The Kids Research Institute Australia

06/05/2026

Today’s episode of Embracing the Mind is something special, as we’re joined by a National Living Treasure, Ernie Dingo.

A true icon of Australian screen and storytelling, Ernie opens up about creativity, mental health, and the deeper connections that shape who we are.

He shares his powerful ties to his Yamatji homeland, and the work he’s doing through on-country camps to help young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men reconnect with culture, community, and wellbeing.

It’s a conversation grounded in wisdom, lived experience, and heart.

🎧 Listen now: https://embrace.thekids.org.au/resources/embracing-the-mind/

Embrace is supported by principal partner Rio Tinto and Telethon7 Perth.

04/05/2026

Western Australia experienced a record influenza season last year with almost 37,000 confirmed cases.

Yet flu vaccination rates remain low among the WA population, with just over 15% of school children protected.

With flu season approaching, the State Government has introduced a new nasal spray vaccine, FluMist, a safe, effective and needle-free way for children to get vaccinated.

Dr Ushma Wadia, a clinician-scientist at the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, based at The Kids, and Paediatrician at Perth Children’s Hospital, breaks down some commonly asked questions about FluMist.

Learn more: https://www.thekids.org.au/our-research/research-topics/influenza/

Perth Children's Hospital and Health Service | HealthyWA

30/04/2026

WA babies born between October and March now have access to a life saving RSV immunisation - an important step in protecting infants from one of the leading causes of hospitalisation in young children.

Maternal RSV vaccine protection can wane after babies are six months of age. That’s why this additional immunisation is so important, particularly for spring and summer born babies entering their first RSV season.

The Kids has also updated its RSV Immunisation Guidance Tool for the 2026 winter season, helping families and health professionals stay informed about the best protection options for mums and bubs.

▶️ Watch the Channel 9 News story to see why this extra layer of protection is so important for WA families.

To use the RSV Immunisation Guidance Tool 👉
https://www.thekids.org.au/projects/the-stamp-rsv-program/rsv-immunisation-guidance-tool/

Immunisation Foundation of Australia | Curtin University

30/04/2026

April is Autism Understanding Month, and our researchers at CliniKids have pulled together a guide of inclusive and neuro-affirming language for everyday use 💙📣

Using language that reflects the preferences of our autistic community is important for creating a world where autistic people feel seen, heard, accepted, and represented.

Autism Understanding Month is the perfect time to pause and learn more about why the language we choose matters. 💙

Using inclusive language helps create environments where autistic people feel respected, understood, and represented.

🧠 Neurodiversity is the idea that every person has a different brain and a different way of experiencing the world.

♾️ Neurodivergent describes individuals who have a brain that diverges from what is considered the norm.

👥 A neurodiverse group includes people with multiple neurotypes, for example, autistic and non‑autistic people together.

At CliniKids, we’re committed to using neuro-affirming language, words that respect and reflect the preferences of the autistic community.

We’ve created a simple guide to help you learn the terms you may hear and understand the language currently preferred according to our research.

Explore it here: https://clinikids.thekids.org.au/information-hub/resources/neuroaffirming-language-preferences/

29/04/2026

Hear from some of the country’s leading creative minds in the new season of our award-winning podcast, Embracing the Mind.

We’re kicking off our fourth series, on creativity’s link to mental health, with celebrated Perth author and illustrator, Shaun Tan.

Join Shaun as he takes us on a journey from getting a start illustrating for a sci-fi magazine, through to creating some of the country’s most beloved books, including The Red Tree and The Rabbits.

Later episodes will feature Ernie Dingo, Simone Springer and many more!

Listen here: embrace.thekids.org.au/resources/embracing-the-mind/

Embrace is supported by its principal partner Rio Tinto and Telethon7 Perth.

27/04/2026

Did you know 24% of Aussie kids start school developmentally vulnerable?

Defined by the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC), children who are developmentally vulnerable score within the lowest 10% across the AEDC’s five domains: physical health and wellbeing, social competence, emotional maturity, language and cognitive skills, and communication skills and general knowledge.

The Flourishing Child - supported by a $746,051 Medical Research Future Fund grant - has begun phase one of its trial to get more children school ready through helping parents access the right evidence-based supports at the right time, tailored to their child's needs.

Chief Investigator, Dr Jackie Davis, said the tool aims to ease parental frustration with overwhelming and often contradictory parenting advice available.

"We've listened to extensive feedback from parents who have noted the amount of anxiety they feel receiving different advice across social media and parenting websites, from when to take your child to the doctor, from when to start them in swimming lessons."

