2018
Department of Children, Seniors and Social Development

Bernadette Duke spent over three decades employed in the field of social work, primarily in the area of child welfare. She retired on July 31, 2019 after a thirty-four year career as a public service employee, dedicating her life to working with Newfoundland and Labrador’s most vulnerable children and families.

Bernadette’s career has spanned many positions in areas such as foster care, residential services, child protection, youth services, and management. Teaching and mentoring social workers and students became a regular part of her career. She gave her time generously as a field instructor for Memorial University’s School of Social Work and understood the value in developing the skills of newer employees. Bernadette was known as a modest and helpful supervisor who was the first one to offer help when needed.

Through Bernadette’s caring approach, she would often go above and beyond her professional requirements to arrange food hampers, Christmas presents, household items, and clothing for those in need.

For many years, Bernadette worked with adolescents through the Waypoints program. In this role, she was instrumental in building the relationship between the foster care program and the Waypoints agency. She worked diligently to inform policies and procedures to support these vulnerable young people and their families. She was open, engaging, and respectful and advocated on their behalf.

During her career, Bernadette worked with many external agencies and programs. Child, youth and family services requires an interdisciplinary approach and she collaborated with many over the years, including hospitals, police agencies, schools, lawyers, doctors, housing programs, women’s shelters, mental health professionals, and foster parents. Those who have worked with Bernadette throughout her career hold her in high regard due to her collaborative, professional approach and easy-going demeanor.