Annual Report
The Mirabel Foundation is pleased to present our 2024 Annual Report.
Not attracting the media attention that it once did, there has been a dramatic increase in drug overdose fatalities. The effects on children left behind remain devastating. For kinship carers, raising traumatised children amidst their own grief requires endless love and endurance. The hardships facing these families are unrelenting. If we naively thought that demand for Mirabel would stabilise then we were wrong. It has never been greater.
Given the chance of a happier childhood and brighter future these young people break through. It’s our why, our work and our inspiration, made possible through the generosity and kindness of many.
Jane Rowe
Founder/CEO
"I have heaps of fun with the other kids at Mirabel. It feels good to be happy and forget about your worries for a while." Sherad, 11 years
Sherad has been attending Mirabel’s therapeutic children’s group for the past 8 months. At first he found it hard to mix with the other children and he was shy and reserved. He had witnessed a lot of violence when his Mum was alive and saw his Dad shoot his Mum in a drug induced fight. It was his job to call the ambulance and shield his three younger sisters from the trauma. He feels safe now that he lives with his grandparents and they take him to see his Dad in prison each month. His Dad talks about being together again but Sherad knows that he will be an adult before his Dad is out of prison. Sherad’s grandparents say that he has relaxed a lot since starting in the Mirabel group. He talks of friends and fun times where he is able to be a child for a while. When he comes home the happiness continues as he resumes his role as big brother. He is responsible and old beyond his years but he now has a place to go where he feels comfortable enough to share his experiences and dream about a happy future.