Media awards finalists announced

The Centre is pleased to announce the finalists in its inaugural Media Awards. These awards recognise excellence in reporting and the efforts of journalists who seek to elevate the voices of children, young people and families.

The four award categories are:

• Best story about children
• Best story about young people
• Best story about families
• Best story about children or young people in out-of-home care

These stories will be considered by a panel consisting of Centre CEO Deb Tsorbaris, Chair Paul McDonald, a representative from the office of Minister for Child Protection and Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers, Luke Donnellan, a family worker, and a young person with a lived experience of care.

Winners will be announced on Friday 20th November.

Congratulations to all finalists!

Award: Best story about children

Finalists:

• Victorian Statewide Children’s Resource Program, ‘Charlie’s story’
• Jennifer Douglas, ABC Mildura-Swan Hill, TV story on the governess shortage in remote parts of Victoria
• Matilda Marozzi, ABC Radio Melbourne, ‘Child victim of domestic violence breaks his silence, describing horrors of his abusive stepfather’
• Norman Hermant, Nas Campanella and Lucy Kent, ABC Melbourne, ‘Parents of children with disabilities are struggling to teach their children during COVID-19′
• Anna Prytz, The Age, ‘Children share their brutally honest thoughts on holidays in lockdown’

Award: Best story about young people

Finalists:

• Daniel Miles, ABC South West, ‘Victorians with disabilities speak of ‘lifetime lockdown’ due to inaccessible public transport’
• Brooke Fryer, SBS, ‘With Australia in recession, there are grave fears for the mental health of young people’
• Charmayne Allison, Shepparton News, ‘New studio space empowers Shepparton multicultural young people to practise culture’
• Emma D’Agostino, Bendigo Advertiser, ‘Young people lead conversation on city’s youth unemployment’

Award: Best story about families

Finalists:

• Daniel Miles, ABC South West, ‘Warrnambool family facing deportation over kidney disease saved by ministerial intervention’
• Virginia Trioli, ABC Radio Melbourne, ‘’A betrayal of trust’: Victoria Police apologise after mishandling domestic violence case’
• Luke Henriques-Gomes, The Guardian, ‘The start of something new: a homeless family’s respite at a boutique hotel amid the pandemic’
• Vivienne Jones, The Border Mail, ‘Alicia Little’s family call for national domestic violence register’

Award: Best story about children or young people in out-of-home care

Finalists:

• Lorena Allam, The Guardian, ‘Aboriginal people in prison and out-of-home care suffering under ‘punitive’ COVID-19 restrictions’
• Bec Symons, ABC Gippsland, ‘Children in care left out of decision-making because of case worker overload, study finds’
• Jacynta Krakouer, National Indigenous Times, ‘Systemic racism in Australian child protection systems must be addressed’
• Sarah Marinos, Herald Sun, ‘Forget partying, meet the 20-somethings opening their homes to fostering’