About the Organisers

Committee

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  Fay Alford

  President FCA WA

  Fay’s love for children prompted her to become an advocate, a voice and a foster carer of many children. Her unfaltering devotion to this pursuit has prompted her to speak out. Her reputation, credibility, experience and confidence has grown over the years to uncover her potential as an ambassador for foster parents and children.

  Today, as President of the FCAWA, Fay promotes the interests of foster carers with all agencies which provide foster care for children. She leads the delivery of services to foster carers and their families to enhance their ability to respond to the challenge of fostering and improve positive experiences and outcomes for children.

  Fay continually seeks opportunities to enhance the lives of children by seeking involvement in the development of new and innovative initiatives such as the Foster Carer Length of Service Awards and the Emergency Packs. It is her understanding of the needs of foster carers and children and her compassion that enables her to make such a difference. Fay’s latest project is to raise awareness of the needs of children with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome who are in foster care.

  Fay has shown all round commitment as a foster carer, adoptive mother, biological mother and an expert in the field of foster care. In so many ways her contribution has helped to replace many children’s negative experiences with positive experiences and ultimately improved their life outcomes. She has supported many young people, children and families to make changes in their lives.

  For Fay the best interests of the child are paramount.

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  Mike Clare

  Committee Member

  Mike Clare was born into an Irish Catholic family living in Uxbridge, England – and moved to Surrey where he developed a time-consuming passion for cricket and football as a distraction from his school studies. On leaving school at sixteen, he enjoyed a number of jobs including commuting to a London insurance office, working as a local government clerical worker and as a builder’s labourer until he trained to be a PE teacher. After 5 years working in a High School for boys and in a mixed Primary School, Mike also completed his TEE equivalent course at evening class and was able to study Sociology for three years at the University of Sussex. He followed this up with a two year postgraduate programme for intending social workers. After working as a social worker, Mike returned to teach on the Sussex course before emigrating to Perth with his family in 1987. Mike teaches a number of courses for social workers and has been involved in a number of research projects involving out of home care, education and care and ‘children who foster’

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  Heather Jones

  Foster Care Association WA

  I joined the Foster Care Association in 1992. Prior to this I was employed as Regional Administrator for the British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering in their Midlands and Northern Regional Office.

  My role brings me into close contact with carers, Departmental and Agency workers and it is the interaction that I enjoy most. I love seeing the children come into the office and watching them grow in confidence and blossoming – just being children again from being in a loving, nurturing environment.

  When not at work I love coffees by the ocean or river, walks, catching up with family and friends, reading and films.

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  Judith Wilkinson

  Department for Child Protection Director Fostering Services

  I commenced my professional life as a social worker more years ago than I care to admit. Much of my working life has been spent in the UK and Ireland after the year’s travel overseas extended to 20 years. I returned to Perth in 2003 with Irish husband and daughter in tow and have been with the Department for Child Protection in various roles since 2004. This year I took up the position of Director of Fostering Services. I have a strong commitment to the care and protection of children. In every suffering child, I see my own child. I believe that children belong to the whole community and we all have a responsibility to protect them. I am working hard with my team to recruit more desperately needed foster carers. I have great respect and admiration and value for foster carers. One of the best parts of my job is meeting and talking to carers.

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  Paul Maher

  Department for Child Protection Accommodation and Care Services

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  Pippa Monger

  Department for Child Protection Funding Officer

  Pippa Monger is a Contract Manager with the Department for Child Protection, managing contracts between the Department and non-government organisations providing placements for children in the care of the CEO.  Pippa has worked for the Department since April 2006 and has really enjoyed the opportunity to work collaboratively with the non-government sector. 
   
  Pippa completed her Bachelor of Social Work at Curtin University in 1997.  She worked for the Town of Bassendean as the Youth Development Officer from 1998 to 2003 when she left to work in the UK.  Pippa undertook child protection work for the London Borough of Barnet and the Borough of Enfield from April 2003 and December 2004.  Pippa has also worked in America with inner city New York children. 

Secretariat

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  Neil Carver-Smith

  Conference Secretariat Stara Services

  Thats me tucking into the licorice allsorts; a small treat I allow myself before dreaming about exercise!

  I trained as a social worker and worked in residential care before moving into training and development where I have now run up 30 years experience. My focus has mainly been health, welfare and education and highlights include the development of an award winning diploma course in child care, being closely involved in the establishment of one of the projects coming out of the Gordon Inquiry and the Joint Approach to Child Abuse training for police and social workers which was the forerunner of the Special Child Interview Unit.

  I recruit social workers for work in the UK and Australia and have been actively involved in running many conferences in both countries.

  Volunteer activities include producing the CD for Nannup Music Festival for the past six years and sitting on management committees for non-government agencies.

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  Cindy Gorton

  Conference Secretariat Stara Services

  Cindy has a passion for organising really different, exciting Conferences that are fun and educational for all participants. A long time social worker as well, Cindy has worked with children and young people in out of home care situations, with families attending their local neighbourhood centre and has always been committed to nurturing and promoting the wellbeing of these families, children and young people and the community in which they live. She is now proud Nanna of little Amelia and loves to have her to stay as often as possible.