The Vera Scantlebury Brown Child Welfare Memorial Trust Scholarship
This Scholarship is to enable the success recipients to undertake further study/research in a field associated with public health, social welfare, and education of the community, particularly in relation to pre‐natal care, infant welfare and preschool activities or in any matters related to or associated with such objects.
Who was Vera Scantlebury Brown?
Vera Scantlebury Brown (1889-1946), was a pioneering Australian physician and public health advocate. In 1926, she became the first Director of Infant Welfare for the Victorian Department of Health, a part-time position she held until her death while also working in various honorary medical roles. Dr. Vera was instrumental in establishing baby health centers, pre-school child development programs, and expanding services for expectant mothers and young children in Victoria. Please see below for articles written about Vera Scantlebury Brown
About
The Scholarship was created in 1946 to commemorate and continue the work of Dr Vera Scantlebury Brown, OBE, the first Director of Maternal, Infant and Pre-School Welfare in Victoria from 1926 to 1946. It represents a celebration of Dr Scantlebury Brown’s leadership in the development of professional women and under the terms of the Trust Deed is open to women only.
The purpose of the Scholarship is to support the successful applicant to undertake further studies and/or research in Australia or overseas that will directly benefit children, their families and community within the field of health and education in Australia
Applications for reimbursement of costs for prior learning or travel will not be considered.
Benefits and Conditions
In 2026, value of the scholarship is for costs up to $10,000. More than one scholarship may be awarded.
At the time of her selection the successful applicant will be required to agree that following completion of the proposal, the Scholar will work in Victoria for at least 12 months in the area relating to her Scholarship.
Within three months of the completion of her Scholarship, she will submit a report to the Scholarship's Trustees
It should be noted that failure to comply with the conditions of the Scholarship will render the Scholar liable to repay the Trustees all emoluments received from the Memorial Trust unless failure arises from personal illness, personal accident or other causes as may be deemed reasonable by the Trustees.
Eligibility Criteria
The Scholarship is open to the following:
- Maternal and Child Health Nurses registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
- Early Childhood Teachers and Educators
- Legally qualified Medical Practitioners registered in Victoria
- All women in Victoria with suitable qualifications in the fields of Paediatric Health Care, Public Health, Social Welfare and Education. Particularly in relation to prenatal care, infant welfare, and preschool activities.
Selection Criteria
Selection of the Scholar is based on three main criteria:
- the extent to which the applicant's proposal contributes to maternal and child welfare
- the professional and/or academic merit of the application and supporting documents
- the personal circumstances of the applicant.
Applications should clearly outline the work to be undertaken within the timeframe.
The Committee will not be accepting any applications for reimbursements of cost for prior learning or travel.
Application Timeline
- Monday 25th May 2026
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Applications Open
- Friday 21st August 2026
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Applications Close
- End of August 2026
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Shortlisting Candidates
- First Week of September 2026
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Shortlisted Candidates Interviews
- October-November 2026
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Scholarship Recipient Announced
Recent Scholarship Recipients
| 2025 | Annelies Tuohy, Profession Lead - Speech Pathology, Monash Childrens Hospital Allied Health Jennifer Papoutsis, Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist & Research Fellow, Monash Childrens Hospital Melanie Tyler, Child Life Therapist, Monash Childrens Hospital |
| 2024 | Sonia Evans, Maternal and Child Health Consultant and Nurse, The Royal Childrens Hospital Emily Camilleri, Paediatric Clinical Nurse Educator, Western Health |
| 2023 | Louise Twitchett, Maternal and Child Health Nurse for Murrindindi Shire Council. Melainie McKay, Senior Mental Health Clinician and Co-ordinator of Team’s Infant Program, The Royal Childrens Hospital |
| 2022 | Angela Flood, Family Support Practitioner, Very Special Kids Stacey Richards, Clinical Nurse Consultant, The Royal Childrens Hospital |
| 2021 | Nicole Pope, Department of Nursing, Melbourne School of Health Sciences |
| 2020 | No scholarship offered due to Covid19 travel restrictions |
| 2019 | Ingrid Sutherland, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Neurodevelopment and Disability |
| 2018 | Sarah Ferguson, Parenting assessment and skills development team coordinator, The Queen Elizabeth Centre |
| 2017 | Meredith Kiraly, Honorary Research Fellow, Department of Social Work,
The University of Melbourne |
| 2016 | Sacha Peterson, Clinical nurse consultant, Department of Nursing,
The Royal Childrens Hospital |
| 2015 | Hannah Stark, Speech pathologist and early career researcher,
The University of Melbourne |
| 2014 | Meredith Thea Banks, Maternal child health nurse,
Department of General Medicine, The Royal Childrens Hospital |
Contact Us
- For more information please email:
- paeds-general-enquiries@unimelb.edu.au