2026 Residential Care Awards, Leadership finalist – Recognising Bree's leadership, compassion and impact

Gateways Support Services is proud to celebrate Bree, who has been named a finalist in the 2026 Residential Care Awards, hosted by the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare as part of ResiROCKS. 

The recognition acknowledges Bree’s outstanding contribution to therapeutic residential care and her unwavering commitment to improving the lives of young people with disabilities over the past 12 years. 

Throughout her career at Gateways, Bree has held a range of roles including Recreational Activity Worker, Therapeutic Residential Support Worker, Positive Behaviour Practitioner and, most recently, Therapeutic Specialist. Across each position, she has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to dignity, equality, and person-centred support, while helping to build stronger teams and more inclusive environments for young people. 

A key part of Bree’s impact has been her leadership in embedding the PACE approach, Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy, into everyday practice. Rather than treating PACE as a framework alone, Bree brings its principles to life in her work with young people who have experienced trauma or who present with complex behaviours. Her calm, compassionate and curious approach helps young people feel safe, valued and understood, leading to improved emotional regulation, stronger relationships and greater wellbeing. 

Beyond her direct work with young people, Bree is widely respected as a mentor and trusted source of guidance for colleagues across the organisation. She is known for helping teams reframe behaviours as communication, equipping her team with practical, therapeutic strategies and supporting reflective practice. Her leadership has helped build confidence, capability and consistency across services, ensuring better outcomes for the young people in Gateways’ care. 

Bree’s influence extends well beyond her formal role. She regularly volunteers her time to support community-building initiatives, including client BBQs and discos. Her thoughtful “random acts of kindness” have also become a hallmark of her character, contributing positively to workplace culture and staff wellbeing. 

Innovation has always been a defining feature of Bree’s work. She introduced more meaningful and consistent data collection and review processes, helping teams make informed, evidence-based decisions. Long before therapeutic funding models were introduced, Bree was already embedding therapeutic approaches into practice through the development of behaviour support plans, social stories and communication supports tailored to the needs of individual young people. 

Her expertise is recognised across the broader sector through her involvement in the Therapeutic Collective, support provided to other agencies, presentations on specialist disability behaviour support, and collaboration with schools and community organisations. Through this work, Bree has helped strengthen understanding of therapeutic care and inclusive practice beyond Gateways. 

Those who work alongside Bree consistently speak of her ability to inspire, support and advocate for others. 

Bree sees the potential in every young person and every carer. She meets people where they are, stands beside them through challenges, and helps them believe in what’s possible. Her compassion, expertise and unwavering advocacy make a lasting difference every day. 

As a finalist in the 2026 Residential Care Awards, Bree is being recognised not only for her professional achievements, but for the positive and lasting impact she has on young people, families, carers and colleagues alike. 

Everyone at Gateways wishes Bree the very best for the awards ceremony in August and congratulates her on this well-deserved recognition. Her dedication, leadership and authentic commitment to therapeutic care continue to inspire those around her and reflect the very best of the residential care sector.