About Us
SIDS and Kids Australia is a high profile and well respected national not-for-profit organisation with a highly successful history in health promotion, bereavement support, advocacy and research.
SIDS and Kids is dedicated to saving babies and childrens lives through the elimination of sudden and unexpected infant deaths during pregnancy, birth and childhood, supporting bereaved families and funding research into stillbirth.
We deliver on our vision through world class education, research, evidenced based intervention and advocacy.
SIDS and Kids Australia is located in Melbourne with offices in each state and territory of Australia.
Download SIDS and Kids Corporate Profile.pdf here.
Leanne Raven, SIDS and Kids Australia CEO
Leanne commenced as CEO of SIDS and Kids Australia in January 2007 and is dedicated to saving the lives of babies and children through the elimination of sudden and unexpected deaths and supporting bereaved families.
Prior to joining SIDS and Kids Leanne was a self-employed strategy and management consultant with executive and senior management experience in public health and education. Over the past 20 years Leanne has undertaken many leadership roles within human services, the education sector and family services areas.
Education and Health Promotion:
Dorothy Ford, SIDS and Kids Service Coordinator
Dorothy returned to SIDS and Kids in 2009 to help coordinate the health promotion and bereavement services. She had previously worked for SIDS and Kids between 1990 and 2004 in roles including Manager of Family Services and Community Education SIDS and Kids Victoria and Manager of Program Development, SIDS and Kids Safe Sleeping Program, SIDS and Kids Australia.
Dorothy is committed to supporting SIDS and Kids state and territory offices in their work to ensure that all new parents and those who care for babies and young children have information and encouragement to reduce the risk of sudden and unexpected child death. Additionally Dorothy is committed to ensuring that families who are bereaved have a wide range of compassionate support and timely information available.
Louise Ellis, SIDS and Kids Librarian
For the past 9 years Louise has worked for SIDS and Kids in gathering research into the prevention of sudden, unexpected death of babies and children during pregnancy, birth, infancy and childhood and the support of bereaved families. The research gathered by the Librarian supports the work of the National Scientific Advisory Group (NSAG), SIDS and Kids State and Territory Offices, our health promotion and bereavement support programs and bereaved parents.
Louise hopes to maintain and build the SIDS and Kids collection of research (ASK Online) and encourage increased use of this specialized and valuable resource.
Chris DiPetta has been involved at SIDS and Kids for seven years, commencing with a role in Marketing and Events in Victoria before moving to manage the national Red Nose Day campaign across Australia. With a background in media and sales promotion, along with a double degree in Arts and Communications, Chris enjoys the challenge of managing Australia’s favorite signature day aiming to increase its profile and fundraising target each year. Red Nose Day is SIDS and Kids biggest fundraising activity and money raised is vital to ensure the continuance of our important services. Chris also manages new national corporate partnership opportunities presented to SIDS and Kids Australia throughout the year.
Yvonne Amos, National Marketing and Communications Manager
Yvonne has spent the last fourteen years working in the not-for-profit sector with particular focus on health promotion. With a finance and fundraising background Yvonne brings extensive experience in leading special events, direct mail, brand management, grants and communications. Yvonne has held a number of management and marketing roles within the SIDS and Kids organization since 2005 and is now happily based in Melbourne.
Peter Stankovic has been a vital part of the team at SIDS and Kids Australia for over seven years. He is dedicated and committed to the work of SIDS and Kids nationally and is a vital member of the Red Nose Day Management Team.
Marian Alphonso, Office Manager
Marian has been part of the team at SIDS and Kids for the past three years in an administration role and now Office Manager. Marian’s is the first voice that you hear when you call SIDS and Kids Australia and is a vital member of the SIDS and Kids team.
Don Richardson was appointed as the new Chairman for SIDS and Kids Australia October 2009. Don, a Director from SIDS and Kids Western Australia, is a Chartered Accountant with an extensive business background as a previous partner of an international firm of Chartered Accountants and many years in retail business. We welcome Don as Chairman of the SIDS and Kids National Board.
Professor Paul Colditz (Deputy Chairman)
Mr Graham Henderson (Treasurer)
Mr Mick Davis(Secretary)
Ms Denise Lamb
Mr Kenneth Ramsay
Mr Mark Sheehy
Mr Jeremy Hoslin
SIDS and Kids Programs and Services
1. Advocate for and fund research into stillbirth and other areas of sudden and unexpected child death
2. Maintain the focus on SIDS and Kids Safe Sleeping education programs
3. Extend bereavement support and counselling to families who have experienced stillbirth or the sudden and unexpected death of a child, regardless of the cause.
Since 1990 our Infant Safe Sleeping Campaign has been instrumental in reducing infant mortality by 84% which equates to over 6,000 babies’ lives saved. The campaign is targeted towards new and expectant mothers, health care professionals and carers and includes a range of literature, safe sleeping education kit and telephone support.
SIDS and Kids also provide Bereavement Support Services to families and the community who have experienced the death of a baby during pregnancy, birth and infancy regardless of the cause. Our services include counselling, a range of support groups, peer support, 24 hour freecall Bereavement Support line and an extensive range of bereavement support literature.
In March 2004 SIDS and Kids hosted the first National SIDS Pathology Workshop in Canberra. The workshop bought together paediatric and forensic pathologists nationally to discuss the issue of achieving standard definition for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and a recommended and standard autopsy protocol for infant deaths. The forum was instrumental in achieving this goal and has provided health care professionals nationally with a sense of consistency when explaining the cause of death to bereaved families.
Since 2004 the national definition is – “The sudden and unexpected death of an infant under 1 year of age, with onset of the lethal episode apparently occurring during sleep, that remains unexplained after a thorough investigation including performance of a complete autopsy, and review of the circumstances of death and the clinical history”.
In 2006 SIDS and Kids broadened its research focus to include Stillbirth. Each year 2091 Australian babies are stillborn and over 50% of these occur unexpectedly and without any known cause and often towards the end of a pregnancy.
SIDS and Kids has successfully committed itself to research into the possible causes of SIDS and an education program, Infant Safe Sleeping, derived from this research.
Red Nose Day is Australia’s premier signature day and was the first of its kind in Australia.
The innovative ‘signature day’ fundraising concept of selling novelties was introduced into Australia in 1988 in the form of a simple red nose. The notion of presenting a silly red nose to address a serious problem captured the imagination and generosity of the Australian public, resulting in the fundraising phenomenon which is now recognised by 94% of Australia’s population (Quantum research, October 2008).
Held the last Friday in June each year, Red Nose Day is an icon in the Australian community, and is SIDS and Kids major fundraising activity across Australia.
Proceeds from Red Nose Day assist SIDS and Kids in providing vital services and programs in your local community including:
a) Free ongoing bereavement support and crisis outreach to families and the community following the sudden and unexpected death of a baby, infant or child • 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
b) Education to thousands of parents, carers and health care professionals on how to reduce the risk of SIDS and fatal sleeping accidents through our world class, evidence based SIDS and Kids safe sleeping program
c) Research into the causes and prevention of sudden and unexpected death of babies during pregnancy, birth, infancy and childhood.