View our previous winners and finalists of the South Australian Child Protection Awards.
2025 Award Finalists and Winners
Outstanding Achievement of a Child or Young Person who has had a Care Experience Ashton Goodall Tyrell (Winner) Joshua Cugley Tia-Louise Rigney (Winner) Award Sponsor: Commissioner for Children and Young People
Active Efforts Award Tara and Scott Forbes-Godfrey Ngartuitya Family Group Conferencing, Relationships Australia SA (Winner) Residential Care, Life Without Barriers Award Sponsor: Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People
The Voice of Children and Young People in Care DCP Mount Barker Young People's Council (Winner) Yarrow Place Youth Team Jordan Zeitz, Department for Child Protection Woodville Award Sponsor: Guardian for Children and Young People
Minister for Child Protection Lifetime Achievement Award Karen Magnusson Joyce Clark (Winner) Diana Allwood Outstanding Service Award - Positive Impact Grandcarers SA Keeping Families Healthy and Together, Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network (Winner) Manuka Team, Community Living Options Award Sponsor: CREATE Foundation
Outstanding Service Award - Health, Wellbeing and Development Cocoon Program, Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation (Winner) Wellbeing and Learning Team, Salisbury East High School Tracy Pratt, Millicent North Kindergarten Awards sponsor: Connecting Foster and Kinship Carers SA
Outstanding Service Award - Regional Impact Solomontown Kindergarten, Department for Education Judith Pearce, Department for Child Protection, Mount Barker (Winner) Jacqueline Kranz, Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network, Whyalla SAPOL Far North Family Violence Port Augusta (Winner) Award Sponsor: Uniting Country SA
Outstanding Service Award - Sector Development Dr Lauren Lines, Flinders University Foster Care program – Reunification Model, Centacare Catholic Community Services (Winner) The Direct Experience Group, The Reily Foundation Award Sponsor: Child and Family Focus SA
South Australian Foster Carer of the Year Andrea and Kristian Fleming Carolyn and Wayne Judy and Tony McKenzie (Winner) Karen Davis South Australian Kinship Carer of the Year Betty and Shaun Wilson Paula Rankine (Winner) Nellie Egan Lisa and Mathew Davis Volunteer of the Year Dylan Strudwick Jan Ramsdale (Winner) Community Service Award School Retention Program, Department for Education Power Community Ltd, Port Adelaide Football Club (Winner) Fiona Endacott, Connecting Foster and Kinship Carers SA
2024 Award Finalists and Winners
Outstanding Achievement of a Child or Young Person Jacinta - WINNER Tanaya Peter Award Sponsor: HenderCare Foundation
Outstanding Service Award – Non-government organisations Grandcarers SA Newpin Team, Uniting Communities (WINNER) Taikurtirna Tirra-Apinthi, KWY Aboriginal Corporation (WINNER) Award Sponsor: Child and Family Focus SA
Active Efforts Award Iga Warta Cultural Camp - WINNER AnglicareSA Aboriginal Practice TeamDepartment of Human Services Johanna Maiorana and Jennifer MuscaraDepartment for Child Protection Award Sponsor: Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People
Outstanding Service Award – Positive Impact The Young Parent Project - WINNER Junction Australia Manisha DograDepartment for Child Protection Karen MezzinoDepartment for Child Protection Award Sponsor: CREATE Foundation
Outstanding Service Award – Wellbeing and Development Australian Dental Foundation - WINNER Northern Links Community ClinicNorthern Adelaide Local Health Network Trauma Informed Practice in Education Initiative TeamDepartment for Education Award Sponsor: Connecting Foster and Kinship Carers SA
Outstanding Service Award – Sector Development Australia's First Mockingbird Family Researchers - WINNER Flinders University Safeguarding Children Learning InitiativeGoodstart Early Learning and Thinka Unify Family Reunification ServicesCentacare Catholic Community Services Award Sponsor: Child and Family Focus SA
