Major $5M Investment to Reduce Injuries Among Indigenous Children
A groundbreaking $5 million investment is set to transform child safety outcomes in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia. The funding will power a large-scale study aimed at reducing injury rates — the leading cause of death and disability among Indigenous children.
By The Mirage
Led by Professor Tamara Mackean at Flinders University, the project will combine Western science and Indigenous knowledge systems to co-design interventions that work for families, by families.
“Too often, Indigenous children are overrepresented in injury and mortality statistics. This project is about addressing systemic gaps through culturally grounded research and action,” says Professor Mackean.
The initiative will collaborate closely with Indigenous communities to understand root causes and deliver practical, culturally appropriate solutions that help keep kids safe at home, on the road, and in community spaces.
The study is backed by the Medical Research Future Fund’s Million Minds Mental Health Research Mission, recognising that injury prevention is not just about physical safety — it’s also about long-term wellbeing, disability prevention, and community resilience.
This is more than a research project. It’s an urgent intervention to ensure Indigenous children grow up healthy, strong, and protected.
