Jan Standen, the 2022 WA Senior Australian of the Year, will be using her time in the spotlight to advocate for more recognition for grandcarers.
As president of Grandparents Rearing Grandchildren WA, the 73-year-old is determined to highlight the disparity between foster carers and grandparent carers.
"We are the forgotten carers; this win is for them. I am just the figurehead," Jan said. "It is an honour to represent other grandparent carers and I won't let them down."
The state government recently announced a $1000 one-off payment per year for each child cared for by grandparents, which equates to about $20 a week per child, which Jan said is a step in the right direction.
"But if I was raising children through the foster care system, I would receive something like $1700 a fortnight," she said. "We need to have the same recognition and support."
Recent research conducted by Wanslea Family Services found that while grandparents love being primary carers for their grandchildren, it comes with poverty, stress and ill health.
"When it comes to doctor's and psychologist appointments, school uniforms and books and orthodontic treatment, our grandparent carers have got to find that money from somewhere," Jan said. "It's a very discriminatory process that you have two sets of carers doing exactly the same job and one gets paid or recognised for doing that job and the other doesn't."
Jan turned to Grandparents Rearing Grandchildren WA in 2013 when she found herself caring for her three young grandchildren.
"It is very daunting when you find yourself in that situation because you don't know where to go or how you are going to make ends meet," she said.
Like many, Jan received her grandchildren due to mental health and substance abuse issues.
"My daughter left when the youngest was not quite two and the dad raised them for four years until they had nowhere to go. They were homeless," she said.
"When you are a grandparent and you see all this unfolding in front of you, can see the neglect, that the children need to be cared for and loved and given a stable environment - that is what we give them.
"And we do it unselfishly and we do it with love. But like all of a sudden you think where do I go, what do I do? So that is how I became involved with the group."
Now in her third year as president, Jan has also been vice president and events co-ordinator.
Under her stewardship, the group offers free legal and counselling support, a food bank pick-up centre, a donations distribution service and an op shop providing clothing and toys. It also connects new grandparent carers to services and community.
And it is growing fast. More than 200 families and 264 children and new grandparents join weekly.
One of Jan's priorities is to get the Census form changed to include questions relating to grandparent carers.
"I just think it needs to be changed because until the government can quantify and calculate exactly how many grandparent carers and kinship carers for that matter are in Australia, they certainly can't do any policy changes."
Jan's oldest grandchildren now have jobs and homes. The youngest, at 18, will be going to TAFE.
"I have been blessed as I have had three beautiful kids to care for," Jan said.
"They are good kids who just appreciate things so much more because of what they didn't have in their early years. They all have their issues and trauma because of the life they lived but it has made them more resilient."
Jan will join recipients from across Australia at next month's national awards in Canberra.
- READ MORE: Amazing story behind the global kindness movement
- READ MORE: Maggie heads good food fight