KidsXpress Position on Thriving Kids
Creating the conditions for early recognition, engagement and participation
Half of all adult mental health conditions start before age 14*. We’re here to change that.
Children’s mental health is shaped by their experiences and the relationships around them. Yet too often, children miss out on the support they need when those foundations are shaken. Without help, the effects of these challenges can grow with them into adulthood. That’s why KidsXpress combines expressive therapy with trauma-informed education services to support children under 12 and their caregivers — ensuring the right help, in the right way, at the right time.
(*National Mental Health Commission (2023)).
Our Annual Impact
Mental ill-health affects 1-in-7 Australian children, yet fewer than 25% are accessing care.
Without support, the impact of their condition can grow with them into lifelong challenges. We’re on a mission to change that.
6,271
students were reached by us in 2024 through our School Partnership Program, our centres and training programs.
2,405
educators, parents and caregivers were supported through our School Partnership Program, centres and training programs in 2024.
91.7%
of children who attended KidsXpress identified positive change in themselves.
(CORS, 2023 Term 2)
$1 : $2.76
is our cost benefit ratio, meaning that for every $1 invested in KidsXpress a return of $2.76 is generated in social value.
(DAE, 2015, p.46)
Our News
View Our Latest Updates 
Welcoming Kelly Slessor to the KidsXpress Board
KidsXpress is pleased to welcome Kelly Slessor to its Board of Directors, further strengthening the organisation’s governance and strategic capability.
Media Release
Major National Study Exposes the Scale of Childhood Trauma — 2 in 5 Australians Affected, With Lasting Health Consequences
KidsXpress Welcomes Two New Board Directors
KidsXpress welcomes two new Board Directors, Andrew Da Silva and Dr Andrew Young PhD, whose combined expertise in digital transformation, generative AI, governance and social impact will help future-proof the organisation’s mission to support children’s emotional wellbeing through creativity, connection and innovation.
KidsXpress Statement on NDIS Review of Music and Art Therapy
KidsXpress welcomes the government’s formal recognition of music and art therapy as evidence-based interventions under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), following a review commissioned in November 2024.
KidsXpress named Social Impact Partner by Future Generation Australia (ASX: FGX)
KidsXpress is proud to join Future Generation Australia’s national portfolio of charities supporting vulnerable children. This multi-year partnership will provide vital funding and capacity-building support, helping us expand our trauma-informed programs so more children can heal, learn and thrive.
Announcing our new board chair: Paul Hines
KidsXpress is entering an exciting new chapter as Co-Founder Paul Hines steps into the role of Board Chair. With our 20th anniversary on the horizon, Paul shares his bold vision for growth, impact, and reaching more children in need.
Ava and the Drums
During one session, 8 year old Ava* who’d been referred to our Macquarie Park centre, was invited to choose an instrument to play. She gravitated toward the drums, and as she began to play, her movements were loud, erratic and forceful.
Building Teacher Capacity at a Northern Rivers School
In the wake of the devastating 2022 Northern Rivers floods, a dedicated Learning Support team at a small Northern Rivers public primary school embarked on a mission to better support their trauma-impacted students.
Helping Lily beat the brain bully
Anxiety is a brain bully. In its extreme form it lies, it deceives, and it doesn’t give you a moment of peace, even when sleeping.
Nadia's Triumph
Nine year-old Nadia, has been grappling with anxiety ever since the COVID lockdowns.
Emily's Story
At just ten years old, Emily* faced a distressing situation, common to many schoolchildren but one that none should have to endure
Instagram Feed
@kidsxpressmentalhealth Bullying doesn`t always end when the bullying stops. Even if the incident gets resolved, what a child is left carrying often doesn`t. It can change how safe they feel in their body, in their classroom, in their friendships, and in themselves.
While bullying isn`t always the reason written on a child`s referral to KidsXpress, it does often turn up in the therapy room: in feeling excluded, ashamed, anxious, angry, withdrawn, or unsure who to trust.
For some children, bullying is experienced as trauma, with research linking bullying victimisation to post-traumatic stress symptoms. The effects can continue well beyond childhood.
Bullying No Way Week is a national initiative for bullying prevention in Australian schools. This year`s theme, `Small Acts, Big Impact`, is a reminder that children notice the small things. Being included. Being believed. Being checked on. Being protected. Being given a safe way to say what happened.
