ABOUT GCWA

Grandparent carers bring up their grandchildren on a full-time basis.

Sometimes it is unsafe for children to live with their parents for a variety of reasons including substance abuse, mental illness, ill-health, imprisonment, or domestic violence. It is then that grandparents take on the role of primary carers. GCWA advocates for the recognition and rights and of all grandcarers in WA. The dominant purpose of the association is the provision of relief for the benevolent needs of grandparents raising grandchildren to enable them to live full lives

WHO WE ARE

In 1998 a local newspaper ad invited grandparents solely raising their grandchildren to meet for a morning coffee.

Ten people came to that meeting. The energy in the room was palpable as they sat alongside grandparents who truly understood their situation. It was in that room, over cups of coffee, that GCWA was born.

Grandparents sitting around a table drinking tea

WHY DO WE EXIST?

Our objective is to support grandparent carers and their grandchildren to live full lives.

GCWA is a safe space for grandparent carers to meet, access support, socialise with people who understand and gain information. We advocate for grandparent carers on a state and federal level to improve their lives – and the lives of those in their care.

OUR PURPOSE

GCWA advocates for the recognition and rights and of all grandcarers in WA. The dominant purpose of the association is the provision of relief for the benevolent needs of grandparents raising grandchildren to enable them to live full lives

OUR VISION

To be the voice for all grandparents raising grandchildren in WA.

OUR LEADERSHIP

GCWA Board (2024/25)

Alan Hoffman	President	alan.hoffman@grandcarerswa.au
Dianne Franklyn	Vice President	dianne.franklyn@grandcarerswa.au
VACANT	Treasuer
Cheryl McMillan	Secretary	cheryl.mcmillan@grandcarerswa.au
Jo Olsen
Tina Bearsby	Board Member	tina.bearsby@grandcarerswa.au
VACANT	Board Member

Gosnells Regional Support Group

Giselle Villar

Regional Liaison

giselle.villar@grandcarerswa.au

Kwinana Regional Support Group

Corrina Whitehead

Regional Liaison

corrina.whitehead@grandcarerswa.au

Mandurah Regional Support Group

Sue Mullins

Regional Liaison

sue.mullins@grandcarerswa.au

Mundaring Regional Support Group

Tina Bearsby

Regional Liaison

tina.bearsby@grandcarerswa.au

Northam Regional Support Group

Michelle Gillingham

Regional Liaison

michelle.gillingham@grandcarerswa.au

Warwick Branch

Loryn Cummings	Branch President	loryn.cummings@grandcarerswa.au
Carolyn Sackville	Branch Vice President	carolyn.sackville@grandcarerswa.au
VACANT	Branch Treasurer
Maree Smith	Branch Secretary	maree.smith@grandcarerswa.au
Bridget Brown	Committee Member
Maria Lanchares	Committee Member
Marion Campbell-Smith	Committee Member

York Regional Support Group

Michelle Gillingham

Regional Liaison

michelle.gillingham@grandcarerswa.au

OUR HONOUR BOARDS

Life Members

Bruce Horgan	2008
Barbara Arthur	2011
Noeline Barron	2012
Hadyn Opie	2014
Kathleen Opie	2014
Sharyne De Young	2015
Kaye Bendle	2016
Clive Rowden	2019
Penny Rowden	2019
Philip Etherington	2020
Jan Standen	2021
Dianne Franklyn	2023
Carolyn Sackville	2023

GCWA Executive

Year	President	Vice President	Treasurer	Secretary
2001	Roberta Blowes		Noeline Barron	Patricia Black
2002	Bruce Horgan		Noeline Barron	Roberta Blowes
2003	Bruce Horgan		Noeline Barron	Roberta Blowes
2004	Bruce Horgan	Hadyn Opie	Barbara Arthur	Noeline Barron
2005	Bruce Horgan	Hadyn Opie	Barbara Arthur	Noeline Barron
2006	Bruce Horgan		Barbara Arthur	Noeline Barron
2007	Bruce Horgan	Beverlie Corfe	Kath Opie	Gwen Duffy
2008	Cheryl Jean	Beverlie Corfe	Kath Opie	Susette Evans
2009	Cheryl Jean		Kath Opie	Susette Evans
2010	Kaye Bendle		Kath Opie	Sharyne De Young
2011	Kaye Bendle		Kath Opie	Sharyne De Young
2012	Kaye Bendle	Marina Laroux	Dianne Brown	Sharyne De Young
2013	Kaye Bendle	Liz Lee	Dianne Brown	Sharyne De Young
2014	Kaye Bendle	Liz Lee	Dianne Brown	Sharyne De Young
2015	Kaye Bendle	Liz Lee	Malcolm Burton	Penny Rowden
2016	Clive Rowden	Kaye Bendle	Malcolm Burton	Penny Rowden
2017	Clive Rowden	Jan Standen	Malcolm Burton	Penny Rowden
2018	Clive Rowden	Jan Standen	Philip Etherington	Penny Rowden
2019	Clive Rowden	Jan Standen	Philip Etherington	Penny Rowden
2020	Jan Standen	Raewyn Watene	Philip Etherington	Penny Rowden
2021	Jan Standen	Raewyn Watene	Jan McGillivray	Carol Hale
2022	Jan Standen	Dianne Franklyn	Jan McGillivray	Liz Law
2023	Alan Hoffman	Dianne Franklyn	Jan McGillivray	Philip Etherington
2023/24	Alan Hoffman	Dianne Franklyn	VACANT	Cheryl McMillan
2024/25	Alan Hoffman	Dianne Franklyn	VACANT	Cheryl McMillan

PAST PRESIDENT OF GCWA JAN STANDEN

2022 Senior West Australian of the Year

Declared the rockstar of the 2022 WA Australian of the Year Awards Jan Standen accepted her award, to rambunctious rounds of applause, saying it was for all grandparent carers. She will now leverage this political and PR platform to lobby for financial equality for grandparent carers as part of the Fairer Futures campaign.

Jan Standen being presented the Senior West Australian of the Year award

GCWA PATRON

His worship the Mayor of Joondalup, Albert Jacob.

Born in Subiaco, Mayor Albert Jacob grew up in Wanneroo and went to Kingsway Christian College. He was a horticulturist before studying at the University of Western Australia and graduating with a Bachelor of Environmental Design, and a Masters in Architecture. Mayor Albert Jacob has been a strong supporter of our organisation we are delighted that he has agreed to become our patron.