Victorian Protecting Children Awards

Winner: Associate Professor Annette Jackson – Berry Street Yooralla

Associate Professor Annette Jackson is an internationally recognised leader who has made exceptional contributions to Berry Street Yooralla and the wider child and family services sector.

Associate Professor Jackson is widely respected for translating academic research into practical approaches that improve outcomes for children, young people and families. This includes her doctoral thesis on redressing consequences of serious childhood neglect, which was awarded the prestigious Nancy Millis Medal for exceptional merit in 2023. She has authored and contributed to over 30 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. These works address trauma, neglect, disability, reunification and therapeutic practice.

Associate Professor Jackson’s leadership was instrumental in the development of key initiatives. These include the Berry Street Education Model and Take Two. She has also contributed to numerous national initiatives.

Associate Professor Jackson has expanded our sector’s understanding of the intersection between trauma and disability via public inquiry reviews and policy development.

Associate Professor Jackson’s work consistently elevates children’s lived experience as a central source of knowledge.

Winner: Refugee Minor Program – Department of Families, Fairness and Housing

The Refugee Minor Program team delivers outstanding outcomes for unaccompanied children and young people affected by war and displacement. Their impact is evident with 100% of young people in the program completing secondary education.

The team collaborates with carers and community partners. Through these partnerships, they help ensure young people have opportunities for brighter futures. One example is the L2P Refugee Pilot Program, delivered in partnership with the Department of Transport and Kinetic to help young people get their probationary driver’s licence.

The program supports young people to engage in further education, training or employment and also delivers psycho-social group sessions.

The program's success is underpinned by a highly skilled, compassionate team. They take a culturally responsive and trauma informed approach. This ensures that the children and young people in the program are heard and supported.

Winner: Sanjai Kissun – Department of Families, Fairness and Housing

Sanjai is a recognised trailblazer in child protection, tirelessly working to support refugee and asylum seeker children in Victoria. His work has helped secure the safety of children displaced by war, civil conflict and disaster. This includes supporting the placement of 30 Afghan children after the fall of Kabul.

Sanjai managed the first successful Australian grant through federal Ministerial intervention to allow a child in care who had arrived by boat to gain permanent residency. Also working at the federal government level, Sanjai has negotiated for over 100 children to receive a Vulnerable Child Visa over the past 4 years. This has helped children in care services access Medicare, NDIS, Centrelink and public housing.

In Victoria, Sanjai founded the Cultural Engagement Program for multicultural children involved with child protection, and most recently implemented the DFFH Refugee Youth Employment program. 
Sanjai has helped transform the department’s work with Victorian multicultural families not eligible for NDIS, securing essential support for children and their families.

Sanjai is recognised internationally as an expert and advocate for refugee children and his expertise in Hague Convention negotiations has seen children in care returned to their countries of origin when safe.

Winner: Molly Fergus – OzChild

Since becoming an accredited foster carer in 2017, Molly has provided safe, stable and nurturing care to more than 30 children. Many of these children presented with complex needs.

Molly is a strong advocate for sibling connection and culturally responsive practice. She has taken steps to maintain children’s cultural identity. For example, she has established connections with local places of worship.

Molly approaches caring with deep empathy, resilience and commitment to child-centred practice. She has provided stability, advocacy and familiarity across respite, emergency and short-term care.

Molly supports safe and respectful connections with birth families wherever possible.

A powerful example of Molly’s impact is her care for a young child with complex needs. Molly supported the child through medical appointments, hospital admissions and intensive therapeutic interventions. Through Molly’s advocacy and care, the child has the practical resources they need to thrive.

Winner: Dawn Winn – Berry Street

Dawn provides devoted care to a child who lives with complex needs.

Dawn has worked closely with the child’s medical team and proactively upskilled and educated herself. She spent 10 months learning specialised care techniques from medical staff at hospital. She wanted to ensure she could safely meet the child’s needs at home.

Through her advocacy, skill and understanding of the child’s needs, Dawn has reshaped the child’s quality of life. She has placed a focus on connection, love and moments of joy. She works to support the child’s social development and provides experiences such as attending events and trips.

Dawn advocates for the child in social interactions. She helps others understand how to engage with the child while ensuring the child’s comfort and dignity. Dawn ensures the child is included in decisions and empowered to express themselves. She does this through responsive, loving and intentional care.

Winner: Kids First Australia Early Help program – Kids First Australia

Kids First Australia’s Early Help program re-engages children in education. It uses a place-based, family-centred early intervention model.

Early Help brings together services in one location. It reduces barriers to access and enables coordinated, timely support for families.

Early Help works alongside families, schools and services to understand the broader factors impacting a child’s ability to attend and engage in school.

Practitioners use an approach grounded in the Kids First Coaching Practice Framework. This framework was developed with the Parenting Research Centre. Their approach empowers families to identify their goals, build on their strengths and take an active role in decision making.

The program delivers measurable and meaningful outcomes. Examples include children moving from 0 days attendance to 5-day full-time attendance within one school term.

Beyond attendance, Early Help contributes to improved family stability, wellbeing and parental engagement.

