More South Australians are answering the call to support children in care, with a growing volunteer program delivering quiet but powerful change in the lives of young people navigating the child protection system.
The state’s Department for Child Protection (DCP) now counts 207 active volunteers, up 15 percent since April. Together, they contribute more than 29,000 hours each year, offering everything from lifts to school and sports to homework help, mentoring, and even putting together backyard trampolines. It’s the kind of work that rarely makes headlines but helps stabilise young lives.
This lift in numbers follows a recruitment push by the Malinauskas Government, which included outreach at career expos and volunteer stories shared across social media. The volunteers span generations—from 18 to 88—each bringing their own lived experience, empathy, and time. Some are students or retirees, others are juggling jobs and families. What they share is a belief that children in care deserve consistent support, small acts of kindness, and adults who show up.
For Dylan Strudwick, the motivation is deeply personal. Now 31, he spent much of his childhood in care—foster, kinship, and residential placements. He remembers the fear and uncertainty, but also those who made him feel seen and safe: a foster carer who stuck by him, workers who became beacons in the dark. These days, Dylan juggles his day job supporting people with disabilities with volunteering for the DCP. His main role involves transporting children, but one recent moment stands out: helping a carer build a trampoline for two foster siblings. “It felt like giving someone a bit of hope,” he said.
Minister Katrine Hildyard calls the program “a whole-of-community responsibility,” and sees it as proof that small efforts can leave lasting impressions. “Our incredible volunteers show extraordinary support and compassion,” she said. “Dylan exemplifies what it means to be a ‘light’ for the children who most need us.”
The department continues to seek more volunteers. There’s no upper age limit, and no expectation that every volunteer has a background in social work. What matters is consistency, patience, and a willingness to show up.
Dylan puts it simply. “I wanted to give back to the DCP community—to all the people who helped me and improved my quality of life,” he said. “When I was in care, I felt scared and alone. But there were people who made me know I wasn’t alone. I had a voice. I could ask questions. And there was a light at the end of the tunnel.”
Now, he’s paying it forward.
To learn more about becoming a volunteer, visit: childprotection.sa.gov.au/volunteers.
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