Be the turning point in a young person’s life

With your support, the Little Stars Foundation can reach more children in out-of-home care and grow our impact.

Together, we can build a future where every child feels seen, supported, and safe – no matter their start in life.

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Make a Big Impact

When You Donate to Little Stars

Contribution of $7,000 funds a full-year scholarship for one child or young person in care, providing weekly one-on-one trauma-informed learning and wellbeing support in our Little Stars Learners Program, curriculum-aligned resources, consistent mentorship, and access to community engagement experiences. This is not a donation – it’s an investment in a life trajectory.

When a child re-engages with learning, their world expands. Confidence grows. Behaviour improves. Connection deepens. And their future opens wide. The impact flows outwards – to carers, families, classrooms, and the wider community. Education is more than knowledge – it’s a foundation for healing, resilience, and lifelong opportunity. Yet right now, we’re seeing an alarming increase in the use of residential care due to a significant decline in available family-based placements. Supporting carers and promoting placement stability has never been more urgent.

The cost of placing a single child in residential care exceeds $600,000 per year. In contrast, the cost of delivering early learning and wraparound support through the Little Stars Learners program is a fraction of that amount, with greater long-term benefits.

Early intervention isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s the smart thing to do.

By investing early in children and the carers who support them, we can keep families together, improve educational outcomes, and reduce long-term reliance on costly systems of crisis care.

This is not only a moral imperative – it’s a powerful social and economic solution.

By partnering with Little Stars Foundation, your organisation can:

Teen girl gazing thoughtfully out a window, capturing quiet strength and vulnerability.
Teen girl gazing thoughtfully out a window, capturing quiet strength and vulnerability.

What Makes Little Stars Different? – Martin Greller’s Insight

Why a Trauma-Informed Approach Matters – Kerri Chard’s Insight

Changing One Child’s Life Changes a Community

Changing One Child’s Life Changes a Community

Changing One Child’s Life Changes a Community

Too many children in care are being left behind – not because they can’t learn, but because their trauma is misunderstood, their needs go unmet, and support comes too late.

At Little Stars Foundation, we believe every child deserves the chance to learn, heal, and thrive. But the reality is stark: children in care face disproportionate rates of school exclusion, disengagement, and long-term disadvantage. The data is clear – without early and effective intervention, these children are more likely to enter a cycle of poor mental health, justice system involvement, and generational trauma.

That’s why we exist – to intervene early, support carers, and keep children connected to learning through our Little Stars Learners program. The need is urgent, the cost of inaction is high, and the opportunity to make a difference has never been greater.

  • Children and young people from care make up less than 1% of the school population, yet receive 25% of suspensions and exclusions.

     

  • Trauma often presents as “behavioural issues,” resulting in reduced school hours or full disengagement from education.

     

  • These patterns contribute to lifelong disadvantages, including poor mental health, contact with the justice system, unemployment, and generational trauma.

     

  • Recent data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) shows that nearly 2 in 3 young people (65%) under youth justice supervision in 2022–23 had prior involvement with the child protection system over the past decade. This powerful statistic highlights the urgent need for earlier, more effective support for children in care.

Supporting family-based placements and stability

When a child re-engages with learning, their world expands. Confidence grows. Behaviour improves. Connection deepens. And their future opens wide.

The impact flows outwards – to carers, families, classrooms, and the wider community.

Education is more than knowledge – it’s a foundation for healing, resilience, and lifelong opportunity.

Yet right now, we’re seeing an alarming increase in the use of residential care due to a significant decline in available family-based placements. Supporting carers and promoting placement stability has never been more urgent.

The cost of placing a single child in residential care exceeds $600,000 per year.

In contrast, the cost of delivering early learning and wraparound support through the Little Stars Learners program is a fraction of that amount, with greater long-term benefits.

Early intervention isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s the smart thing to do.

By investing early in children and the carers who support them, we can keep families together, improve educational outcomes, and reduce long-term reliance on costly systems of crisis care.

This is not only a moral imperative – it’s a powerful social and economic solution.

This powerful return highlights the significant impact of the program in addressing the educational challenges faced by young people in care, creating lasting benefits for individuals and society.

Return on Investment (SROI) review by Lumenia in 2024

By investing in these young lives, we are breaking the cycle of disadvantage, giving young people in care the opportunity to overcome academic, social, and emotional barriers so that they shine at school and well beyond.

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Changing lives, one by one...

One Child, Big Impact

Funds a full year scholarship for one child or young person

Support a Small Group of Young people for bigger impact

Supports five children and young people with weekly learning and wellbeing support

Empower a whole School Community

Enables a cluster of 10 children and young people to receive full-year scholarships across a school or region

Grow Regional Impact

Delivers trauma-informed learning support across multiple school partnerships

Build a Program Hub

Establishes a regional program site, complete with mentor team, resources and community connection days

Transform the System

Drives scalable change through program expansion, sector advocacy and national impact

Let’s work together to create impact...

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Every corporate partnership is tailored to your social impact goals and values.

We offer:

Leave a Gift in your Will

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Imagine a future where every child in Queensland thrives, regardless of their circumstances. By leaving a gift in your will to the Little Stars Foundation, you can help turn this vision into reality.

Your generous gift could transform lives, offering vital educational support and positive experiences to disadvantaged children in foster, kinship, and residential care who need them most.

Together, we can break the cycle of disadvantage and ensure that these little stars have the chance to shine. For more information on how to leave a gift in your will please download a Supporter Pack.

Would you like to know more?

We’ve created a simple, heartfelt Information Kit to help you learn more about how Little Stars Learners can make a difference in the lives of children in care.

CONTACT US

Please email us to discuss how we can partner together.

DIRECT DEPOSIT

Little Stars Foundation P/L
BSB: 114879
A/C: 432 901 523

DONATE

Visit our donations page to make a lasting impact through your gift.

CREDIT CARD

We can set up regular donations via credit card if required.

SUPPORTER KIT

Enter your details to request access to the Supporter Kit.

Little Stars Learners Program Information Kit

Enter your details to request access to the information kit.