Changemaker Spotlight – Melanie Dolman: Leading with Compassion
“When we invest in our people, we invest in the future of the sector.”
For Melanie Dolman, making a difference means seeing an important need and meeting it. From volunteering in the not-for-profit sector to her current role as KICS Kinship and Foster Care (KFC) Program Manager for Brisbane and Moreton Bay, Melanie is guided by purpose, compassion, and a deep commitment to children and young people, families, and carers.
From Volunteer to Visionary Leader
Melanie’s career in human services began two decades ago as a volunteer supporting families and children facing complex challenges. The experience inspired her to return to university and complete a Bachelor of Social Science, equipping her to make a broader impact.
“I could see how much families needed help,” Melanie reflects. “I wanted to do more than just contribute my time. I wanted to create real, lasting change.”
Building a Career Around Impact
Armed with new skills, Melanie began her career in the homelessness sector, supporting vulnerable individuals and families through some of their toughest moments. She soon realised many families needed more targeted support to create safe, stable environments for children.
This led her into family services and child protection, where she gained experience in foster and kinship care, intensive family support, prevention programs, and developmental trauma. Her hands-on approach also led her to become a child-specific foster carer, a role she has shared with her husband and son for over 13 years. This personal experience continues to shape her leadership, advocacy, and understanding of foster care.
Leading Through Change at KICS
In 2020, Melanie joined KICS, stepping into a leadership role just as the COVID-19 pandemic began. Coordinating a new service in such uncertain times required flexibility, innovation, and resilience. Starting with just three staff members, the program continues to grow today, with over 20 team members supporting more than 370 children and young people in kinship and foster care.
With KICS’ strong commitment to supporting First Nations children and young people, Melanie leads with cultural respect and humility, working alongside the team and drawing on the guidance of First Nations staff to ensure children remain connected to family, community, culture, and country.
Melanie credits KICS’ boutique approach for much of its success. Fewer bureaucratic barriers allow the organisation to respond quickly and tailor support to families’ needs. This agility, combined with cultural awareness, ensures meaningful outcomes where they matter most — and it’s here that Melanie continues to make a lasting, positive impact.
A Leadership Style That Empowers
Melanie’s leadership is grounded in compassion and a focus on what is best for children and young people. She trusts her team and meets mistakes with understanding:
“Own it. Fix it. Learn from it.”
Her approach fosters a culture where staff feel supported, trusted, and empowered to grow. Melanie invests in her people by facilitating training, encouraging professional development, and tailoring roles to individual strengths and aspirations:
“I want our staff to develop skills and knowledge they can carry with them anywhere. When we invest in our people, we invest in the future of the sector.”
She stays connected to frontline work, joining house visits, checking in with families, and supporting assessments. This hands-on approach builds trust and keeps her grounded in the realities of care.
Shaping the Future of the Sector
Melanie believes leaders at all levels have a responsibility to prepare the sector for the future. She encourages her team to be thought leaders, engage with community initiatives, and stay connected to their purpose, enabling them to make a positive impact on children, families, and carers.
Excited for What’s Ahead
Melanie is inspired by the sector’s positive changes, including greater emphasis on family-first practices and the Child Placement Principles for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families. KICS has long been a leader in these areas, and Melanie is proud of the organisation’s reputation for innovation, collaboration, and strong outcomes.
A Lasting Impact
Melanie shows the difference one person can make when guided by compassion, purpose, and a commitment to children, families, and carers. Through her leadership at KICS, she has helped build a program that is responsive, culturally aware, and focused on meaningful outcomes for those who need it most.
Her advice to emerging leaders captures the essence of her approach:
“Say yes and give it a go. Participate, connect, and embrace the opportunities around you. You won’t be doing it alone. Support is always there.”
For Melanie, leadership is not just about managing a program. It’s about lifting others, fostering growth, and shaping the future of the sector. Her work continues to inspire her team and set a standard for compassionate, proactive leadership in child and family services.
KICS Kinship and Foster Care Brisbane and Moreton Bay
KICS Kinship and Foster Care Service (KICS KFC) is a child and young person centred, whole of family focused out of home care service resting on the foundation practice framework of the Family Partnership Model (FPM). This model provides out of home care support while maintaining a whole of family lens focused on wellbeing, attachment and bonding through case management and the application of family led decision making principles. Our team will work collaboratively with the whole family including parents, grandparents, and extended family, to secure a stable and enduring kinship and foster care placement while it is required.