Rainbows History in Australia

Rainbows for the Children of Australia (Rainbows Australia) is a not-for-profit organisation endorsed for charity tax concessions that began operations in 1985, having adopted and substantially adapted the international program developed in the U.S. by Suzy Yehl Marta. For further information, feel free to Contact Us.

When Rainbows Australia first began, its main goal was to provide a safe place for children and young people to express their feelings in relation to grief and loss – loss of a parent through death, separation or divorce, death of a sibling or grandparent, or any other major crisis or loss in their lives.

During the past decade, Rainbows Australia has evolved into a vibrant charity which serves as an advocate for youth who are at risk of trauma, of emotional and/or sexual abuse, self-harm, suicide, or substance abuse, due to a life altering crisis.

Research shows that when children in crisis are not heard or protected, they are more vulnerable to harmful behaviour and substances as adolescents.

Rainbows programs are listed in the Australian Psychological Society’s Kids Matter and Mind Matters’ initiative, which concentrates on promoting early childhood mental health. In Australia, Rainbows now primarily promotes the prevention or control of behaviour that is harmful to children who are in crisis, dealing with grief and loss issues.

Rainbows Australia has many Registered Trainers who provide training and resources for registered sites across Australia.