Melbourne Children’s Campus Mental Health Strategy 2021–2026

Launched in 2021, the Melbourne Children’s Campus Mental Health Strategy set out to make mental health everyone’s business.

The challenge

Lifetime mental health problems begin in childhood and are among the most common and serious health issues affecting children and young people. Half of all mental health disorders begin before the age of 14, yet many families struggle to access timely, appropriate care.

At The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH), mental health presentations to the Emergency Department have surged by 400 per cent in recent years. Children living with chronic physical illness are at even greater risk, and stigma and fragmented systems often leave families without the support they need.

Coupled with the findings from the 2020 Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System, this growing crisis demanded a bold and coordinated response across the Melbourne Children’s Campus.

Launched in 2021, the Melbourne Children’s Campus Mental Health Strategy set out to make mental health everyone’s business.

It brought together The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH), Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), and the University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics to create integrated, evidence-based approaches to mental health research, education, and care.

Proudly funded by The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Good Friday Appeal, the strategy aimed to: 

Amplify the voices of children, young people, and families, ensuring lived experience shapes all outputs.
Integrate clinical and academic mental health research
Develop evidence-based mental health education and resources for campus staff.
Enable consistent, quality child and family centred care, inclusive of parents, carers, and siblings.
Advocate for the integration of mental health care with physical health care as part of usual practice.
Increase awareness and develop a shared understanding of trauma-informed care with a focus on preventing trauma and re-traumatisation of children, young people, families, and staff.

Over five years, the Mental Health Strategy delivered significant developments across mental health research, education, care, and advocacy, improving experiences and outcomes for thousands of children, young people, and their families.

The strategy drew on the expertise of multidisciplinary teams of clinicians, researchers, and educators from across campus, driving innovation and collaboration at every level.

Key researchers

We were supported and led by a Steering Committee consisting of leaders from the three campus partners, including from MCRI:

Where to next?

The Mental Health Strategy concludes in April 2026 with a focus on sustainability and scale. You can read and download our Mental Health Strategy Executive Summary Report below.

MHS Executive Summary Report 2026 (PDF7.30 MB)

Our ongoing priorities included:

Investing in the continued integration of mental health research, education, and clinical care to improve outcomes for children, young people, and their families.
Embedding evidence-based clinical practice guidelines into routine care across the campus and beyond.
Expanding trauma-informed preventative care education and culture across campus to ensure it becomes a universal approach.
Progressing research into mental health amongst chronically ill and gender-diverse populations.
Strengthening workforce mental health education for all campus staff, no matter their role or department.