CAHS researchers awarded funding to advance child health in WA

Four Child and Adolescent Health Service (CAHS) researchers have secured funding through the 2025-26 WA Child Research Fund (WACRF), supporting projects aimed at improving health outcomes for children and young people across Western Australia.

The WA Child Research Fund, jointly funded by the Western Australian Government and the Channel 7 Telethon Trust, has awarded more than $4 million across seven child health research projects in its latest funding round.

Among the successful recipients are four CAHS-led projects that will address a range of child health priorities, from improving ear health and strengthening partnerships with Aboriginal families to enhancing protection against infectious diseases and improving recovery following surgery.

Professor Christopher Brennan-Jones received funding to lead a trial of a device designed to help clear fluid build-up in the ears of children with otitis media with effusion, commonly known as glue ear. 

Professor Fenella Gill will lead a project focused on supporting earlier recognition of clinical deterioration in Aboriginal children. The research will strengthen partnerships between families and healthcare professionals through the development of a practical intervention toolkit.

Professor Peter Richmond secured funding for a project exploring ways to optimise maternal pertussis immunisation to better protect infants against whooping cough during early life.

Professor Britta Von Ungern-Sternberg AM received funding to investigate approaches to reducing breathing complications in children after surgery, helping to improve safety and recovery for young patients. 

The funding recognises the strength of child health research being undertaken in Western Australia and will support researchers to translate new knowledge into improved care for children and families.