WA foster mum a winner

by Meagan Brady

May 9, 2008

A FOSTER mother has taken out this year’s Barnardos Mother of the Year award for WA.

The award is the only national gong that recognises the achievements of mothers.

After losing two of their children to Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Sandra Vinciguerra and her husband put their own heartache aside and started fostering in 2000.

They have cared for many children from neglected families, including a young girl with a heroin addiction, and have three permanent foster children aged six, three and 11 months.

Last March they gave birth to a healthy baby boy called Xander.

Jane Alexander from Fremantle fostering agency Key Assets said the Barnardo’s award was a great acknowledgment of the importance of people who fulfil the role of mothering.

“The fact that Sandra Vincinguerra is a foster carer shows others that foster carers do a very important job,” Ms Alexander said. “This Mothers Day award is a great opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of foster parents.”

“What people don’t realise is that you don’t need to be a married couple to be a foster parents, single people can foster children too.”

On April 8, Barnardos Australia announced that mother-of-six Heather Round from South Australia was this year’s Australian Mother of the Year winner.