"The intention of this tool is to improve parental efficacy in identifying childhood flourishing, increase parental confidence in knowing when and how to seek help, and increase uptake of existing support services."

If you’re a parent or primary carer of a child aged 5 or under, you may be eligible to take part.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3M9flPY

Joondalup Health Campus Public & Private

24/04/2026

On the eve of World Malaria Day, we’re shining a light on the global fight against malaria – a disease that still claims hundreds of thousands of lives each year, many of them children.

At The Kids Research Institute Australia, Professor Melissa Penny and her Global Disease Modelling team are among several of our researchers who are taking the fight to malaria.

By using data and simulations, they can predict how malaria spreads and test how new vaccines, treatments and prevention strategies might work before they’re rolled out in the real world.

This means better decisions, more effective interventions, and ultimately, more lives saved.

Because every child deserves the chance to grow up healthy, no matter where they are born.

Learn more about our Global Disease Modelling team 👉 https://shorturl.at/a5ZB4

| The University of Western Australia

23/04/2026

💛 Two boys. One beautiful act of friendship.

George and Will shaved their friends’ heads in honour of their classmate Eliza, raising funds for childhood cancer research through their Buzz for Eliza fundraiser.

Together, they raised an incredible $2,249.75 – more than double their $1,000 goal.

Eliza passed away last year after bravely facing a rare and aggressive cancer. Today, her legacy lives on through Eliza’s Sparkle, supporting research at The Kids to help families facing rare childhood cancers find answers and hope.

George and Will’s kindness is proof that even the smallest acts can make a powerful difference. ✨

If you’d like to support life-changing research for kids, you can donate to The Kids today 👉 thekids.org.au/donate

22/04/2026

As child health researchers, we know vaccination matters. It helps prevent two out of every three flu hospitalisations.

Vaccination also protects the wider community – including our most vulnerable populations like the very young and the elderly.

FluMist is a safe and highly effective intranasal flu vaccine recently launched by the State Government, and free for WA children aged 2 to 11.

With this needle-free flu vaccine now on offer, Professor Hannah Moore OAM, Theme Head for Infectious Diseases at The Kids, discusses why vaccination is so important.

Read more 👉 https://shorturl.at/wgQ8o

Perth Children's Hospital and Health Service | The University of Western Australia | Curtin University

21/04/2026

For proud Whadjuk, Ballardong and Wongi mum of five, Irene Hayden, early support isn’t just important, it’s personal.

As a passionate advocate for Aboriginal families, Irene has spent years supporting parents of young children. So, when she noticed differences in how her twins, Damon and Dalton, were connecting and communicating with others, she decided to act early.

Through The Kids Research Institute Australia's Inklings Program, Irene said she was able to slow down and reflect.

The biggest shift was being intentional about one-on-one time with each twin, helping her better understand how each child communicates in their own way.

Her message is simple - don’t wait.

📲 In Western Australia, the Inklings Program is currently available as part of a funded pilot. Referrals are closing soon, so if you think Inklings could benefit your family, submit your expression of interest at inklings.org.au/wa before 31 May.

Watch Irene’s story and read more about her experience here: https://inklings.org.au/news/twins

17/04/2026

Have you heard the news?

Kids can get a needle-free flu vaccine this year!

Thanks to the State Government, WA kids aged 2 to 11 can now access FluMist – a painless, safe and effective flu vaccine that has been used overseas for a decade.

Head of the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases at The Kids Research Institute Australia, Professor Christopher Blyth, answers some common questions about this game-changing vaccine.

| | Perth Children's Hospital and Health Service

15/04/2026

Make The Kids your reason to run in 2026! 💙👟🏃‍♂️👉

With less than two-months until HBF Run for a Reason, there’s still time to lace up your shoes and join The Kids team for a cause close to all our hearts – happy, healthy kids.

Our research is powered by people like you and every step you take can help change a child’s life.

From cancer research to mental health, diabetes, asthma and more. The Kids’ researchers are tackling some of the biggest health challenges impacting children in Australia.

Join our team and walk, run, skip, jump or roll, for happier, healthier kids:
✔️Sign up and choose your race distance 👉https://shorturl.at/X1pO8
✔️Create an account and complete your registration
✔️Join our team – select ‘Yes, add to an existing team’ and search for The Kids Research Institute Australia
✔️ To fundraise for The Kids, choose The Kids Research Institute Australia as your charity partner.

Together, we can make a difference – one step at a time! 👟