Centacare foster carers Bindee Davis and Karen Weeks have been named finalists in the inaugural SA Child Protection Awards in recognition of their commitment to connecting Aboriginal siblings to culture and Country.
The duo join a raft of Centacare faces in contention for accolades, with the winners of 12 categories to be announced at a breakfast in Adelaide on September 8.
Nominated for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principal Award, Bindee and Karen (pictured) became foster carers in 2019 after a life-changing trip to South Africa strengthened their resolve to help children in need.
Together, they draw on Bindee’s Kuku Yalanji and Nauiyu heritage to nurture the cultural identity of two brothers in their long-term care.
Other Centacare finalists include:
- Child, Adolescent Psychiatrist and Specialist Therapist, Dr Jackie Amos, and the Reunification team – Excellence in Child Protection Research. In recognition of their therapeutic model of casework that integrates research into practice to assist children and young people at risk to return to their families.
- Aboriginal Cultural Consultant, Les Wanganeen – Kinship Carer of the Year (metropolitan), for providing a safe, loving and enriching home for the children and young people in his care.
- Eric Cruz – Media, for his work promoting and developing innovative media opportunities to showcase and raise community awareness about the role of foster carers.
Hosted by the Department for Child Protection in partnership with the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN), the Awards will celebrate the achievements of individuals and organisations who provide vital support to vulnerable children and young people.
