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A Bachelor of Social Work graduate from The University of Western Australia has won the 2010 Social Worker of the Year Award for her efforts in helping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children find a safe home when they are unable to live with their families.

Glenda Kickett, who works for Centrecare's Djooraminda's branch in Lockridge, has also helped implement a number of support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families with the aim of keeping their children safe at home.

As well as winning the main award, Ms Kickett won the Richmond Fellowship Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award.

Fellow UWA graduate and child protection worker Rosalie Dwyer, who won Social Worker of the Year Award last year, presented Ms Kickett with her award at last night's awards ceremony held at Curtin University.

Ms Kickett has worked at Djooraminda for more than a decade and has worked hard to help many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sibling groups stay together with Aboriginal carers to look after them.  She is currently completing her PhD in Social Work at UWA.

Three of the other category awards were also won by UWA graduates.  Sophie Heal, who works for Wanslea won the GESB Rising Star Award, Julie McKenzie, who works for the Department for Child Protection won the KPMG Australia Agent of Change Award and Joanne Delaney, from Princess Margaret Hospital, won the Head, Heart and Hands Award, sponsored by the Department for Child Protection.

Curtin University graduate Emma White won the Rural and Remote Practitioner Award, sponsored by Edith Cowan University.

Media references

Glenda Kickett (+61 4) 09 293 837

Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8) 6488 5563 / (+61 4) 32 637 716