Robin Clark Memorial Awards 2011- Stephanie

For more info on the Robin Clark Memorial Awards - http://bit.ly/oyFPrX

Stephanie was Highly Commended at this year's Robin Clark Awards in the 'Changing the definition of Family' category.

Stephanie Ferguson has been a foster care with Westcare's Adolescent Home Based Care Program since June 1994 and in that time has provided short and long term foster care for 139 children and young people. Stephanie continues to have an ex-foster child live in her home and has other ex-foster children who continue to visit her on a regular basis, bringing their own children to visit their foster grandmother.

Over the years Stephanie has been able to provide stable care for sibling groups of up to 3 children / young people. Furthermore a number of young people have been able to re-commence their placement with Stephanie when their return to birth family has not been successful. Stephanie has also provided respite care to birth families to support the reunification of young people previously in her care.

Stephanie has shown honesty, a sense of humour, compassion, strength, confidence and through all of this has remained calm and relaxed whilst caring for a diverse group of children and young people.

Stephanie has also been a strong advocate for all the children and young people in her care ensuring that all their needs are addressed and that their voice is being heard.

Stephanie is a very humble carer who does not see the things that she does for the young people as anything different to what she would have done for her own children.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Child Protection
• Robin Clark Awards
• DHS
• Department of Human Services
• Foster care