Big Fat Smile
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    Big Fat Smile
    (28 reviews)
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    Company Reviews

    Working at Big Fat Smile

    3.128 ratings in total
    5
    11
    4
    3
    3
    1
    2
    4
    1
    9
    82%
    Rate salary as high or average
    50%
    Employees recommend this employer to friends
    Work/Life balance
    3.3(28 ratings)
    Career development
    3.3(28 ratings)
    Benefits & perks
    3.1(28 ratings)
    Management
    3.0(28 ratings)
    Working environment
    3.4(28 ratings)
    Diversity & equal opportunity
    3.3(28 ratings)
    Ratings for Big Fat Smile are shared as-is from employees in line with our community guidelines

    Reviews

    Showing 28 reviews sorted by most recent
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    2.0
    Educator
    Mar 2026
    Wollongong NSW 25001 to 2 years in the role, former employee
    Corporate lack of support for Educators.
    The good thingsConnecting with the children and families
    The challengesThere is a big disconnect between head office and floor staff. Impractical things would be regularly imposed without consultation with Educators. Centers are constantly short staffed due to staff turnover as a result of poor management from head office.
    1.0
    Assistant Director
    Oct 2025
    Dapto NSW 2530Less than 1 year in the role, former employee
    Big fat smile staff don’t create a cohesive or fair working environment.
    The good thingsThe day to day interactions with the children.
    The challengesI believe head office should have a more diplomatic approach to their employees
    1.0
    Educator
    Jun 2023
    Sydney NSW 2000
    Wouldn’t recommend to anyone, look around there are better roles out there.
    The good thingsMade good friends and connections
    The challengesNo support. Management have no idea. Good educators leaving for better roles. Negative reviews being deleted (or hidden)
    1.0
    Educator
    May 2023
    Wollongong, Illawarra & South Coast NSW1 to 2 years in the role, former employee
    BFS only care about the newer services, refused to put money into their older centres, such a cliquey environment, terrible things occurred but because certain staff were close with management nothing came of it. Would never work for BFS again or send my kids to one of their centres.
    The good thingsNothing good except for making a couple of friends out of it.
    The challengesEverything was a challenge
    1.0
    Childcare Educator
    Jan 2023
    7 to 8 years in the role, former employee
    Management in head office - unrealistic expectations with zero support.
    The good thingsCentres have mostly very hard working staff who care about the children. Very few good managers/ suppport from head office but the ones that are are GOLD.
    The challengesHead Office are completely ignorant of the what it takes to do a job as a childcare worker. They care about the bottom line - money - and don't mind if you overwork yourself to get there.
    4.0
    Director
    Dec 2022
    Less than 1 year in the role, current employee
    I love their career opportunities
    The good thingsI love working in big fat smile.
    The challengesWith national wide stuff shortage, it's hard
    5.0
    Educator
    Dec 2022
    7 to 8 years in the role, current employee
    My time at Big Fat Smile has been a great achievement, I have formed wonderful relationships with children from 0-12 years of age and have led a team that has also achieved great things. I've built many wonderful relationships.
    The good thingsBuilding relationships with Children, families and other educators. Helping build your career. I have had many roles in the last 8 years at Big Fat Smile, they have helped me developed great skills and acknowledge that has helped me go from Trainee, to Director and now Compliance Coordinator.
    The challengesAll works places have challenges. Doing extra hours, working fulltime and studying. However, I make this all work and balance it out.
    5.0
    Client Engagement Officer
    Dec 2022
    Highly Recommend!
    The good thingsPositive and supportive work environment
    The challengesThe staffing shortage in the sector
    5.0
    Diploma childcare educator
    Jul 2022
    Less than 1 year in the role, current employee
    Big Fat Smile makes me feel welcome, supported and that I am making a difference in the lives of those we care for.
    The good thingsBig Fat Smile always have opportunities for professional development. They are supportive of you reaching your goals and succeeding.
    The challengesLack of educators in the sector over the last 2 years have really challenged all educators.
    5.0
    Diploma Educator
    Jul 2022
    7 to 8 years in the role, current employee
    I wouldn't work for any other company within the sector.
    The good thingsBig Fat Smile is a child centric company who put the children first. Everything is compliant and done above board. Management is supportive and always trying to solve the sector wide staffing crisis through a wide variety of strategies. I effortlessly moved from trainee, to support role, to a cert three position and onto a diploma qualified position once I had my degree.
    The challengesWhilst our management team is fantastic, it is obvious that they haven't worked on the floor for a long time or have never worked directly with the children at all. Their ideas are fantastic but at times difficult to put into practice when we already have giant workloads. I never personally feel under appreciated by my company but I know that a large chunk of my staff members do.
    5.0
    childcare worker
    Jul 2022
    1 to 2 years in the role, current employee
    got as a job for a year between uni and stayed for a career
    The good thingsi have had experience working in great teams and many supportive mentors to inspire and learn from. lots of opportunities to progress as someone who started as a trainee and also fun in the workplace and sunshine to help improve mood and mental health. great professional development opportunities and resource
