SIDS and Kids Victoria is a member organisation of The National SIDS Council of Australia
Sudden Infant Death Research Foundation Inc., trading as SIDS and Kids Victoria; is a high-profile and well respected not-for-profit organisation that boasts an enviable history of success.

We offer services to approximately 400 Victorian families each year whose child has died suddenly and unexpectedly. We contact families as soon as we are notified; referals to our organisation can come from midwives, emergency responders, emergency department staff, through family or self referral. We have a 24 hour help line staffed by grief counsellors and trained parent supporters. Our support is ongoing - for as long as needed.

In addition, we support parents of approximately 65,000 new babies born each year in Victoria, through the promotion of Safe Sleeping practices and the delivery of education programs designed to reduce the incidence of child mortality.

All services and resources are provided free of charge.

We are funded through the generosity of the Victorian public. Our three main sources of income are Red Nose Day product sales, raffle ticket sales and tax-deductable donations. The organisation receives no government funding apart from a small annual grant that provides less than 1% of our operating costs. Our organisation also relies on a number of volunteers, many of whom are bereaved parents, families and friends. Our volunteers carry out a variety of essential duties including Red Nose Day activities, family support and preparing knitted baby garments for our Treasured Babies Program.

 

Contact Details Phone:   1300 308 307   or    03) 9822 9611 Mail:       1227 Malvern Road, Malvern, VIC, 3144 Fax:        1300 308 317   or   03) 9822 2995 Email:     melbourne@sidsandkids.org Web:      www.sidsandkids.org/vic

Mission Statement To save babies' lives through research and health promotion and to support families and community members affected by SIDS or the sudden and unexpected death of a child.

 

History of SIDS and Kids Victoria

Kaarene Noelle Fitzgerald founded the Sudden Infant Death Research Foundation Inc in 1977, the day after her son, Glenn, died. This then cascaded on to her co-founding the National SIDS Council of Australia, SIDS International and then the Global Strategy Task Force on SIDS. In 1988 Australia’s first ever signature day, Red Nose Day, was conceived and has grown to become one of Australia’s highest profile fundraising days with a 97% prompted recognition rate. Over the past 30 years, through the Safe Sleeping program, SIDS and Kids have reduced the infant mortality rate in Australia by around 84%, an outstanding achievement.

In 1999, based on our success in reducing SIDS and in response to community demand, we broadened our bereavement services to support anyone affected by the death of a child that died suddenly and expectedly, from 20 weeks gestation to 6 years of age (18 in regional Victoria), regardless of the cause. The children may have died from SIDS, stillbirth, drowning, motor vehicle accident, fire, sudden onset illness, homicide or in some other way. In 2002 a new name, SIDS and Kids, was adopted to reflect our expanded charter.

 

SIDS and Kids Victoria Board

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Annual Report

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The Cost of Running Our Services

Many Trusts and Foundations assist us to maintain our services. This section provides a breakdown of the requirements of our organisation and our financial circumstance. Many people do not know that we receive less than 1% of government funding. We rely heavily on the generous support of the Victorian community. More information coming soon...

We Can't Do Without These People

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