QA Forum
About Deanne O'Keefe
My name is Deanne O’Keefe and I am the founder of a network of Support Groups called G.A.G.S.(Grandparents and Grandchildren Society) Australia Incorporated.
I was born on the 10th November 1942, in Sydney New South Wales. I am the eldest of three children to Leslie Vincent and Joyce Ethel O’Keefe. I attended Naremburn Primary School and North Sydney Girls’ High School where I attained my Intermediate Certificate. I first married in 1960, and remarried in 1973. My first husband is deceased and my second husband lives in Sydney. I commenced General Nursing training in 1968 at Manly District Hospital, New South Wales, graduating with High Distinction. I have since attained my Midwifery Certificate, Adult Intensive Care Certificate, Paediatric Nursing Certificate, Neonatal Intensive Care Certificate, and Diploma in Women’s Health.
I have six children, and I have fifteen grandchildren. I have raised my eldest grandson since he was nine days of age, and am now raising his two brothers, who have been with me for six years.
I first started looking for a support group in 2001, when I felt I needed one! Finding that there were no groups available for grandparent carers on the Sunshine Coast Queensland, I decided to form my own group and on February 13th 2002 G.A.G.S. was born in Noosa Queensland with initial membership of twenty-eight families.
Since then our groups have gone from strength to strength, and we now have fifty-one groups across Australia. Our main aim is to offer emotional, physical, and social support for our members, and to assist them, by referrals to other agencies, with financial and psychological matters.
I am also liaising closely with Federal politicians, all parties, in an effort to obtain a National allowance for these wonderful kinship carers, and I intend to continue with this work until an allowance is obtained, and life is made easier for these devoted people.
I am hoping that our Q&A Forum on seniors.gov.au may assist some of you, and shine some light on the end of the many tunnels we come across.
Regards,
Deanne [O’Keefe]
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