About Us
What We Do
The Australian Kookaburra Kids Foundation provides clinically designed, evidence based mental health education programs, in a fun recreational setting, to young people aged 8-18 years who are living in a family impacted by mental illness.
We seek to improve mental health outcomes for our young people by equipping them with a toolkit to develop: Research tells us these are important skills to safeguard long term positive mental health and wellbeing. 
Mental health literacy
Improved help seeking behaviours
Strong peer connection
Our Vision
illness is supported and given the opportunity to flourish
without limits.
Our Purpose
Empowering young people to thrive beyond the impacts of family mental illness
Our Values
Connection | Commitment | Collaboration | Integrity
Rose’s Story
Young people growing up in families impacted by mental illness often face confusion, isolation and challenges that many of their peers don’t experience. For Rose, this was part of her everyday life, but it didn’t have to define her future.
In the video below, Rose shares her journey with Kookaburra Kids, and how finding connection, understanding and support helped her build confidence, resilience and a sense of belonging.
Our Impact
Our programs have big impacts across three key areas:
Mental Health Literacy
3 out of 4 Kookaburra Kids learn something new about mental illness and how to prevent it.
Peer Connection
3 out of 4 young people make at least one lasting friendship with another Kookaburra Kid.
Help Seeking Behaviour
Kookaburra Kids programs can boost help seeking in young people by up to 30%.
Our Approach
Kookaburra Kids delivers evidence-based mental health education programs to support long term mental health and wellbeing.
Centred on young people
We respect and value the rights of all young people and support them to reach their full potential. We are committed to a collective culture that promotes the safety of young people.
Developed by mental health experts
Our mental health education content is developed by clinicians and mental health experts.
Led by an experienced, clinical team
Our clinical team oversee our program delivery to ensure all young people receive the greatest benefit from attending a Kookaburra Kids program.
Backed by independent evidence
Our programs are based on best practice, and our outcomes are independently evaluated to demonstrate the need for and the impact of the support we offer young people.
Our Why
Approximately 42% of Australian families have been impacted
by mental illness at some point in time.
Over 1.47 million young Australians are living in a family impacted by mental illness
Children impacted by family mental illness are more than twice as likely to develop a mental illness than other children
For young people living in families impacted by mental illness, early intervention may reduce the risk of developing a mental illness by approximately 40%
Young People can feel alone, anxious or unsupported due to the stigma that often surrounds mental illness.
Our History
Kookaburra Kids (previously known as Camp Kookaburra) was founded by Dianne Madden. Dianne’s Journey is one deeply rooted in personal experience and a passion to create change. Growing up as a carer for her mother, who lived with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, Dianne witnessed firsthand the challenges of living in a family impacted by mental illness. Despite the stigma and confusion surrounding mental health, she learned resilience and toughness as she navigated her childhood.
It was through her own struggles and the desire to help other children like her that Dianne became determined to create a space where young people impacted by family mental illness could find support, understanding, and hope. In 2002, Kookaburra Kids was born, offering a joyful, safe, and nurturing environment for young people to learn about mental health, build resilience, and form lasting connections with others facing similar challenges.
In recognition of her unwavering commitment to supporting young people impacted by family mental illness, Dianne was awarded the prestigious 2008 NSW Woman of the Year. This accolade was a testament to her tireless advocacy and the transformative impact of Kookaburra Kids.
Dianne’s vision and dedication have helped Kookaburra Kids grow into a nationwide movement, empowering thousands of young Australians. Her story is one of passion, determination, and a profound belief that no child should ever feel alone in their journey.
Watch Dianne’s full story in our video and learn more about the incredible impact Kookaburra Kids continues to make.
Our Commitment to Child Safety
Child safety and wellbeing is a priority in all processes at Kookaburra Kids including in the recruitment and selection process for our employees and volunteers.
We are committed to the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations to create environments where the safety and wellbeing of children and young people is at the centre of our thoughts, values and actions. We are building an organisational culture where children and young people, families, communities, and everyone who works with us feels safe and confident to have a say and raise any concerns.
We respect and value the rights of all children and young people and support them to reach their full potential. We recognise that particular consideration needs to be paid to the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. We also acknowledge the particular needs of children and young people arising from their cultural and linguistic background, sexuality, gender diversity, disability, or as a result of domestic and family violence or other trauma.
Safeguarding children and young people is the responsibility of all Australian Kookaburra Kids Foundation people, including the Board, Executive, leaders, employees, contractors, and volunteers across the whole organisation.
The Australian Kookaburra Kids Foundation adheres to the operating legislation relevant to each Australian state and territory in which we serve.
The Australian Kookaburra Kids Foundation is accredited for Safeguarding Children with the Australian Childhood Foundation. This accreditation recognises that we meet the Safeguarding Children standards and reflects our unwavering commitment to providing safe and supportive environments for young people.
Annual Reports
We are committed to creating a safe, transparent and accountable environment for every young person, family member, volunteer and staff member involved in our programs. Our policies and reporting processes outline how we protect and support those in our care. We encourage you to review these documents to better understand our standards, responsibilities and commitments.
Our Research
At Kookaburra Kids, our programs are shaped by a dedicated team of highly skilled mental health clinicians who bring both expertise and heart to everything we do. Behind the scenes, they design and refine our evidence-informed content, while on program, they work directly alongside young people, supporting, guiding and creating safe spaces for connection and growth.
As we continue to grow, our commitment to continuous improvement remains at the core of our work. Through ongoing clinical insight, evaluation and analysis, we strengthen our programs to ensure every young person receives meaningful, impactful support that helps them build resilience and thrive.
Useful Resources
Our clinical team has developed a range of practical, easy-to-use resources for both parents and young people who attend our programs, supporting learning, reflection and wellbeing beyond each session.
We also know that not everyone can attend our programs. That’s why we’ve made a selection of resources available for anyone seeking extra support, guidance or help finding the right services. Whether you’re looking for strategies, information or somewhere to start, these resources are here to support you when you need it most.
Our People
Join the Kookaburra Kids Team
Build your future with us
At Kookaburra Kids, we’re shaping a more resilient future for our young people, communities, and environment, with our people at the heart of our success. We’re building momentum to achieve something truly meaningful, and we know that our dedicated team is key to making it happen.
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