’ve had many laughs with conversations, singing and dancing with the children. Lots of fun excursions. And made some great friendships with other educators and families.”
Would she recommend family daycare as an option for other women in Queanbeyan?
“Absolutely,” Emma says.
Emma with four out of five of her grandkids.
“If you love children and would love to have your own business, be able to choose your own hours and days, then family daycare may be for you.
“Just remember, at a minimum, you need a Certificate III in children’s services.”
As a final note, Emma shared her gratitude for spending three decades in a job she loves so much.
“I just want to say a massive thank you to all the parents for letting me care for their most precious thing in the world.”
About the Author: Briony Winchester
Part bogan, part wannabe plus-size model and part journalist, Bree's the woman behind Q! News. She's a pop culture obsessive who's deeply in love with her hometown, Queanbeyan, and the neighbouring capital. A born storyteller, she's been writing locally, nationally and internationally for more than 25 years.
