WAGEC Women – Meet Deanne

Meet Deanne Gardiner, our Client Services Manager who oversees all of the operations of our services.

Having worked in child protection and family services for several decades, Deanne has met countless women and children over the years, and once even delivered a client’s baby!

At WAGEC, as the client services manager – operations, part of her role involves overseeing the wellbeing and development of staff. “When you work with people who have experienced high levels of trauma, there are going to be challenges for staff, and it’s a matter of ensuring that they have ongoing support and follow their self-care plans – otherwise these things can lead to burnout or vicarious trauma.”

She also spent a year working at one of WAGEC’s residential services, where she says families operated as a community. “They might cook up a big meal not only for their own family but for all the families on site. We had children who were born on site, and we watched their milestones  – like sitting up or their first birthday – and it’s really beautiful to be part of that.”

Deanne, who has two children, loves paddle boarding and admits to an addiction to romantic historical fiction.