Our goal at SDN is to make a difference in the lives of the children, families and the communities with whom we work. We employ qualified and committed staff who are passionate about making a difference.

SDN combines the strengths of a large organisation and the benefits of a close-knit community. We value trust and reliability, inclusion and respect, creativity and innovation. These are the values we nurture in children and our staff.

Employees at SDN have a strong sense of commitment and connection to their roles and the vision of the organisation. Our average staff turn-over is lower than that of other organisations in the sector.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity, diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace, and have received industry recognition for our practices:

• EOWA Employer of Choice for Women (2011)
• EOWA Minister’s Award for ‘Outstanding Practice in the Advancement of Indigenous Women’ (2008).

We conduct an annual staff survey to find out what our employees think about working at SDN. Our most recent survey showed that SDN ranked in the top 25% of Australian companies in terms of employee satisfaction.

More than 90 percent of staff surveyed agreed that:

• SDN has a good reputation in the children’s services sector.
• SDN was committed to cultural diversity.
• They were aware of the expectations of their job.

The top three reasons for joining SDN were:

• SDN’s good reputation for working with children and families.
• Personally being able to support ‘children realising their potential’ – making a difference to children’s lives.
• The opportunities for learning and development.

SDN is an award winning, progressive employer dedicated to providing a supportive and professional work environment.