Centacare has created an environment that fosters opportunity for women – in operational practice and leadership.

Of our 500 staff, 410 are female.

Led by Director Leanne Haddad and Deputy Director Pauline Connelly, we are honoured to follow in the footsteps of Centacare’s founding female executive, Hannah Buckley.

Hannah was a young graduate from the then newly-formed School of Social Work at the University of Adelaide when she was appointed to head up the Catholic Family Welfare Bureau in 1942.

Unafraid to fight for social justice, Hannah worked to reform children’s institutions with a focus on wellbeing of the child, and she was committed to reaching families and individuals facing complex challenges on the peripheries.

Today we celebrate women’s achievement. We celebrate Hannah, the highly-skilled staff who today uphold her values at Centacare, and the resilience, strength and courage of the female clients we support across generations.

In 2021-2022, Centacare supported 11,761 women.

International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks the call for a gender equal world.

A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women’s equality. Collectively we can all #EmbraceEquity.

The aim of the IWD 2023 #EmbraceEquity campaign theme is to get the world talking about Why equal opportunities aren’t enough. People start from different places, so true inclusion and belonging require equitable action. Read more about this here.