Our Vision and Mission
Creating a truly inclusive world built on choice, inclusion, equality and achievement, where people living with disability or systemic disadvantage have every opportunity to live the life they choose.
Our mission is to empower vulnerable children with disability (visible and nonvisible), and their families, by providing information, genuine understanding, guidance, and education to access all the individualised support services that are essential to the well-being of the individual.
We work to help ensure your child and family is treated with positive regard and respect.
Our vision is to pioneer collaborative child-centred practice for children with complex care needs, and advocate for real systemic change, so that all vulnerable children with disability are supported to live extraordinary, ordinary lives.
We work as advocates for child-centred practices. Our goal is to help bring about real systemic change, and ensure that no child falls through the cracks …
![](https://www.emilyshope.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/EH-Im26.jpg)
Directors
The founders of Emily’s Hope, Rachael Emerson and Maree Waterson, have lived experience of raising children (joining the family via birth, foster care and adoption) in transracial and multicultural family constructs, and supporting children with visible and nonvisible special needs.
Rachael Emerson has over 20 years experience working with young people in both Government and NGO roles. She is an experienced Social Worker and has also worked as a Tutor at James Cook University School of Medicine. Rachael has also served as Vice President of International Adoptive Families of Queensland (IAFQ).
Maree Waterson is an experienced nurse with a passion for collaborative care for children with complex care needs. Over the past decade, she has built a strong reputation in the adoption community as a passionate advocate for child-centred practices. Maree has served as President of International Adoptive Families of Queensland (IAFQ), and has been a member of the National Intercountry Adoptive Advisory Group (NICAAG). Maree has also served on steering and advisory groups to the Department in relation to adoption and foster care.
![](https://www.emilyshope.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Emily-Maree-640x1024.jpg)
![](https://www.emilyshope.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/hero-11.jpg)
History
![](https://www.emilyshope.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Emily.jpg)
Reports
Coming soon.