Our vision for reconciliation is a future where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families experience equity in health, wellbeing and opportunity – empowered by partnerships grounded in respect, collaboration, and benefit.
The Kids Research Institute Australia is proud to launch its Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) during National Reconciliation Week 2025 “Bridging Now to Next”.
The RAP strengthens The Kids’ longstanding commitment to improving health equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families, with clear deliverables and timelines to affect real change.
Associate Professor Glenn Pearson, Director of First Nations Strategy and Leadership, said the RAP built on existing commitments and relationships and provided a framework to establish cultural safety, deepen partnerships, and grow and support for The Kids’ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce.
“The Kids has always been committed to the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids; it has been a powerful golden thread through our work over the past 35 years,” Associate Professor Pearson said.
“The RAP is a meaningful step forward in our journey to reshape how we do research at The Kids, by placing community at the centre and ensuring our work is culturally safe, inclusive, and driven by equity.”
The RAP will focus on five key areas:
- Establishing and strengthening mutually beneficial relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and organisations;
- Developing and implementing platforms to strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices and involvement in our work;
- Ensuring culturally safe practices throughout our work and workplaces;
- Strengthening our communication and engagement protocols; and
- Fostering meaningful connection.
“Our purpose to improve the health and happiness of all children must begin with listening to, learning from, and working alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” Associate Professor Pearson said.
“We recognise the strength and resilience of our First Nations communities, and we acknowledge the critical role Culture, Country, and Connection play in the health and wellbeing of our kids.
“The RAP will help us further embed reconciliation across all levels of our Institute by understanding we have a shared history that needs to be understood in how it impacts our families, indeed all of us.
“It will guide how we build respectful relationships, strengthen partnerships with the community, and hold ourselves accountable to lasting and measurable change.”
Executive Director Professor Jonathan Carapetis AM said the RAP would guide The Kids as it continued to make the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children everyone’s business.
“We have made it clear that we will not accept the disparity in health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids compared to other Australian children,” Professor Carapetis said.
“Our RAP provides the framework to not only draw together and guide but supercharge our continuing efforts to strengthen the voice and involvement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in all that we do.
“Our RAP includes tangible actions, deliverables and timelines that will hold us accountable in our journey towards reconciliation and pursuing our vision to improve the health and development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander children, families and communities.
“I am proud that our institute is committed not just to the idea of reconciliation, but to proactively working towards this goal.”
The Kids’ Innovate RAP is backed by a series of initiatives developed in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colleagues, Elders and communities over a decade including:
- Two iterations of our Commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Families
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment and Career Development Strategy
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Standards.
The Kids also has a vibrant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Staff Network of more than 88 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working as staff, students, researchers and valued honoraries, including our Elders, over the last nine years.