Winner: Kookaburra Residential Care Team, Anglicare Victoria

The Kookaburra Residential Care Team has achieved clear and sustained improvements in safety, engagement and transition outcomes for young people with complex needs.

Team members consistently go above and beyond and tailor their approach to each young person. For example, they have done specialised training to respond to medical emergencies.

Another example of their commitment is providing continuous care when a young person had a medical procedure. Staff remained in the hospital to provide support and help communicate with medical professionals.

For a young person with disability, staff empowered the young person’s decision-making by securing appropriate supports. This helped enable meaningful participation and informed choices about the young person’s future.

The Kookaburra Residential Care Team places strong emphasis on supporting families and empowering young people. The team recognises that genuine client voice and agency are built through trust, time and relationships.

Winner: Ibrahim Assafiri – Anglicare Victoria

Ibrahim (Ibby) is a Care Team Leader in Youth Services at Anglicare Victoria. This nomination recognises Ibby’s dedication, advocacy and genuine care when working alongside young people.

Ibby’s ability to build authentic relationships has empowered young people to have a voice in their own support, ensuring they are actively involved in decisions that affect their life.

Ibby treats young people with dignity, respect, and compassion. By going above and beyond to listen and advocate, Ibby has helped young people to feel heard and valued.

Ibby’s practice is inspiring and sets an example for others to follow.

Winner: Anna Zhang – Kids First Australia

Anna is a young person with intersectional lived experience. She has an ability to translate that experience into meaningful change that benefits other young people.

As Chair of the Kids First Youth Council, Anna actively creates the conditions for youth voice to be heard, respected and acted upon. She facilitates conversations where young people are not only present, but influential.

Beyond Kids First, Anna is a recognised youth adviser across the sector. She is a YACVic Peer Facilitator and contributes to advisory groups and projects. This includes work with the eSafety Commissioner through YLAB, the Victims of Crime Commissioner and Victoria Legal Aid’s Children’s Legal Service Advisory Group.

Her leadership includes contributing to a campaign that resulted in the establishment of a new headspace centre. Another example is contributing to reforms that embed anti-racism education within the Victorian education system.

Winner: Graham Boal – MacKillop Family Services

Graham Boal worked in child and family services for over 37 years as a Business Manager and Group Director of Corporate Services before retiring in early 2026. His deep knowledge of the care services sector meant he was frequently called on by sector leaders to advise on decisions regarding funding and service agreements.

He played a critical role in the repricing of residential care in 2003; of home-based care in 2006; and of family services in 2009. As a board member of the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare, he was a strong advocate for changing the way indexation is applied to out-of-home care funding agreements.

Graham combined outstanding technical skills, deep compassion for children and families, and a strong commitment to mentoring future leaders. Every decision Graham made always had children’s best interests at heart. His humility, pragmatism and generosity are deeply missed now that he has retired.

Winner: Esmai Manahan – MacKillop Family Services

Esmai is a proud Yorta Yorta and Gunditjmara woman. Esmai’s work has contributed to the safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal children and young people.

At MacKillop Family Services, Esmai has led a process of truth-telling. This has enhanced the cultural knowledge of staff and embedded culturally responsive practice.

In the past year, Esmai and her team have facilitated 8 family reunifications for First Nations children and young people. At the heart of this success is a commitment to the Aboriginal Child Placement Principles and to prioritising Aboriginal Family-Led Decision Making.

One example of this commitment is Esmai’s advocacy for a young person who experienced a medical episode. Her advocacy helped to ensure decisions relating to care were culturally safe and that the young person was listened to.

Esmai is a founding member and spokesperson for the First Nations NGO Alliance. She has contributed to the safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal children and young people at a national level.

Winner: Maddison Wearmouth, Department of Families, Fairness and Housing

Maddison practices with great professional judgement that achieves meaningful and measurable outcomes for children, young people and families. Her work reflects a high level of commitment to child-centred, family-focused decision making.

Maddison’s approach to risk assessment is considered, systematic and evidence-informed. She engages respectfully with children, young people and families, building trust, supporting meaningful engagement and promoting sustainable change.

Maddison leads by example, modelling high quality, ethical and strengths-based practice. When working with a sole parent with an intellectual disability, Maddison thoughtfully considered their lived experience and explored additional supports. She ensured the child’s voice was meaningfully incorporated. This strengthened safety planning, built parental capacity and improved outcomes for the child.

Maddison’s leadership has fostered collaboration, trust and sustained engagement. Her ability to lead complex decision-making with compassion, integrity and clarity has resulted in positive outcomes for children, young people and families.

The winner of this pre-eminent award epitomises Robin Clark and her legacy of inspiring leadership and influential stewardship of child and family policy and practice in Victoria.

This award recognises an individual whose leadership inspires others to act wisely and care deeply about achieving the best outcomes for children, young people and their families or carers.

Nominees in this category have a distinguished track record as visionary and transformative leaders in practice, policy, research or education.

Examples of work may include:

• a champion of system-wide reform leading to sustained improvement in the lives of children, young people and their families or carers
• influencing the practice of others, through leadership, advocacy and mentoring
• empowering Aboriginal self-determination and cultural safety to achieve the best outcomes for Aboriginal children, young people and their families or carers.

