Learn how you can get involved
Watch a short video from our study leads Dr Erin Turbitt and Lizzie Callinan as they introduce NurtureNextGen and explain how parents or carers can get involved.
About our project
Families of children with neurodevelopmental conditions often face uncertainty when learning about their child’s diagnosis and future. These conversations can be overwhelming and sometimes lack balance.
NurtureNextGen is a three-year research project co-designing a digital tool with parents and health professionals. Our goal? To provide strengths-based, practical information informed by the lived experiences of other families—helping parents feel supported and empowered.
Funded by the Medical Research Future Fund, NurtureNextGen began in January 2025 and is led by Dr Erin Turbitt at the University of Technology Sydney.
Latest news
NurtureNextGen research presented at HGSA 2026
NurtureNextGen research was recently represented at the 49th Human Genetics Society of Australasia (HGSA) Annual[…]
Co-Designing With Diverse Parent Voices: Our Workshop With MDAA
Towards the end of last year, our team recognised an important gap in the development[…]
Meet the Team: Yufeng Wu, Research Assistant
Nurture NextGen is shaped by a team of people working across multiple disciplines. In this[…]
Our Team
Our research is co-led by people with lived experience of parenting a child with a genetic neurodevelopmental condition. We are internationally recognised researchers in social science, genetics, human-computer interaction, bioethics, developmental disability, communication, special education, co-design and implementation science methods. Other key investigators are health professionals from genetics, developmental paediatrics and allied health involved in providing services to children with disability and their families.
Frequently Asked Questions
Curious about our project? Here are some common questions people have about NurtureNextGen.
What is the project about?
This project aims to fill a critical gap in the support of parents of children with genetic neurodevelopmental conditions. Our consumer-led research project seeks to co-design a digital tool to better equip parents to receive balanced, strengths-based information about the child informed by the lived experience of other families.
Who is running the project?
Dr Erin Turbitt, a Senior Lecturer and researcher in the Discipline of Genetic Counselling at the University of Technology Sydney is leading this project. The project is supported by a team of eight Chief Investigators with diverse expertise including lived-experience, clinical genetics and paediatrics.
Who is funding the project?
The study is funded by the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Preventive and Public Health Research Initiative – Consumer-Led Research from January 2025 to December 2027.
How can I get involved in NurtureNextGen?
We welcome participation of individuals from various backgrounds and ages for our research studies. Keep an eye on our website for any opportunities to get involved!
Contact us
NurtureNextGen is based at the University of Technology Sydney, Australia. Most of the team work remotely across Australia and New Zealand. Email is the best way to get in touch with us.
The NurtureNextGen project acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live and work. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.
We recognise that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have a long and rich history nurturing their children on these lands. We also acknowledge the impacts of past and ongoing injustices.
We celebrate the diversity, strength and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families. We recognise the importance of empowering families as they nurture the next generations strongly connected to culture.