By day, Jess runs her own Network Chiropractic practice across Melbourne and Rosebud. But beyond her busy professional life, she's opened her home, and her heart, to children who need somewhere safe to land.
For the past three years, she's been a foster carer. What began as a simple commitment to help out on occasional weekends quickly became something much bigger.
"The first weekend turned into a week," she recalls with a smile.
Since then, Jess has welcomed children of all ages into her home, from newborn babies to teenagers finding their feet. Some stayed for only a short while, others longer, but many have remained part of her life.
"I'm like an honorary aunty to a few of them now," she says. "It adds meaning to your life."
For Jess, fostering isn't about grand gestures. It's about creating a place where children can take a breath and feel safe. It starts with the basics: a warm bed, a good meal, a calm environment and someone who genuinely cares.
From there, it's the little things that matter most. A walk along the beach, help with homework around the kitchen table, a phone call to a teacher or choosing ingredients together for a favourite dessert. Moments that might seem ordinary but can mean the world to a child who has been through a difficult time.
Her goal isn't to solve every problem overnight. It's simply to provide stability, kindness and space for children to feel like children again.
Jess is honest about the realities of the role. Caring for young people who have experienced adversity requires patience, resilience and a strong commitment to looking after yourself. For her, that means regular swims in the sea, meditation, music and time spent cooking, all helping her stay grounded and able to give her best to the children in her care.
When asked what she would say to someone considering becoming a foster carer, her advice is refreshingly simple:
"If you're happy in yourself and you have the space, do the training. By the end of it, you'll know whether it's for you."
This article first appeared in Mornington Peninsular News. Reproduced with kind permission.