Nominees for the Robin Clark Leadership Award are highly respected individuals from government, the community or the children and families services sector.

The team or group winners of this award embody Robin Clark’s vision and legacy of a well-connected community and service system contributing to better outcomes for children, young people and their families or carers.

This award recognises the exceptional contribution of a team or group of people who have worked to directly improve the lives of children, young people and their families or carers in Victoria. This can be in partnership or collaboration with government and non-government agencies.

The winners of this award strive to achieve excellence. Their work shows insight, practicality and respect for the needs of children, young people and their families or carers. This includes supporting Aboriginal self-determination to achieve the best outcomes for Aboriginal children, young people and their families or carers.

Nominees will show outstanding creativity, courage and collaboration.

Examples of work may include:

• providing expert, strategic advice to improve support and decision making for children and young people in care
• championing the rights of carers, children and young people through the development and delivery of training, financial support, or new innovative models of care.

Note: nominees for the Robin Clark Making a Difference Award are teams and groups from government, the community or the children and families services sector.

This award recognises an individual, team or group that have advanced their approach or intervention to achieve the best possible outcomes for children, young people and their families or carers.

These advances can be demonstrated across the child, youth and family services sector through:

• case management
• education
• prevention and early intervention, or
• provision of care to children and young people in care services (including secure welfare services).

Examples of work may include:

• developing new programs, or strengthening existing programs to improve outcomes for at risk children and young people
• working in different ways to achieve outcomes for high-risk youth
• embedding sustainable change within organisational practices to create more opportunities for at risk children and young people
• empowering Aboriginal self-determination and cultural safety to achieve the best outcomes for Aboriginal children, young people and their families or carers.

This award recognises assessed and approved foster carers, both present and past. It honours foster carers who have made a significant contribution to the lives of children and young people in care.

Examples of work may include:

• providing exceptional care, support and stability to a child or young person
• overcoming challenges to advocate for children and young people’s needs and creating a positive effect on young lives
• showing an understanding of the importance of connection to culture and kin for children and young people in care, and working with agencies and child protection to prioritise this connection
• empowering Aboriginal self-determination and cultural safety to achieve the best outcomes for Aboriginal children, young people and their families or carers.

This award recognises assessed and approved kinship carers, both present and past. It honours kinship carers who have made a significant contribution to the lives of children and young people in care.

Examples of work may include:

• providing exceptional care, support and stability to a child or young person
• overcoming challenges to advocate for children and young people’s needs and creating a positive effect on young lives
• showing an understanding of the importance of connection to culture and kin for children and young people in care, and working with agencies and child protection to prioritise this connection
• empowering Aboriginal self-determination and cultural safety to achieve the best outcomes for Aboriginal children, young people and their families or carers.

This award recognises education is fundamental to the development of individuals and families and helps build a strong community.

The winner of this award is an individual, team or group who have supported children and young people in their schooling journey or introduced young children to early years and pre-school programs.

Nominees are committed to the very best outcomes for children and young people. They show their ability to work with the education and child protection systems.

Examples of work may include:

• mentoring or supporting children in care to engage with schooling
• developing creative approaches to bringing the education and child protection systems together
• encouraging participation in early years and pre-school activities
• encouraging access to mainstream education, vocational education (VET), job training or skill building programs
• empowering Aboriginal self-determination and cultural safety to achieve the best outcomes for Aboriginal children, young people and their families or carers.

This award recognises an individual, team or group that goes above and beyond to support at risk youth. 

The winner of this award prioritises empowering young people in the decision-making process and assists them to achieve their goals.

Examples of work may include:

• helping at risk young people get access to the support they need. This may be for important life skills, independent living, employment pathways, education-based support, culturally appropriate care, mental health and substance abuse
• implementation of programs that improve outcomes for at risk young people
• empowering Aboriginal self-determination and cultural safety to achieve the best outcomes for Aboriginal children, young people and their families or carers.

This award gives Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children and young people aged 8 - 25 years with a care experience the opportunity to nominate someone. This may be a carer, support worker or agency who has made a positive difference to their lives, particularly through assisting them to have a voice within the care services system.

Note: this award is managed by the CREATE Foundation.

This award was established by the Principal Commissioner for Children and Young People. The award recognises an individual, team or organisation who has achieved excellence in realising children’s and young people’s right to meaningfully participate in matters affecting them.

Note: this award is managed by the Commission for Children and Young People.

This award recognises the people who have made a significant contribution to the child, youth, and family services sector throughout their career as well as making an impact on their local community.

‘Leaving a Legacy’ acknowledges those who have positively contributed to the sector and whose remarkable achievements should be highlighted.

Note:  this award is managed by The Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare.

This award recognises contributions of an Aboriginal person, persons or organisations in Victoria to the safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal children and young people.

Note: this award is managed by the Commission for Children and Young People.

The Chief Practitioner’s Award recognises an individual working in the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (the department) child protection program who embodies best practice, commitment and leadership.

Note: nominations for this award are managed within the department.