About Us
Support Kids in Pain (SKiP) is Australia’s first not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving the lives of children and adolescents with chronic pain. Living with constant pain can be difficult for anyone, but for kids who just want to be kids it can be almost unbearable. SKiP’s mission is to provide children and adolescents with the skills and knowledge to overcome persistent pain. We deliver pain management programs for children and their families and education workshops for GPs and health care professionals in the community.
Recent studies show that 1 in 5 children will experience pain that lasts longer than affected, from months, if not years. Chronic pain can affect children from all ethnic backgrounds and across all socio-economic groups. It can present at any age, with the most common chronic conditions being musculoskeletal and abdominal pain. Luckily SKiP is here to help!
SKiP’s free Pain Management Program gives children different techniques for managing their pain and includes practical advice for parents on issues such as returning to school, coping with depression and lifestyle pacing. We liaise with carers and families, schools, GPs and other service providers to ensure self-management is supported at home, by schools and in the general community.
Our multi-disciplinary approach to pain management has been developed based on best evidence-based practice in the US and is leading the way in paediatric pain care in Australia. By working with a coordinated team of clinicians (including paediatricians, psychologists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists), we are able to assess the physiological, psychological and social factors impacting on each child’s condition and deliver a treatment approach tailored to their individual needs.
SKIP is also dedicated to improving public awareness and understanding of paediatric chronic pain. We offer information and education via community talks and professional education sessions. Our sessions are endorsed by hospitals throughout Queensland and give practitioners effective strategies for supporting children in their community and clear referral pathways to critical care services.