Celebrating the amazing achievements of a child or young person (or group of children/young people) with a care experience will be recognised at this year’s SA Child Protection Awards.
If you’re like us, you would have met some remarkable young people in care who are doing great things for themselves and others in care. From advocating for the rights of other young people, to overcoming complex life and health issues to achieve life goals, we need to stand up and celebrate these young people – because everyone likes to be acknowledged for their significant accomplishments.
Celebrating the achievements of a child or young person is just one of the 11 awards up for grabs at this year’s South Australian’s Child Protection Awards. Delivered by the Department for Child Protection (DCP) in partnership with the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN), the awards celebrate the outstanding work or attainments of children and young people, carers, volunteers, staff and organisations from across the child protection sector.
Award categories include Positive Impact Award, South Australian Foster Carer of the Year, South Australian Kinship Carer of the Year, Volunteer of the Year and The voice of children and young people in care.
At last year’s inaugural awards, No Capes for Change (a youth advisory group established by DCP for young people to offer their views and help improve the care system) won the award for The voice of children and young people – which recognises an individual or organisation who has supported the voice of children and young people in care to be heard in decisions that affect them.
Since then, the group has continued in the role, knowing that their hard work has been recognised.
DCP Manager for Quality and Safeguarding, Tamara Grant, said she has been fortunate to be able to continue to work alongside the No Capes for Change group since their well-deserved acknowledgement at the DCP Awards in 2021.
“It is very apparent that the award and recognition for their pioneering work continues to have an enormous and positive impact on them, both individually and collectively. They often reflect upon the achievement as a significant milestone in their efforts to embed the voice of children and young people in the child protection system and share a sense of pride and validation that they’re genuinely contributing to change,” Tamara said.
Reflecting on their win 12 months ago, here are what some members of the group told us:
“Winning the DCP award has changed a lot [for the group], like showing people that there are people (DCP kids) trying to do something that is going to make a change. For myself, I see so many changes like wanting to do more for Indigenous kids, and that I am capable of doing something to help others,” Syanne said.
“Winning the award doesn’t matter as long as we help people. Although, winning the award as a whole has actually put word out about us and hopefully we are able to do more work with other companies and expand,” said Adam.
“[Winning the award has] raised the voices of lived experience and created a safe place for us mob to share our experiences for the greater good,” Brooke said.
Make sure you get your nominations in to celebrate the people who help to make life better for children and young people in care. To nominate an individual or organisation, visit www.childprotection.sa.gov.au/awards. Nominations close on Monday 1 August.
