Lighthouse Foundation is proud to welcome actor, author and child safety advocate Madeleine West as an Ambassador.
While many Australians know Madeleine from her extensive career across television, film and media: including iconic roles in Neighbours, Underbelly, Satisfaction and Playing for Keeps — her work beyond the screen has seen her become a passionate advocate for child protection, trauma recovery and creating safer futures for young people.
Drawing on her own lived experience, Madeleine has spent years advocating for survivors of abuse, educating families and communities about child safety, and contributing to initiatives that strengthen protections for vulnerable children. As lead educator for Safe on Social, she works with students, parents and teachers to help young people navigate the online world safely, while her advocacy through Super For Survivors helped secure landmark legislative reform supporting victim-survivors.
In partnership with the AFP, ACCCE and Project Paradigm, Madeleine created and now voiced the audiobook version of an incredible resource for parents and carers: ‘’its never too early to talk about child sexual abuse prevention’. This resource helps identify risk, outlines precisely what to look for, guides uncomfortable but necessary conversations, and directs you precisely where to go if you need help.
It is this commitment to protecting and supporting young people that makes her partnership with Lighthouse Foundation a natural fit.
For more than three decades, Lighthouse has supported young people experiencing homelessness, family breakdown and trauma through our evidence-based Therapeutic Model of Care, creating safe homes where young people can find safety, stability and belonging.
Why Lighthouse?
When asked what first drew her to Lighthouse Foundation, Madeleine said:
“Throughout my advocacy work, I’ve spent a lot of time talking about the importance of protecting children and responding to harm before it escalates. What drew me to Lighthouse was that it doesn’t just respond to a crisis in a young person’s life; it provides the stability and support needed to help prevent that crisis from defining their future.
The recognition that young people need more than accommodation. They need trusted adults, consistency, and a safe environment in which they can recover from trauma and begin to build confidence in themselves and the world around them.”
For young people experiencing homelessness, the impacts of trauma often extend far beyond the immediate crisis that brings them into care. Recovery requires more than a roof over their head. It requires stable relationships, opportunities to build trust, and environments where they feel safe enough to heal.
These principles sit at the heart of Lighthouse’s therapeutic approach and are central to the work we do every day.
Supporting vulnerable young parents and babies
For Madeleine, Lighthouse’s work with young families is particularly significant, including the Young Parents and Babies Program, which provides therapeutic care in Lighthouse homes for vulnerable young parents and their children, helping them heal from trauma they have experienced and build healthy relationships and establish routines with their children.
Right now, Lighthouse is supporting 14 young mothers and 17 babies and toddlers through our Young Parents and Babies and On For Life programs, helping them build safer, more stable futures.
The program recognises that young parents experiencing homelessness or trauma are not only navigating their own recovery, but also the critical early stages of parenting. By providing stable housing, consistent support and therapeutic relationships, Lighthouse helps both parent and child build safety, attachment and trust from the beginning.
Madeleine says this focus is especially meaningful:
“As a mother of seven, I understand how significant the early years are in shaping a child’s sense of safety and connection. For young parents who are doing this while also experiencing homelessness or trauma, the need for support, stability and trusted guidance is even more critical. Lighthouse’s Young Parents and Babies Program reflects a deeply compassionate understanding of that reality.”
This approach reflects Madeleine’s broader commitment to child safety and early intervention, and her belief that strengthening the parent–child relationship is central to breaking cycles of trauma and disadvantage.
The Importance of Consistent Caring Relationships
One aspect of Lighthouse’s model that resonates particularly strongly with Madeleine is its focus on long-term relationships and connection.
“One of the things I’ve learned through my work in child safety is that prevention and intervention are only part of the equation. Young people also need ongoing support from people who genuinely care about their wellbeing.
What resonates with me about Lighthouse is its commitment to creating that consistency. Many young people who come into care have experienced significant disruption and loss. Providing stable relationships and a sense of connection is not just a nice thing to do, it’s fundamental to helping young people feel safe enough to move forward.”
For young people who have experienced abuse, neglect, family violence or trauma, consistent therapeutic relationships can be transformative. Lighthouse’s Model of Care recognises that healing happens in connection with others and that recovery is often built through everyday moments of care, trust and belonging.
Supporting Young People Recovering from Trauma
Throughout her advocacy work, Madeleine has focused on helping communities better understand the impacts of trauma and the importance of creating systems that protect and support children and young people.
That focus closely aligns with Lighthouse’s work supporting young people who have experienced significant adversity.
“Much of my work has focused on understanding the impacts of trauma, educating families and communities, and advocating for systems that better protect children and young people.
Lighthouse is working with young people who have often experienced some of the most complex forms of trauma and disadvantage. The organisation understands that recovery takes time and that young people need practical support as well as emotional support. That aligns strongly with my belief that every child deserves safety, dignity and the opportunity to thrive, regardless of what they have experienced.”
As a leader in trauma-informed care, Lighthouse understands that rebuilding a young person’s sense of safety and self-worth takes time. Through therapeutic homes, community connection and long-term care, young people are given the opportunity to build enduring futures on their own terms.
Using Her Voice to Drive Change
As an Ambassador, Madeleine hopes to help deepen public understanding of the realities facing vulnerable young people and encourage greater awareness of the challenges surrounding youth homelessness and trauma.
“My hope is that I can help bring greater awareness to the realities facing vulnerable young people and challenge some of the misconceptions that still exist around homelessness, trauma and care.
I’ve spent many years using my platform to advocate for children and young people whose voices are too often overlooked. Lighthouse is doing important work in this space, and I hope I can help amplify that work, encourage more people to engage with the issues, and ultimately help create more opportunities for young people to access the support they need to build positive futures.”
Her voice, advocacy and commitment will help shine a light on the experiences of young people whose stories are too often misunderstood or unseen.
Welcome to the Lighthouse Community
We are delighted to welcome Madeleine West to the Lighthouse community.
Her longstanding commitment to child protection and trauma recovery reflects the values that underpin Lighthouse’s work. Together, we hope to raise greater awareness of youth homelessness in Australia and help ensure more young people have access to the safety, stability and belonging they need to heal, grow and thrive.
Learn more about Lighthouse Foundation’s work supporting young people experiencing homelessness and trauma.
