Isabel Toby, a proud Waanyi and Gunggulida woman, has won the award for ‘Addressing overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, children and young people in the child protection system’.

The annual awards recognise the contributions made to preventing child harm and neglect.

Today’s ceremony will mark Ms Toby’s first trip to the state’s capital, having lived in Doomadgee most of her life.

Leaving the isolation behind for a visit to the big city, it’s a trip the mother-of-four and grandmother-of-two was admittedly “nervous” for. Ms Toby first began working for aid agency Save the Children four years ago as a family support worker.

She’s now a team leader at one of Save the Children’s family centres, a facility which provides services for child and maternal health, family support, playgroup and school readiness.

Adding to her extensive involvement, she is a community commissioner for the Family Responsibilities Commission, a member of the Health Council and the School Reference Group.

In her work, she acts as a facilitator between community members and service providers who visit weekly.

Ms Toby said the nomination acknowledged the work Aboriginal people were doing in their own communities to support families in becoming stronger and safer.

“We understand the needs and challenges for families, they are also our families, our neighbours and our friends,” she said. “We are committed to helping one another and listening to each other. We know the stories and we are proud people.

“Together we must break the cycle of children going into the child protection system.”

It’s this enduring passion for keeping children in her community that has driven Ms Toby to ensure health and education service support reachs local families.

“By working together in partnership [we] respond to the needs of the community,” Ms Toby said.