The Kids Research Institute Australia

21/10/2026

Though regeneratively farmed foods – like wheat and vegetables – have a higher nutrient content, there is surprisingly very little evidence showing the effects on human health.

Researchers from ORIGINS – based at the Kids Research Institute Australia - and Edith Cowan University (ECU), in collaboration with Natural Intelligence Farming, are seeking to close this knowledge gap through what is believed to be a first-of-its-kind intervention study examining whether regeneratively grown foods can improve children’s health outcomes.

Regeneratively farmed foods use sustainable farming practices that restore soil, water and ecosystems.

“We’re proposing a six-week food exchange with select families from ORIGINS, Australia’s largest birth cohort of its kind,” Co-Director Professor Desiree Silva said.

“We want to replace conventional household food staples, like bread, cereals, and vegetables, and assess whether the dietary swap has influenced children’s inflammation, gut microbiome, behaviour, and symptoms linked to asthma, allergies, and eczema.”

It’s the research team’s hope that the findings from this research could inform school nutrition policies, inform community food programs for chronic conditions, and strengthen links between healthcare and community supported agriculture.

Learn more: https://origins.thekids.org.au/sub-projects/nutrition-metabolism/natural-intelligence-farming/

19/10/2026

Telethon7 Perth’s Family Festival 2026 was a huge success, celebrating an incredible $101 million raised in another record-breaking weekend of fundraising.

We were delighted to take part in Telethon weekend once again, and to connect with the incredible West Australian community, who come together year after year to smash records and make a difference for the next generation.

Your support funds world-class research that is already changing outcomes for kids across Australia.

The Kids Research Institute Australia is tackling the trickiest, most complex health challenges facing children. And we won’t stop until they’re solved.

The Kids is proud to be a beneficiary of the Telethon 7 Trust, alongside 145 like-minded organisations working to create a brighter future for children in WA.

17/10/2026

🎉 Heading to the Telethon7 Perth Family Festival tomorrow?

Come visit us on Wellington Street, right near RAC Arena.

It's all about supporting the kids of WA.

Come chat with our team and dive into science with hands-on activities:

🔬 Peer through real microscopes

🦠 Spot hidden germs under UV light

🥼 Free photo dressed as a mini scientist in a real lab coat

We can't wait to see you on Sunday!

16/10/2026

🎉We’re bringing the science fun to the Telethon7 Perth Family Festival this Sunday, 18 October 🧪✨

Head to the festival and support the kids of WA.

We know kids aren’t just small adults - their bodies and needs are unique. That’s why our world-leading researchers ask big questions, run experiments, and tackle the biggest health challenges facing kids today. 🔬💙

Drop by to see us and get close to the science!

📍 Wellington St (near RAC Arena)

⏰ Sunday 18 Oct | 10am – 4pm

🎟️ FREE!

07/10/2026

How do sleep problems, loneliness, and depression develop in young people over time?

That’s the question Zhenmei Yeap is working to answer for her PhD project.

Developmental changes in sleep occur at the same time that social stress and loneliness increase, and together these factors contribute to the rise of mental health challenges in young people.

This Mental Health Week, Zhenmei draws her science, highlighting ‘Jane’s’ story, and it’s not an uncommon one.

Mental health and wellbeing challenges early in life shape how young people develop, connect and cope over time.

At The Kids, our research aims to better equip families, schools and communities with simple, evidence-based tools and resources, giving kids access to the right support at the right time, wherever they live and learn.

Research like Zhenmei's doesn't just help us understand these challenges, it also informs new approaches to supporting young people's mental health and sleep.

If you're aged 18-24 and experiencing low mood, you may be eligible to take part in a current study testing the effectiveness of a digital sleep treatment.

Learn more or register your interest: https://redcap.link/digitalCBTi

06/10/2026

Looking for a high-energy activity to try with your kids over the school holidays?

Children enjoy energetic play, and it’s essential for their learning, physical development, wellbeing, and future health. Our research shows that fewer than 20% of young Australian kids get enough energetic play each day.

Through movement, kids learn coordination, spatial awareness, motor planning, balance and stability, while developing movement confidence and social skills.

The Kids Research Institute Australia’s Play Active program launched nationally in 2024, providing evidence-informed guidelines for early childhood education centres (ECEC) to boost energetic play.

Follow Play Active for more 'Move It Monday' tips and tricks.

05/10/2026

Helping young people with mental health challenges access the right support earlier in their journey will be the focus of new research after Dr Bronwyn Milkins was announced as the winner of the 2026 Embrace Big Idea award – Embrace’s largest annual grant, valued at up to $150,000.

Dr Milkins and researchers from the Healing Kids, Healing Families team will map the critical points at which young people engage and disengage from mental health support, with a focus on how family communication about mental health shapes service access.

By pinpointing what’s going well and what the gaps in support are, the team will identify the service, policy, and family-level changes needed to help young people reach services when they first need them, not only once they're in crisis.

Mental illness is the single biggest cause of poor health among young people in Australia. Two in five young people experiencing mental illness every year, but just 30 per cent access professional support.

"We need to work out what’s stopping young people from accessing the support they need earlier, and intervene more successfully,” Dr Milkins said.

Embrace is supported by its Principal Partner, Rio Tinto , and Telethon7 Perth

05/10/2026

The 2026 National Parent & Caregiver survey closes today! If you're the primary caregiver or parent of an autistic child, young person or adult, please follow the link and Have Your Say before it's too late. More eligibility details below.

LAST CHANCE to have your say! 📣

The 2026 National Autism Parent and Caregiver Survey closes TODAY.

If you’re a parent or primary caregiver (18+) of an autistic child, young person or adult in Australia, there’s still time to have your say.

Your experiences can contribute to a clearer picture of what’s working for families, where the gaps are and what needs to change – and help inform improved services, policies and supports in the future

⏰ Survey closes tonight at 9pm AWST / midnight AEDT.

👉 Take the survey: https://shorturl.at/sMMNr

The Kids Research Institute Australia | Autism Australia | The University of Western Australia

30/09/2026

Thanks to our amazing community and Containers for Change WA, more than $35,000 has been donated to The Kids and 357,144 containers have been diverted from landfill.

It all adds up. Every bottle and can returned helps support research that tackles the biggest health challenges facing kids today, while also reducing waste and helping the planet.

Thank you to everyone who has chosen to donate their container refunds to The Kids. Next time you return your containers, consider choosing The Kids and help create a healthier future for kids and our environment. 🍃

24/09/2026

🎗️ September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

Every year, more than 1,200 children and adolescents in Australia are diagnosed with cancer.

Children's cancers are different to adult cancers, which is why children need research designed specifically for them.

At the WA Comprehensive Kids Cancer Centre, researchers and clinicians are working to better understand childhood cancer, develop new treatments and improve outcomes for children and young people.

All with one goal: A future where every child with cancer can survive and thrive.

This month we're introducing some of the people behind the research and care helping make that future possible 💛