Helen Bosisto has overcome numerous challenges in her efforts to give as many families as possible in her home state of Western Australia (WA) access to the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program.

Through successful collaboration between major state government departments (Education, Health and Communities) and NGOs, thousands of WA parents are now able to get evidenced-based support.

Earlier in the day, conference delegates heard from Ms Bosisto and some of her colleagues about some of the unique challenges of delivering parenting support to a diverse population spread across an area 3.6 times the size of Texas (12 times the size of Great Britain), such as extreme weather conditions and delivering a seminar via eight different interpreters.

It was the convincing results from a longitudinal study showing long-term educational benefits of Triple P support for parents that helped the project gain wider support.

Ms Bosisto was awarded not only in recognition of her role as an administrator; she is also trained to deliver Triple P and continues to do so, said Associate Professor Alan Ralph (Teen Triple P author and Triple P International Head of Training) in his introductory remarks. The award was officially presented by Triple P founder Professor Matt Sanders.

Ms Bosisto thanked the members of her team in Western Australia as well as her family and her own parents.

“My father passed away in 2002, but my 94-year-old mother sent me a text yesterday saying she was proud of me and he would have been too.”

The Triple P Practice Excellence Award, sponsored by Triple P International, is given to an individual who has achieved outstanding results in client outcomes, innovation and/or helping encourage population-level delivery of Triple P.

The conference is being attended by hundreds of local, national and international delegates and keynote and invited speakers. For more information, see the HFCC website.