Fay Alford

With boundless love and vast reserves of energy, Fay Alford puts the welfare and wellbeing of children at the centre of all she does. Fay and her husband David have fostered close to 90 vulnerable children over the last three decades while raising their two biological daughters. They have adopted two foster children, and a third chose to be adopted by the Alfords when she turned 18. Fay and David are still fostering today, raising their now 5 year old granddaughter whom they have cared for from birth.

A member of the Foster Care Association from 1987, its President Elect from 2001 and Director from 2009, Fay provides support and advocacy to foster carers throughout the state of Western Australia.

Fay is an advisor to the minister of Child Protection and the Assistant Director General of the Department of Communities; she is the public face of fostering in WA; a guest speaker at conferences and community events; and a key figure in the training, panelling and recruitment of new foster carers. Fay has twice been nominated as a finalist in the Australian of the Year in 2016 and 2017 and was the recipient of the prestigious John Curtin Medal in 2018 for her recognised qualities of vision, leadership and significant and ongoing service to the community. In 2020, Fay was awarded the prestigious Order Of Australia Medal for her exemplary service to children over the years.