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Trans Pathways researcher recognised as one of Australia’s Tomorrow MakersYouth mental health researcher Penelope Strauss has been named an AMP Tomorrow Maker – the first researcher from The Kids Research Institute Australia to win one of the annual AMP Foundation grants.
Research
Complex Experiences of Gender AffirmationThis project explores the mental health and support needs of Australians with complex experiences of gender-affirmation.
Research
Rainbow Knowledge: Broome & KununurraRainbow Knowledge: Broome & Kununurra is a First Nations led research project that aims to explore the perspectives, social emotional wellbeing (SEWB) and mental health experiences of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Asexual (LGBTQA+) or other sexually
Research
Sibling Stories: Improving the mental health of siblings of trans youthSome studies indicate siblings of transgender (trans) and gender diverse young people often experience negative mental health impacts such as anxiety and depression due to complicated familial, individual and social factors associated with having a trans sibling.

News & Events
Fellowship paves way for world-first LGBTQA+ suicide prevention initiativeDr Penelope Strauss will use a prestigious Post-Doctoral Fellowship from Suicide Prevention Australia to develop and trial a world-first intervention.
Research
The Youth Safe Haven Café ProjectThe Youth Safe Haven Project will co-design a youth-specific Safe Haven Café within the Peel Health Hub to serve as an alternative to the emergency department for young people at risk of suicide.
Research
The Future Proofing Study: Design, methods and baseline characteristics of a prospective cohort study of the mental health of Australian adolescentsThe Future Proofing Study (FPS) was established to examine factors associated with the onset and course of mental health conditions during adolescence. This paper describes the design, methods, and baseline characteristics of the FPS cohort.
Research
Mind the distance: experiences of non-face-to-face child and youth mental health services during COVID-19 social distancing restrictions in Western AustraliaFollowing the outbreak of COVID-19, social distancing restrictions limited access to face-to-face mental health services in Western Australia (WA), necessitating a rapid transition to non-face-to-face alternatives, including telehealth. The current study investigated barriers and facilitators to telehealth access and engagement, and preferences for child and youth mental health service delivery during and beyond COVID-19.
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Validation of the Dutch version of the Multidimensional Adolescent Functioning Scale (MAFS)The Multidimensional Adolescent Functioning Scale (MAFS) is a 23-item, self-report questionnaire assessing psychosocial functioning in adolescents aged 12-17 years. It captures three domains of functioning: 'general functioning', 'family-related functioning', and 'peer-related functioning'. The original English version has good psychometric properties. The aim of the current paper was to translate the MAFS to Dutch and to investigate the psychometric properties of this translation.
Research
Our journey, our story: a study protocol for the evaluation of a co-design framework to improve services for Aboriginal youth mental health and well-beingMainstream Australian mental health services are failing Aboriginal young people. Despite investing resources, improvements in well-being have not materialised. Culturally and age appropriate ways of working are needed to improve service access and responsiveness. This Aboriginal-led study brings Aboriginal Elders, young people and youth mental health service staff together to build relationships to co-design service models and evaluation tools.