Inklings is funded for eligible families who live in Western Australia and South Australia. Click here to learn more. ***Please note: Our Inklings team will be taking a short break over the holiday season and kindly ask for your patience if you’re checking your baby’s eligibility or would like to register after December 20, 2024. We look forward to assisting you from Monday, January 6, 2025.***
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World-first Inklings program launches in regional and remote WA

Family photo with Inklings Caregiver, Carol Hegan
Family photo with Inklings Caregiver, Carol Hegan

A world-first program for babies showing differences in social and communication skills is now available in regional and remote Western Australia, with two new delivery partners joining the Inklings Program.

Inklings – led by The Kids Research Institute Australia – is a program for babies aged 6-18 months whose communications skills are developing differently to expected milestones.

Following extensive demand from regional and remote families, Out Loud Developmental Services in Bunbury and CONNECT Paediatric Therapy Services in Karratha will join Inklings’ three delivery partners, making Inklings accessible face-to-face for the first time in regional and remote WA.

Disability Services Minister Bunbury MLA, Don Punch, said it was fantastic to see such a groundbreaking program become accessible to families outside of Perth.

“It can often be difficult for families to access services in regional and remote towns. Having a program like Inklings so readily available is a huge win for regional and remote WA,” Mr Punch said.

“The program has some amazing impacts for babies experiencing differences in social and communication development, so I’m looking forward to seeing these success stories extend across the State.”

Professor Andrew Whitehouse, the Angela Wright Bennett Professor of Autism Research at The Kids, welcomed the expansion of Inklings to regional and remote WA.

“It’s been so great to see such life-changing research make an impact on so many families this year, and I’m looking forward to seeing this impact extend to regional and remote WA,” Professor Whitehouse said.

“Inklings is all about helping every child reach their full potential, and our goal is to give this opportunity to as many babies as possible, both across WA and beyond.”

Since being launched in February 2024 by the Minister for the NDIS and Government Services Bill Shorten and Western Australian Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson, Inklings has received more than 300 enquiries from across WA.

The program is fully funded in WA as part of a partnership between the NDIA, The Kids, the Child and Adolescent Health Service (CAHS) and the WA Country Health Service (WACHS).

Caregivers who live in WA can either be referred by a health professional or enquire direct to Inklings here to see if they are eligible to participate.