STARS for Kids, a sub-project of ORIGINS, received a three-year grant to advance the development of a scalable, online, tiered model of care to better support disadvantaged communities, where 20-25 per cent of children are entering school developmentally vulnerable.
ORIGINS is Australia's largest longitudinal birth cohort study, following the health of 10,000 families to understand the impact of the early environment of the development of chronic disease with the aim to develop targeted, more effective prevention and intervention strategies that support all families to flourish throughout life.
ORIGINS Co-Director, Joondalup Health Campus’ Director of Research, and STARS for Kids’ Chief Investigator, Professor Desiree Silva, said the sub-project would support families with children under five through a tiered early intervention model addressing developmental, mental health, and psychosocial needs.
“By combining early identification with targeted compassionate support, STARS for Kids will deliver better wellbeing, build resilience, and reduce healthcare pressures, creating stronger futures for vulnerable families across WA,” Professor Silva said.
Currently being trialled in the City of Wanneroo, STARS for Kids uses a simple, online system to help parents keep track of their child’s development, wellbeing, and their own mental health during their early years.
Over the two-year trial, families will be supported to complete regular developmental check-ins, being connected with the right help at the right time.
“By making it easier to notice concerns early and act on them, STARS for Kids aims to give children the best possible start, and reduce stress on parents and caregivers,” Professor Silva said.
Stars for Kids’ unique tiered model works by offering families different levels of support – from self-guided resources to personalised assistance – based on their individual circumstances when completing their regular check-ins.
Researchers will look at how this approach supports children’s development, parents’ mental health, and family wellbeing, while also making sure the program is practical, affordable, and able to be expanded to support more families in the future.
Ultimately, Professor Silva hopes STARS for Kids increases the uptake of regular child health checks, enabling earlier identification of developmental health concerns and leading to improved access to targeted interventions by identifying children with the highest needs and linking them to professional support.
“In an era of where families are delayed access to services due to increased clinician wait lists, the domino effect of early intervention cannot be understated,” Professor Silva said.
"Parental mental health improves through access to tailored resources, and they have an enhanced capacity to understand and respond to developmental milestones, which reduces the risk of long term cognitive, emotional and behavioural difficulties in their children.”
STARS for Kids is inviting families in the City of Wanneroo with children aged six months to three years to take part in this important study.
Complete this quick form to see if you’re eligible to participate.
Learn more about STARS for Kids