Outstanding Service Award – Regional Impact Kerry Court - WINNER Uniting Country SA The Bush TelegraphLife Buoyancy Institute Foundation Cassandra MillsCentacare Catholic Country SA South Australian Foster Carer of the Year Margie and Gary Ferrett - WINNER Tony and Wendy Hearne Laura and Justin South Australian Kinship Carer of the Year Keshia and Dale Mildwaters - WINNER Leanne Keal Lorraine King Volunteer of the Year Hubertus Dirix - WINNER Wayne Breese Lou Jansen The Voice of Children and Young People in Care Living Arts Program - WINNER Life Without Barriers Simon AtaianBig Leap Support Services Samantha FlemingDepartment for Child Protection Award Sponsor: Guardian for Children and Young People
Community Service Award Operation Flinders Adventure Mentoring program - WINNER Operation Flinders Foundation David ChikwubaMentoring, Coaching and Counselling Service The Wilderness ProgramAnglicareSA and The Wilderness School Awards Sponsor: Commissioner for Children and Young People
Minister for Child Protection Lifetime Achievement Award Sue Barr - WINNER Kerry Court Leanne Haddad
2023 Award Finalists and Winners
Active Efforts Award Brad and Rhonda Jacob, Centacare Catholic Family Services Resource Packs for Aboriginal Children Project, ac.care Tara Forbes-Godfrey, KWY Aboriginal Corporation (WINNER) Teya Rickett, Department for Child Protection Award Sponsor: Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People
Outstanding Service Award – Non-government organisations Grandcarers SA Newpin Team, Uniting Communities (WINNER) Taikurtirna Tirra-Apinthi, KWY Aboriginal Corporation (WINNER) Award Sponsor: Child and Family Focus SA
Outstanding Service Award – Across Government Detective Senior Sergeant Alexandra Rusul, Investigations Manager, Child and Family Investigation Section, Northern District Criminal Investigation Branch (WINNER) Conrad Morris, Office of the Guardian for Children and Young People Dave Pascoe, Elizabeth Vale School Madeleine Miels, Women’s and Children’s Hospital Outstanding Service Award – Department for Child Protection Country Support Unit Mikala Ballard (WINNER) Outstanding Service Award – Regional Crime Prevention Section, Limestone Coast LSA SAPOL Emily Ware, Centacare Catholic Country SA (WINNER) Gabmididi Manoo Staff and Volunteers, Gabmididi Manoo Children and Family Centre South Australian Foster Carer of the Year Cheryl Hummel, supported by Aboriginal Family Support Services Regional Lisa O'Malley, supported by Lutheran Care (WINNER) Lorraine Joy, supported by Key Assets Maxine and Stephen Bowden, supported by Uniting Country SA (WINNER) Sonia and Brenton Smith, supported by Uniting Country SA (WINNER) South Australian Kinship Carer of the Year Colleen Ryan and Margaret Fraser, supported by DCP Dwayne Harvey, supported by InComPro (WINNER) Kaye Johnson, supported by DCP Kylie Stewart, supported by DCP (WINNER) Natasha Litster, supported by DCP Volunteer of the Year Lorraine Joy, Connecting Foster and Kinship Carers SA Merv Trubee, DCP Myra Langdon, DCP (WINNER) The voice of children and young people in care Brooke Oliver, Relationships Australia Carol Goznik and Chelsea Sawley, Life Without Barriers Ros Calley, DCP (WINNER) Award Sponsor: Commissioner for Children and Young People
Positive Impact Award Stella Braund (WINNER) Jeannie Alderson and Julia Popkins (WINNER) Award Sponsor: CREATE Foundation
Outstanding achievement of a child or young person Butch Ricciardi Jessica Tresidder Shantae Barnes-Cowan (WINNER) Award Sponsor: Connecting Foster and Kinship Carers SA
Life Achievement Award Fiona Ward PSM, Adjunct Professor University of South Australia (WINNER) Dr Jackie Amos, Centacare Catholic Family Services Lyn and Roy Matthews Nancy Penna, Anglicare SA (WINNER) Award Sponsor: Lutheran Care
2022 Award Finalists and Winners
