Getting there earlier
Sonder selected to deliver new kids’ mental health hubs across Adelaide
Sonder has been selected as the preferred provider to establish and operate two new Kids Hubs across the north and south of Adelaide, in partnership with Kudos Services, KWY Aboriginal Corporation, and Multicultural Communities Council of SA.
Together, the consortium will strengthen access to free, high-quality mental health and wellbeing support for children aged 0 – 12 and their caregivers.
On Wednesday 3 December, a press conference was held at Marion GP Plus to officially announce the opening of the first Kids Hub. Speakers included the Hon. Emma McBride MP, Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention; the Hon. Chris Picton MP, Member for Kaurna and Minister for Health and Wellbeing; Sonder CEO, Sageran Naidoo; and community member Karina Van Der Merwe, a mother of three from southern Adelaide who shared her lived experience navigating the mental health system.
What the Kids Hubs will offer
Multidisciplinary teams will staff each hub, including peer practitioners with lived experience, psychologists, family, infant and perinatal social workers, social and emotional wellbeing workers, and cultural liaison workers.
The hubs will also work collaboratively with general practitioners, paediatricians, local health networks, schools, and community services to ensure coordinated, wrap-around support for families.
Sageran Naidoo, Chief Executive Officer of Sonder said the hubs represent a significant step forward for South Australian families.
“Early intervention is crucial to ensure that children and families are supported with the appropriate tools and strategies to manage good mental health across their lives.”
“We are thrilled that Sonder has been chosen as the preferred service provider to establish and support three Kids Hubs across the northern and southern Adelaide suburbs to improve access for children aged 0 to 12 years, and their caregivers, who may have previously struggled to access appropriate mental health support.”
Services at Marion and Aldinga will commence this week via internal referrals from Sonder, before expanding to GP referrals from co-located GPs in January 2026. From February 2026, referrals will also be accepted from community GPs, the Medicare Mental Health Phone Service, hospitals, education providers, and specialist services. A full walk-in and self-referral model will begin in May 2026.
Building on our collective expertise
The new Kids Hubs build on the collective strengths of the consortium partners.
Sonder brings extensive experience delivering evidence-based, multidisciplinary services for children, young people and families, including leadership of headspace Adelaide, Marion, Onkaparinga and Edinburgh North, as well as a wide range of child, youth and family programs.
Alongside Sonder:
- Kudos Services contributes strong expertise in child development and therapeutic supports.
- KWY Aboriginal Corporation brings cultural authority and connection, helping ensure services reflect Aboriginal cultural values, community expectations and ways of engaging.
- Multicultural Communities Council of SA strengthens multicultural engagement and ensures services are responsive to the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
Together, the consortium provides a strong, culturally informed and community-connected foundation for delivering the Kids Hubs and ensuring families receive coordinated, high-quality care.