Stopping bullying matters.
So does staying with the child afterwards.
#bullyingnoway
🎵 20 songs for 20 years - Part 2
Margo chose Angel by Sarah McLachlan.
“It reminds me of a child I worked with many years ago, who asked me to make sure this song was played at her funeral and to remember her every time it’s played. I still do.
Liz chose Landslide by Fleetwood Mac.
“For me, it’s about the challenge of reaching a crossroads: do you let go, or keep pursuing your dream?”
Laura chose Count on Me by Bruno Mars.
“It’s about connection and support, but it also has a good-mood vibe.”
Jemini chose I Believe by Yolanda Adams.
“It comes from one of my favourite movies from my mid-teens, Honey. I loved that the character kept going even when life was difficult. For me, the song is about hope, resilience and believing in yourself. It reminds me that positive change is possible, and that growth often comes through adversity.”
Sofia chose Hold On (Change Is Comin’) by Sounds of Blackness.
“I love dancing to this song. It gives me a sense of hope and community when I feel helpless. It’s also a reminder that, even when we don’t always see the impact of our work, we can choose to hold onto hope.”
🎧 Listen to the full 20 Songs for 20 Years playlist on Spotify. Link in Bio.
We`re Hiring: Communications and Content Coordinator
KidsXpress is looking for a creative and motivated Communications & Content Coordinator to help bring our stories, impact and purpose to life.
If you’re a skilled communicator with a passion for creating engaging content and making a difference, we’d love to hear from you.
Apply now or get in touch to learn more.
To mark our 20th year, we asked KidsXpress staff and Board members to choose a song that means something to them.
Here are some of the stories behind the playlist.
Swipe through →
Das chose Fix You by Coldplay:
“I was on parental leave with my son when the lyrics hit me differently as a parent. I can’t take away the pain he’ll inevitably experience, but I’ll stay with him through it.”
Rana chose Happy by Pharrell Williams because it takes her back to dancing around the kitchen with her two sons, singing loudly together and double-clapping out of time.
“It’s pure shared joy and love.”
Maddi chose Letting Go by Angie McMahon.
She and her son sing it together every day, with its message about being allowed to make mistakes becoming a little reminder that mistakes are simply part of living.
Evelyn chose Imagine by John Lennon.
“Every time I hear it, I get goosebumps. For me, it’s hope, resilience and connection in a single song. It feels quietly courageous and invites us to connect on a very human level.”
Head to Spotify to listen to our full 20 Songs for 20 Years playlist.
More stories behind the songs coming soon.
This Thank You Thursday, we’re adding a splash of colour as we thank @kaisercraft North Rocks for generously donating 12 tubes of Kaisercolour paint in colours of our choice.
Creative expression plays an important role in the therapeutic work we do with children, giving them another way to explore and express thoughts, feelings and experiences that can sometimes be difficult to put into words.
These paints will be put to wonderful use at our KidsXpress Centre in Macquarie Park, as well as in our therapy programs delivered in local schools across Granville and Merrylands.
In-kind donations like this make a meaningful difference. By providing goods or resources, organisations can help reduce our costs and ensure more of our funding can go directly towards supporting children and families.
If you or your organisation are in a position to donate goods or services in-kind, we’d love to hear from you.
Thank you, Kaisercraft, for supporting our work and helping us bring a little more colour and creativity into the lives of the children we support.
#ThankYouThursday #KidsXpress #Kaisercraft #ChildrensMentalHealth #CreativeTherapy
This week, we`re sending a heartfelt thank you to @snowyhydroofficial for their generous $7,500 grant, helping more children and families in the Snowy Valleys access specialist mental health support close to home.
Their support enables KidsXpress to deliver expressive therapy through our Tumut centre, providing children impacted by trauma and adversity with the support they need to express themselves, build confidence and resilience, and navigate life`s challenges.
Partnerships like this are vital in helping us reach regional communities, ensuring children and families can access access specialist mental health support without having to travel far from home.
Thank you, Snowy Hydro, for your commitment to the wellbeing of local children and for helping create stronger, more connected communities.
#ThankYouThursday #SnowyHydro #KidsXpress #ChildrensMentalHealth #SnowyValleys #Tumut #CommunityPartnership #RegionalNSW #ExpressiveTherapy
