The 21st Victorian Early Years Awards winners were announced at a ceremony last night, Tuesday 27 October 2026.
The 26 finalists were celebrated for their outstanding practice, skill and commitment to improving outcomes for Victorian children and their families.
From this impressive cohort, 10 winners were selected, reflecting the vital work happening in the early years sector.
Each winner received a $15,000 grant, which they can use for professional development or to support their initiative in the early years sector.
Individual awards
The winners for their individual contributions to supporting improved learning and development outcomes for children were:
Early Childhood Teacher of the Year: Diah Hastuti from Dill-be-din Kindergarten. Diah has found creative ways to help children and families feel safe and connected. She learned basic Arabic, introduced keyword sign language, used interpreters and brought Arabic, Oromo and Amharic into the learning environment. This has led to better attendance, communication and wellbeing.
Educator of the Year: Cerri May from Gowrie at The Harbour. Cerri brings more than 30 years of experience to her role. Cerri believes children are capable, curious learners who thrive in inclusive environments. She works closely with families and professionals to understand each child’s strengths, needs and identity, adapting learning through braille, tactile and sound-based experiences. These experiences build empathy, self-regulation and belonging. She also shares her expertise as a mentor and coach.
Service and organisation awards
The services and organisations that received awards were recognised for:
- supporting parents
- working with others in the community
- improving child health and wellbeing
- achieving high-quality outcomes.
The recipients were:
- Improving Access and Participation in Early Learning: Family Voices Matter, Foundation House (in partnership with Colman Education Foundation – Our Place (Northern Bay) and CALD Outreach (City of Greater Geelong))
- Supporting Parents to Build their Capacity and Confidence: Bringing Up Aboriginal Babies at Home program, Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency
- Creating Collaborative Community Partnerships: Road safety upgrades, Ada Mary A’Beckett Children’s Centre (in partnership with Port Phillip Council)
- Promoting Children’s Health and Wellbeing: Pop-Up Playgroups, Baw Baw Shire Council
- Continuity of Early Learning: Keysborough Primary Kindergarten (in partnership with Keysborough Primary School)
- The Emeritus Professor Collette Tayler Excellence in Educational Leadership award: Debbie Roper, Gowrie Victoria
- The Aunty Rose Bamblett Koorie Early Years Legacy Award: Lake Tyers Early Learning Centre and Kindergarten.
The Minister’s Award
Finalists in each category were also eligible for the prestigious Minister’s Award, selected by the Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn.
This year’s winner of the Minister’s Award was Julie-Anne Joyce from Coburg Children’s Centre. Julie-Anne has worked at the centre for more than 18 years. Julie-Anne champions inclusion, innovation and advocacy in her work. As a proud Deaf educator, she has embedded Auslan and Deaf culture into daily learning. Julie-Anne embeds Auslan through songs, stories and mealtimes. Her leadership shows children that rich communication includes gestures, movement, visual cues, sounds and spoken language.
Find out more
For more information about this year’s winners and finalists, refer to Finalists for 2026 VEYA.
For further enquiries, contact the department by email: early.years.awards@education.vic.gov.au
Updated