Alannah & Madeline Foundation

Alannah & Madeline Foundation A national not-for-profit organisation dedicated to keeping children free from violence and trauma. After 25 years, that fight continues.

The Alannah & Madeline Foundation is a national not-for-profit organisation dedicated to keeping children and young people free from violence and trauma wherever they live, learn and play. On 28 April 1996, Alannah and Madeline Mikac, aged six and three, were tragically killed alongside their mother and 32 other people at Port Arthur in Tasmania. One year later, the Alannah & Madeline Foundation w

as launched in the girls’ honour by their father Walter Mikac AM and a small group of volunteers, driven by the belief that all children and young people should be able to live a happy and safe life, free from violence and trauma. Today our mission continues through care, prevention and advocacy – from supporting children experiencing family violence to online bullying and fighting for the rights of young people everywhere. The challenges facing children and young people may have changed, but our mission has not. We fight for their right to be safe, so their future is strong.

16/06/2026

Donate by 30 June to help a child heal after violence tears their world apart.
 
Rosie* was just six years old when extreme violence tore her entire world apart. 
 
Rosie became a very different child. 
 
She was anxious. She couldn’t sleep. She was terrified of being separated from her mum. 
 
That fear stayed with her – at night, at school, and in everyday moments that should have felt safe.
 
But with the help of people like you, Rosie received one‑on‑one, trauma‑informed care through the Children Ahead program.
 
With time, trust and play‑based tools, she learned to express her fears and began to heal.
 
[Video description: Jacki has long, dark hair and is wearing a pale green top and black cardigan. She’s sitting on a pink couch and speaking to the camera.]

15/06/2026

How can you tell if therapeutic care is actually working for a child?
 
In our Children Ahead program, we measure children and young people’s wellbeing and progress and the effectiveness of the program using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). 
 
Difficulty scores refer to the level of behavioural, emotional and social challenges a child or young person is facing. And impact scores measure how much these difficulties are affecting the young person’s daily life. 
 
In 2025, there was substantial improvement in SDQ scores across every child’s case we closed: 

Average Difficulties scores fell 28% – reflecting reductions in issues such as temper loss, social isolation, persistent sadness, and anxiety.  
 
Average Impact scores reduced by 62% – suggesting not only fewer difficulties, but also greater recovery, resilience and prosocial development, as children and young people reported less negative impact on their home life, friendships, learning and leisure activities.
 
You can read more about the impact of our Care programs in our 2025 Report to the Community through our link in bio.
 
[Video description: Jacki has long dark hair and is wearing a black and white polka dot shirt and black cardigan. She’s sitting on a pink couch and talking to the camera.]

🎒Thank you to the magical team at MYER and Myer Community Fund who rolled up their sleeves at Buddy HQ and packed over 2...
12/06/2026

🎒Thank you to the magical team at MYER and Myer Community Fund who rolled up their sleeves at Buddy HQ and packed over 230 Buddy Bags last month! 🎒

We're so grateful to these beautiful people for volunteering their time to help provide essentials, comfort and care to children in crisis.

The teams thoughtfully packed Buddy Bags with:
💜 a cuddly teddy
💜 a new book
💜 toiletries
💜 fresh PJs
💜 and more!

Learn more about the Buddy Bags program here: https://www.alannahandmadeline.org.au/what-we-do/care-programs/buddy-bags

[Image description: Images of people posing with teddy bears and packing backpacks with items like blankets, water bottles, toiletries and other essentials.]

11/06/2026

At just nine years old, Jasmine* was removed from the care of her father due to his violent behaviour.

Jasmine felt like no one understood her and that she’d never be ‘good’ at school or make any friends.

Thankfully, Jasmine was able to get the wraparound, holistic support she needed to heal from her trauma through our Children Ahead program.

You can read about Jasmine’s healing and recovery journey here: https://www.alannahandmadeline.org.au/news/jasmines-journey-to-safety-and-connection-with-children-ahead

*This story is a true account, but names and images have been changed to protect Jasmine’s safety and privacy.

[Video description: an animation showing a girl and her sister being removed from their father’s home and going to their mum’s. The video shows Jasmine at her desk at school, then sitting with an adult talking, then progressively showing Jasmine looking calmer and happier.]

10/06/2026

Today, on Thank a First Responder Day, we wanted to share our conversation with John and Craig – two of the first responders from the 1996 Port Arthur tragedy.

John and Craig, former members of the Victoria Police Special Operations Group, were among many that day who responded to the horrific act of violence that killed 35 people, including Alannah, Madeline and their mother Nanette.

We sat down with them earlier this year to reflect on the events of the Port Arthur tragedy and its lasting impact 30 years on.

We echo Craig and John’s deep admiration and gratitude to all the first responders on that day who showed incredible bravery, compassion and strength.

