About Us

Who we are

Kinship Alliance Australia started its life as a national kinship care initiative established by Dr Meredith Kiraly in partnership with Mike Feszczak, CEO of Grandcarers SA (South Australia). Grandcarers SA provided auspicing services for nearly two years, during which time New Zealand kinship care authority Katie Bundle was brought to Australia for a national speaking tour.

On 18 December 2024, Kinship Alliance Australia was registered as a National Kinship Care Organisation, with the formal status of a Not-For-Profit Company Limited by Guarantee. The organisation’s Purpose is to support kinship care families in need by:

(a) providing information, advice and support services to kinship carers and children in their care, and

(b) working to influence legislative and policy changes to ensure kinship care families are provided with necessary assistance.

Objectives

Provide information, advice and support services to kinship carers and children in their care.
Act as a national voice for all Australian kinship care families to advocate for better recognition and support.
Promote legislative and policy changes to support kinship carers in obtaining necessary documentation and financial and social service assistance.
In recognition of the poverty-related challenges faced by informal kinship care families, accord priority to raising awareness of their pressing need.
Raise funds to sustain support and advocacy to improve the life circumstances of kinship care families.

Issues specific to the child protection authorities of the States and Territories of Australia are referred to the relevant State/Territory organisation or advocates.

Board Members

Chair

Jo Roff has a Social Work degree and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She holds the position of Executive Manager with Queensland based not for profit, IFYS (Integrated Family and Youth Services Limited). As a community services leader, Jo has extensive experience in strategic governance, innovation, and growth, along with a strong background in advocacy. As Executive Manager for Service Delivery Jo oversees a variety of programs including Foster & Kinship Care, Residential Care, Disability Services, Housing & Homelessness, Youth, Family and Community Services.

Jo has been working alongside and advocating for kinship carers for most of her career, understanding the critical nature of supporting families to care for children to provide a sense of identity, connection and wellbeing.

Treasurer

Katie Hooper has degrees in Social Work and Science. She has worked in child and family services for nearly 30 years. She has worked with Government and Not for Profit organisations, in direct practice roles and executive leadership roles. Katie has worked with children, young people and families through Child Protection, Youth Justice, Education and support services.

Katie’s passion is resourcing solutions with young people and families so that they can achieve their individual goals.

For a long time Katie and her partner were foster carers so Katie has always been surrounded by children and young people both personally and professionally.

Secretary

Dr Meredith Kiraly is a registered psychologist with over forty years’ experience in child and family welfare. She has worked in family counselling, residential care and youth support in a range of community service organisations. She has a PhD gained through kinship care research. She has specialised in kinship care research and advocacy since 2009 and has published widely on the subject.

Meredith is passionate about achieving recognition and support for all Australia’s kinship care families – grandparents, other relatives and connected persons, with informal or formal care arrangements, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, and in all States and Territories.

Affiliated Organisations & Support Groups

Friends of the Alliance

Friends are individuals with relevant experience and/or expertise who assist the Alliance in achieving its objectives. They are (in alphabetical order):

Katie Bundle (ex CEO, GRG Trust New Zealand
Mike Feszczak (Inaugural Co-Director, Kinship Alliance Australia)
Jonathan Hannay (Secretario-Geral, Ass. Children at Risk Brazil)
Honorary Professor Cathy Humphreys (University of Melbourne)
Deirdre Jackson (founder, ACER Foundation Australia)

Financial Support

Thank you to the following organisations for their generous financial support:

B B & A Miller Fund (Sub-fund of Australian Communities Foundation)
Beeton Family Fund (Sub-fund of Australian Communities Foundation)
Creswick Foundation
O'Shea-Thompson Family Fund (Sub-fund of Australian Communities Foundation)
Reichstein Foundation
NED Foundation
Anonymous donor