A nursing scholarship is being established in the name of Carol Friday, the dedicated Victorian maternal and child health nurse who was killed along with her son Greig aboard Germanwings flight 4U 9525.
Ms Friday was highly regarded for her work to improve conditions and practices for all Victorian maternal and child health nurses. Her colleagues remember her deep commitment to supporting the community’s most vulnerable.
The annual scholarship will allow a high-performing Victorian nurse to undertake postgraduate study, enabling them to practice as a maternal and child health nurse.
Minister for Families and Children, Jenny Mikakos, made the announcement today at the 2015 Victorian Maternal and Child Health Conference. This year’s conference is dedicated to addressing the issue of family violence.
Maternal and child health nurses are at the frontline of dealing with the effects of family violence. Their role in engaging and supporting vulnerable families is critical to giving all children the best start in life.
Ms Mikakos’ strong message that ending family violence must be a priority was reinforced by Rosie Batty, 2015 Australian of the Year, who gave the conference’s keynote address.
More than 457,000 children and their families across the state benefit from Victoria’s high-quality maternal and child health service.
Ms Mikakos also announced further measures to support the sector’s work, including a new innovation fund to help meet the evolving needs of children and families, and a principal MCH nurse position to provide strong leadership and expert policy guidance.
Applications for the 2016 Carol Friday Scholarship for MCH Nursing Excellence will open in September 2015.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Families and Children, Jenny Mikakos
“Carol Friday’s dedication to improving maternal and child health services will not be forgotten. This scholarship in her name will support other nurses to improve people’s lives - just as she did.”
“Family violence is a national emergency. We’re providing support for victims and giving women and children the confidence they need to seek help.”
“We’re ensuring that the Victorian MCH service continues to provide high quality, flexible and responsive services for all families with young children.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020