Meet the new Child and Young Person’s Visitor team

(L-R) Hamish McKenzie, Georgia Murdock, Nadia Baldassi-Winderlich and Em Rozee


As the refreshed Child and Young Person’s Visitor Program gets into full swing, we wanted to introduce you to the new team.

The team of advocates, Georgia Murdock, Hamish McKenzie and Em Rozee, will be led by our existing staff member, Principal Visiting Advocate Nadia Winderlich-Baldassi. Together, the team will visit residential care facilities (both in person and virtually) to check in to see how the children and young people are going, promote their rights and ensure the facilities are meeting the best interests of the children and young people living in them. 

The visits will also give the young people the opportunity to tell us if they have any concerns, and for us to advocate for them if necessary.

The Child and Young Person’s Visitor Program was first established as a trial in 2017 as a recommendation from the Nyland Report to monitor the safety and wellbeing of the children living in residential care facilities. The pilot finished in 2019, with no additional funds provided to continue this work. 

In 2022, Minister Hilyard announced funding over four years into the Child and Young Person Visitor Program which would enable some oversight by the Guardian of, the then, 220 residential care facilities across South Australia. Whilst this funding is welcomed, it does fall short of the amount needed to ensure a robust oversight capacity for this ever-growing area of the out-of-home care sector.

We have come to learn that there are now more than 220 facilities across the state, meaning that our advocates will be unable to get to all of them in the coming year, which is why, at first, we will be visiting placements that have been identified as high priority by our team.

Please be assured that you and the children and young people don’t have to wait for our team to visit to raise concerns or talk about your worries. You can always call our office from Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm, on 8226 8570 or 1800 275 664 (freecall for children and young people). 

If you have any questions about the Child and Young Person’s Visitor Program, please call us on 8226 8570 or email at gcyp@gcyp.sa.gov.au.

Now, let’s meet the new advocates… 

Georgia Murdock
Hamish McKenzie
Em Rozee

What inspires you to work with children and young people in care?  

Having previously worked with children and young people in care, the insight and experiences I’ve been privileged to be a part of, inspires me to create change and strive to ensure their experience in care meets adequate standards, safety and emotional support. The strength and resilience I have witnessed, inspires me to advocate for children and young people in care to ensure their rights are upheld and their voice is heard. 

What do you hope the new visiting program will achieve for the children and young people living in residential care?  

I hope the new visiting program will enable more children to have the opportunity to express their voice and opinions in relation to their experiences in care, living arrangements and future. I also hope this program increases awareness of the role of the Guardian and the office, the supports in place for children and young people, and their rights whilst in care. 

What are you most looking forward to being part of the new visiting team? 

I’m most looking forward to meeting children and young people in residential care, to hear first-hand their experiences, wants and desires and to make a difference in the lives of these children and young people. I’m excited to learn from these experiences and interactions, and as a result, work to improve the experiences of children and young people in residential care. 

What three words would your friends and family use to describe you?  

Driven, personable, enthusiastic

What do you do when you’re not working?

When I’m not working you’ll find me drinking coffee in the sunshine, going for beach walks and spending time with my friends and family.

What inspires you to work with children and young people in care?  

The young people in care inspire me to work with them! Seeing young people that have been through so much achieve their goals, or just have a laugh, is the inspiration.

What do you hope the new visiting program will achieve for the children and young people living in residential care?  

I hope the new CYPV program will provide an avenue for more young people to be able to have their say, for there to be an increased awareness of the OGCYP and how the office can support young people and for this to be informed by the views of a large range of young people.

What are you most looking forward to being part of the new visiting team? 

I am most looking forward to building relationships with a varied range of young people, so they can inform me of the issues that matter to them.

What three words would your friends and family use to describe you?  

Diligent, reliable, humorous

What do you do when you’re not working?  

Activities for my daughter! Surfing, bike riding, reading.

What inspires you to work with children and young people in care?  

I’ve been very fortunate to have been surrounded and mentored by a lot of inspiring people in both my personal and professional life. These are the people who have not only inspired me but have paved the way for me to listen, advocate and empower children and young people in care. 

What do you hope the new visiting program will achieve for the children and young people living in residential care?  

Too often I hear from children and young people that “care is worse than where I was”. Children come into care through no fault of their own and are often faced with a magnitude of challenges and additional trauma. I hope the visiting program can support children to feel safe, loved and to thrive. 

What are you most looking forward to being part of the new visiting team? 

I’m looking forward to supporting children and young people to learn about the functions of the Office, to empower them to use their voices, and to believe in themselves.  

What three words would your friends and family use to describe you?  

Caring, generous, and kind. According to my 6-year-old son! 

What do you do when you’re not working?  

When I am not working, I can be found at the beach playing with my children or at a local playground. I also love getting out on my bike.  

 

(c) 2021 Guardian for Children and Young People. Terms & Privacy Policy.

We acknowledge and respect Aboriginal People as the traditional owners
and custodians of the land we live and work on, their living culture and their unique role in the life of South Australia.