KidsXpress is a registered charity and a leader in children’s mental health, offering trauma-focused Expressive Therapy and Education Services to children under the age of 12 and their caregivers. Established in 2005, to fill a critical gap in services for children affected by adversity—neglect, abuse, grief, and household dysfunction—who would otherwise face significant barriers to accessing mental health care.
The KidsXpress School Partnership Program at Granville Public School in Western Sydney was selected in 2025 as the Balnaves Foundation Staff Grant. The Staff Grant is an initiative that encourages the Foundation team to participate in the whole process of grant-making.
The Foundation’s new medical strategy focuses on supporting projects that deliver significantly improved health outcomes for young Australians through the prevention and early intervention of chronic health conditions. There is a worsening mental health crisis in Australia that disproportionately affects young people, particularly those living in rural and regional areas or in lower socio-economic index communities. Additionally, CALD communities such as Western Sydney can be adversely affected by trauma, including young children, making an early intervention, whole-of-community approach to mental health vital to preventing negative long-term impact.
The KidsXpress School Partnership Program is a groundbreaking initiative that embeds two expressive therapists and one trauma-informed education consultant in a school over several years, offering holistic, on-site, full-day programs integrated into the regular school day. Support is delivered to children one-to-one or in small groups through Expressive Therapy techniques which incorporates the therapeutic benefits of art, music, drama and play. Expressive Therapy allows children to express complex emotions and experiences without relying on words, facilitating emotional release and promoting neural pathways that support healing.
Additional support and development are provided through KidsXpress’ Education Services to teachers, staff, parents and caregivers. These programs empower educators to recognise and respond to trauma, fostering a whole-of-school approach to mental health awareness and trauma-focused therapy. Parents and caregivers are supported to understand the developmental effects of trauma and support their children identify, communicate and regulate their emotions.
Working not only with children but across their caregiving network, KidsXpress intervenes early to mitigate the long-term effects of trauma, preventing these issues from being entrenched in adulthood.