Background
Bayes was born into a Quaker family in Northern England and migrated to Australia in 1966, at age 22.
Bayes was born into a Quaker family in Northern England and migrated to Australia in 1966, at age 22.
She holds a Bachelor in Social Work and Bachelor (Honours) in Social Administration, and had a 15-year career in the National and State Public Service in the areas of Social Policy and Community Services. Helen resigned from the Public Service and set up an international child rights advocacy non-governmental organization called the Australian Section of Defence for Children International, and has served that organisation in Australia, in Geneva, and on the International Council for 20 years. Helen Bayes was awarded the Australian Human Rights Medal for this work in 1999.
She was the James Backhouse Lecturer in 2002 (the Australian equivalent of the SP Gardner Lecture), entitled.