Active Efforts Award KWY Aboriginal Corporation (JOINT WINNER) Jody Satala (Principal Aboriginal Consultant, Department for Child Protection) (JOINT WINNER) Callum Grigg and Ximena Farrokhy, Residential Care Program Team, Life Without Barriers Trevor and Julie Wingard Outstanding Service Award – Non-government organisations Child and Family Wellbeing Service, NPY Women’s Council MOCKINGBIRD FAMILY™ Program Team, Life Without Barriers (WINNER) Breathing Space, Centacare Catholic Family Services Outstanding Service Award – Across Government Clinical Business Improvement Team, SA Dental Guardianship Program Family Day Care, Department for Education Children in Care Service, Department for Education (WINNER) Outstanding Service Award – Department for Child Protection Central Region, Hindmarsh Office, Annual Review Initiative Morphett Vale COVID Unit, Residential Care (WINNER) Country Support Unit, Far North Far West Victoria Cobb (Coober Pedy/APY Lands) Outstanding Service Award – Regional Natalie Beyer, Uniting Country SA Natalie Saunders (DCP Riverland) Child Aware Approach Team, Uniting Country SA (WINNER) South Australian Foster Carer of the Year Debraha Bills (WINNER) Nicole and Scott Cugley Gemma Noone South Australian Kinship Carer of the Year Alec and Daisy Henry Corey and Robert Briggs (WINNER) Renee Andrew (nee Coulthard) Volunteer of the Year Orange Tree Quilters Lyn Kennedy (WINNER) Michael Bull The voice of children and young people in care Fabian McPhee (CREATE Foundation) (WINNER) No Capes for Change Amy Duke Positive Impact Award Post care services, Anglicare SA Stella Braund Monique Cauchi, School Support Officer, Pulteney Grammar (WINNER) Outstanding achievement of a child or young person (or group of children/young people) who has had a care experience (up to 25 years) James Beaumont Strong in Culture Strong in Voice Choir (WINNER) Lita Hamon Serina
2021 Award Finalists and Winners
Foster Carer of the Year Award Dallas and Melissa Ballard Josh Savage and Lucy Mastrangelo Katina Karam (WINNER) Kelly Donaghay Kinship Carer of the Year Award Lee Lawrie Leslie Wanganeen (WINNER) Rebecca Turner Vicki Rigney Supporting Families to Stay Together Award Centacare Catholic Country SA Kornar Winmil Yunti Aboriginal Corporation (KWY) Ann-Marie Hayes, Department of Human Services (WINNER) The Yarning Group, Gabmididi Manoo Children and Family Centre Improving Education and Learning Outcomes for Children and Young People in Care Award Catholic Education SA (WINNER) Department for Education - Youth Justice Program, Port Lincoln Department for Education - Children in Care service Noarlunga Downs Primary School Innovation in Child Protection Award: Metropolitan Department of Human Services - Adults Supporting Kids (ASK) Community Living Options Detective Senior Sergeant Ashley Grant, SAPOL (WINNER) Uniting Communities – Jo’s Innovation in Child Protection Award: Regional Centacare Catholic Country SA Flinders Medical Centre – Child Protection Service outreach (WINNER) Narungga Nation Aboriginal Corporation SAPOL – Far North and APY Family Violence and Child Abuse Teams Transition to Independence Award AnglicareSA Post Care Pathways (WINNER) Relationships Australia SA – GOM Central SYC Specialised Residential Care & HYPA Housing With Love Formal Wear Aboriginal and Torres Stright Islander Child Placement Principle Award Aboriginal Family Support Services, KWY together with Lutheran Community Care and InComPro together with UnitingCare Wesley Bowden Bindee Davis and Karen Weeks Sharron Williams, Chief Executive, Aboriginal Family Support Services Winangay Resources Incorporated (WINNER) The Voice of Children and Young People Award CREATE Foundation Junction Australia No Capes for Change (WINNER) Relationships Australia SA – Ngartuitya Family Group Conference Service Media Award Eric Cruz, Centacare Catholic Family Services (WINNER) Key Assets Lauren Novak, The Advertiser Patrick Martin, ABC Excellence in Child Protection Research Award Australian Centre for Child Protection, University of South Australia (WINNER) BetterStart Child Health and Development Research Group, University of Adelaide Centacare Catholic Family Services – Dr Jackie Amos, Samuel Carpenter and the Reunification Team Social Work Innovation Research Living Space, Flinders University Improving Health and Development Outcomes for Children and Young People in Care Award Dr Deepa Jeyaseelan, Dr Jane Rosser and Ms Franca Foti, Women’s and Children’s Health Network (WINNER) Dr Greg Miller, Chairperson, Australian Dental Foundation West Coast Youth and Community Support Yarrow Place – My Place program