Watch the full interview with Craig and John: https://www.alannahandmadeline.org.au/news/reflections-from-the-front-line-of-the-port-arthur-tragedy-30-years-on

[Video description: Craig is wearing a pink polo and glasses and talking to someone off camera. Then the video cuts to Craig speaking, wearing a charcoal t-shirt and navy jacket.] Thank a First Responder Day

🎨 Please make a tax-deductible donation by 30 June to help a child like Rosie to process their trauma safely and help th...
09/06/2026

🎨 Please make a tax-deductible donation by 30 June to help a child like Rosie to process their trauma safely and help them heal, recover and thrive: alannahandmadeline.org.au/rosie

When children experience extreme violence, the trauma can be too big for words.

Rosie* was only six when she saw her mum be violently assaulted – too young to make sense of what happened.

She shut down. Rosie didn’t have the words to describe her trauma.

Through play‑based therapy in the Children Ahead program, Rosie was given safe, gentle tools to express her feelings and process her fears.

For example, Rosie and her Children Ahead Practitioner played with Jenga blocks with questions on them to help open conversations and build a relationship.

Over time, Rosie was able to connect more, tell us her fears, and begin to heal.

*This is a true account, but the name and images have been changed to protect Rosie's safety and privacy.

[Image description: a tower of Jenga blocks with a hand pulling one out. There is a question written on the block that says, "I still worry about...".

Within a rapidly growing council, leaders from the City of Casey’s kindergartens began noticing increasing vulnerability...
04/06/2026

Within a rapidly growing council, leaders from the City of Casey’s kindergartens began noticing increasing vulnerability in their services.

These challenges and the concern for educators feeling compassion fatigue led to early years leadership, including Sarah and Jude, seeking support through our Trauma Consultancy Service (TraCS).

Through an Early Years Management-wide approach to support leaders, strengthen teams, and create safer, more responsive environments for children, our work has together brought trauma-informed frameworks to life across Casey’s Kindergarten leadership and services.

Watch the full interview with Sarah and Jude from the City of Casey to learn more about our journey together to support educators, leadership and children through trauma-informed practices: https://www.alannahandmadeline.org.au/news/trauma-informed-leadership-caseys-early-years-services

❤️‍🩹 Children can’t heal from violence on their own. Rosie* was just six years old when extreme violence tore her world ...
02/06/2026

❤️‍🩹 Children can’t heal from violence on their own.

Rosie* was just six years old when extreme violence tore her world apart.

Even after the danger stopped, the fear didn’t.

She was scared, couldn’t sleep, and was terrified of being separated from her mum.

Without expert, trauma‑informed support, experiences like this can shape a child’s entire life.

💜Your $75 gift can help provide ongoing, one‑on‑one therapy through the Children Ahead program – giving a child like Rosie the time, care and specialist support they need to heal.

Donate today to help a child like Rosie put the pieces back together after extreme violence: alannahandmadeline.org.au/rosie

*This is a true account, but the name and images have been changed to protect Rosie's safety and privacy.

[Image: a young girl with fair, curly hair is looking off into the middle distance. She's wearing a green top and pink jacket. There is a purple shape in the right-hand corner with white and yellow text: These are children who have gone through things that no child should have to go through.]

01/06/2026

For children like Rosie* who’ve experienced extreme violence, recovery doesn’t happen overnight.  
 
That’s why our Children Ahead program is a proven 12-month system of recovery – providing specialist one-on-one therapy children need to heal, recover and thrive. 
 
You can help make this year of healing possible: 
 
📌 Months 1-3: building safety and trust with the child. 
📌 Months 3-9: helping the child process their trauma, strengthen coping skills and rebuild confidence. 
📌 Months 9-12: supporting a safe transition forward, with hope and resilience for their future. 
 
💜Please make your tax-deductible donation before 30 June to help the next child like Rosie put the pieces back together: alannahandmadeline.org.au/rosie
 
*This is a true account, but the name and images have been changed to protect Rosie’s safety and privacy.

[Video description: Jacki has long dark hair and is wearing a navy blouse.]

💜 Some of our favourite snapshots from 2025 of the magical community helping to make change possible for children. Follo...
29/05/2026

💜 Some of our favourite snapshots from 2025 of the magical community helping to make change possible for children.

Following the launch of our 2025 Report to the Community, we’ve put together a collection of images of important moments from last year.

From the launch of our Youth Engagement Program, Richmond Football Club Match Day and moments in the media to Buddy Bags packing days and the first year of the Alannah & Madeline Day Purple Picnic, it’s safe to say 2025 was a big year!

See the full photo spread, showcasing the inspiring people who make our work possible in our 2025 Report to the Community: https://www.alannahandmadeline.org.au/about-us/reports-key-publications/annual-reports/2025-report-to-the-community

[Image description: Walter is wearing a purple t-shirt with "Alannah & Madeline Day, September" printed on it in white text. He's smiling and holding a small. blue backpack with a unicorn on it. There are shelves with colourful backpacks behind him.] Richmond FC MYER Wilson Security Australia

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Buddy Bags HQ, Ground Floor, 387 City Road
South Melbourne, VIC
3205

Telephone

+611300720747

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