Members of the SA Public Service have been identified in the 2022 South Australian Child Protection Awards with the Department of Child Protection’s Principal Aboriginal Consultant, Jody Satala and the Department for Education’s
Children in Care Service chosen as the best in their fields.
Ms Satala was chosen as leader in the Active Efforts Award section and Education’s Children in Care Service the Outstanding Service Award – Across Government.
Delivered by the Department for Child Protection in partnership with the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN), the awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of children and young people, carers, volunteers, staff and organisations from across the child protection sector.
“Almost 300 nominations were received throughout South Australia across 11 categories,” the organisers said, “a 60 per cent increase on last year’s inaugural awards.”
They said an unprecedented number of nominations for carers highlighted the critical role they all play in child protection.
“Strong in Culture Strong in Voice choir took out the Outstanding Achievement award, celebrating an achievement of a child or young person, or group of children/young people, who has had a care experience,” they said.
“The choir includes Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal members, and was formed to give young people in residential care a voice and support reconciliation efforts.
“The young people in the choir sang their original song ‘We stand together’ at the Awards.”
Chief Executive of NAPCAN, Richard Cooke commended the work of the South Australian award recipients in helping to create safe and supportive environments for children.
“With the theme that ‘Every child, in every community, needs a fair go’, Child Protection Week is a time to highlight that protecting children is not the job of a single department or agency, but the responsibility of all of us right across the community,” Mr Cooke said.
“Child abuse and neglect is a community issue that affects us all and, when we work together, it is preventable.”
The event organisers said the award winners included the KWY Aboriginal Corporation for its working with vulnerable Aboriginal families to prevent or limit child protection involvement, as well as Life Without Barriers’ ‘Mockingbird Family’ program that connects and supports foster carers.
The full list of awards can be accessed at this PS News link.