    The challengesmostly industry things rather than employer things- payment is low for this industry and it cant go up without costs that are already high rising. some services are designed poorly a long time ago and will not be redesigned but there are also very well designed new services in the company. most of the challenges are the kids
    1.0
    HQ
    Jun 2022
    3 to 4 years in the role, former employee
    High pressure, low support and low wages - don't do it.
    The good thingsWas a great place to work at first - seemed friendly and supportive. That soon changed.
    The challengesThe constant turnover of executives reporting to the CEO tells a story. There is something very wrong there, and it has a ripple effect.
    5.0
    Middle Management
    May 2022
    1 to 2 years in the role, current employee
    Great company for working parents. Work life balance is amazing
    The good thingsSenior Management, Flexibility, Great for working parent, they're super understanding.
    The challengesMy challenges were external- COVID etc
    2.0
    Educator
    Apr 2022
    stayed too long.
    The good thingsFriendly educators and children
    The challengescompany does not support staff. will ask if anyone has needs assistance to tick a box. does not care if staff are injured via children, over-worked or if centres are understaffed.
    1.0
    Educator
    Feb 2022
    Overall disappointing experience.
    The good thingsPlenty of work available.
    The challengesManagement do not value educators. Quality of care varies from centre to centre. As a non profit organisation quality of care should be better and more consistent across centres.
    1.0
    Educator
    Dec 2020
    1 to 2 years in the role, former employee
    Expected much more, pretty disappointing.
    The good thingsNetworking and the friends I made, connections with families and the children
    The challengesPoor management, limited flexibility with time off, issues raised weren't dealt with appropriately, wouldn't recommend to anyone.
    1 person found this helpful
    5.0
    Educator
    Mar 2020
    1 to 2 years in the role, former employee
    I grew as a professional and became a better educator
    The good thingsCentre management and Head Office always tried to accommodate my work life balance and addressed my concerns immediately.
    The challengesLack of resources and funding for new materials.
    1.0
    Educator
    Mar 2020
    3 to 4 years in the role, current employee
    Little chance of career advancement and poor management
    The good thingsGreeting the children and their carers in the morning
    The challengesConstant changes without any warning. Lack of training and little opportunity for career advancement
    1 person found this helpful
    4.0
    Management Team Leader
    Mar 2020
    3 to 4 years in the role, current employee
    Good people who put a lot into the nfp space
    The good thingsWhat we do for the community and children
    The challengesThisnis a not for profit, have tight resources
    5.0
    Trainee Educator
    Mar 2020
    1 to 2 years in the role, current employee
    Absolutely loved every minute
    The good thingsThe staff are friendly and caring the children and families are lovely and friendly
    The challengesThe traineeship wages
    1.0
    Educator
    Oct 2019
    Hopeful but disappointed
    The good thingsSalary is very competitive
    The challengesCertain members of upper management lack clear vision and are unsupportive of those outside their inner circles. Some have spent too much time reading and quoting from management books and not enough time putting those words into action. Overall it felt very superficial.
    4 people found this helpful
    2.0
    Childcare Centre Director
    Oct 2019
    Company is going backwards, and fast.
    The good thingsPaid above award wage.
    The challengesA few years ago, this was a great place to work. But management are very incompetent. Directors are very hard working and go above and beyond. Management are just horrible and do not provide support. Directors are leaving en masse because the workload is just ridiculous. Other permanent staff can be a total liability.
    2 people found this helpful
    3.0
    Educator
    May 2019
    current employee
    Great place to work, but sometimes you need to be a little savvy!
    The good thingsPay is above award. Passionate & knowledgeable teams.
    The challengesTight budgets. Small casual list.
    4.0
    Childcare Educator
    May 2019
    5 to 6 years in the role, current employee
    Good people and great company
    The good thingshigh diversity, but it's good as we are accept in the different.
    The challengesto make the director see my value
    1 person found this helpful
    5.0
    Traineeship
    Aug 2017
    Less than 1 year in the role
    Overall i wish i was still there.
    The good thingsI was with a fun and vibrant group and hopefully would go back one day.
    The challengesComing from such a quite and independent work environment the transition personally was difficult on my end.
    5.0
    Childcare Trainee
    May 2017
    Less than 1 year in the role, former employee
    Felt like home
    The good things-Very supportive team -understanding boss, flexible and allows you to keep your personal life sorted -organised and good, caring atmosphere
    The challengesHaving to ever leave
    2.0
    ACCQW
    Mar 2017
    11 to 12 years in the role, current employee
    Hard work, low pay
    The good thingsIt's good working with children.
    The challengesThe low pay is difficult.
    1 person found this helpful
    5.0
    Director
    Sep 2015
    Less than 1 year in the role, current employee
    Best experience of my career thus far.Rewarding role and great people!
    The good thingsGreat company and an inspiring vision. Creativity and fun is encouraged!!!
    The challengesThe organisation is a pleasure to work for. Great support system in place makes everything effortless.
    Company Reviews published on our site are the views and opinions of their authors and do not represent the views and opinions of SEEK or its personnel. SEEK does not verify the truth or accuracy of any reviews and does not adopt or endorse any of the comments posted. SEEK posts reviews for what they are worth and for informational purposes only to assist candidates to find employment.
    Reviews by location
    All Sydney NSWWollongong, Illawarra & South Coast NSW