Developing Minds

What Developing Minds does

Developing Minds is a private child and adolescent psychology practice founded in 2002 and headquartered in Adelaide, South Australia. The company employs 23 credentialed child/adolescent psychologists plus 10 administrative and executive staff across two clinic locations (Wayville and Aberfoyle Park), with the founder Kirrilie Smout serving as Director. Its core offering is individual therapy for children and teens aged 4-18 and their families, treating anxiety, depression, anger, behavioral challenges, trauma, grief, and neurodivergence-related concerns, supported by group programs (Connect, Coach and Take Charge for parents; Chilled for children). The practice is distinguished by its scope of funding access — NDIS, Better Access Medicare (up to 18 fully funded sessions annually versus the standard 10), Department of Child Protection, and private payment — which allows up to 50% of families to access gap-free services.

The company extends its clinical platform through two online products: Calm Kid Central, an online psychoeducation program for children aged 4-11 with video courses and a 24-48 hour psychologist Q&A panel, and Calm Kid Pro, a subscription-style platform for professionals working with children. It also publishes three books (When Life Sucks for Kids, When Life Sucks for Teens, and The Years That Count) sold via e-commerce, and runs the 18-24 month Developing Minds Clinical Registrar Program (DMRP) for early-career psychologists seeking clinical endorsement. The underlying technology is built on evidence-based therapeutic modalities (CBT, DBT, ACT, Collaborative Proactive Solutions) rather than proprietary AI or software systems, with a custom-built electronic health outcome and client satisfaction collection system and standard e-commerce/communication tooling (Zoom, Google Meet, e-junkie, PayPal).

Revenue is generated primarily through professional services: individual therapy sessions (with clinicians seeing 4.5-4.8 clients per day), professional supervision ($230+GST per 50-minute session), and group programs. Secondary, non-recurring revenue comes from book sales ($17.95-$29.95) and online program subscriptions. The business is wholly privately held with no disclosed equity funding, no parent company, and an explicit operating footprint limited to South Australia.

Name

Developing Minds

Legal name

Developing Minds

Website

https://developingminds.net.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Developing Minds is a private Adelaide-based psychology practice founded in 2002 that delivers individual therapy, group programs, and online psychoeducation to children aged 4-18 and their families, while also providing professional supervision and training to external clinicians.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Developmental Therapy / Early Childhood Special Instruction (EDACAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Parent Mental Health, Stress Management & Wellness Programs (EDACALAJ), Special Needs Skill-Building & Therapy Learning Apps (Autism, OT/PT, Life Skills) (EDAFAKAJ), Positive Discipline & Behavior Support Programs (EDACALAD), Autism Parent/Caregiver Education & Training (School-Linked) (EDAKAKAJ)

Keywords

• Child psychology services
• Adolescent mental health
• Paediatric therapy
• Professional supervision
• Online psychoeducation

Headquarters

HQ city

Wayville

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Therapy Services: One-on-one therapy sessions with children, teens, and families at clinic locations. Funded through NDIS, Better Access Medicare, Department of Child Protection, and private payment. Approximately 4.5-4.8 clients per clinician per full day.
2. Professional Supervision: Supervision and consultation services for psychologists, school counsellors, social workers, teachers at $230 + GST per 50-minute session. Also offers practice owner consultation with Kirrilie Smout at $254.54 + GST.
3. Books and Publications: Sale of When Life Sucks for Kids ($29.95 printed, $17.95 eBook) and When Life Sucks for Teens books. Also publishes The Years That Count.
4. Online Program Subscriptions: Calm Kid Central online program with free access for healthcare card holders and NDIS funding applicable. Calm Kid Pro professional platform with subscription-style access.
5. Group Programs: Connect, Coach and Take Charge program for parents/caregivers of children with big feelings; Chilled group program for children with frustration challenges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Developing Minds is a child and adolescent psychology practice delivering one-on-one therapy with children, teens and families at two Adelaide clinic locations via a team of 23 specialist psychologists. The practice funds services through NDIS, Better Access Medicare, Department of Child Protection, and private payment, and extends its reach through the Calm Kid Central online psychoeducation program, Calm Kid Pro professional platform, self-help books, group programs, and structured professional supervision and training programs.

Product overview

Developing Minds operates as a psychology practice offering both in-person and online mental health services for children, teens, and families. The core offering consists of face-to-face therapy at two Adelaide clinics (Wayville and Aberfoyle Park) delivered by 23 child/adolescent psychologists. This is complemented by two online programs: CalmKidCentral (for parents/caregivers of 4-11 year olds with video-based psychoeducation and psychologist Q&A access) and CalmKidPro (for professionals working with children). The company also publishes two self-help books ('When Life Sucks for Kids' and 'When Life Sucks for Teens'), offers professional supervision services, runs group therapy programs, and provides training through the Child and Adolescent Therapy Basics and Beyond (CATBB) program and the Clinical Registrar Program for early-career psychologists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Calm Kid Central: Online psycho-education program for 4 to 11 year old children with anxiety, frustration, social skills and other challenges. Includes video courses, activity sheets, and 24-48 hour access to child psychologist panel.
• CalmKidPro
• When Life Sucks for Kids
• When Life Sucks for Teens

Products and services

• Calm Kid Central Online psycho-education program for children aged 4 to 11 featuring video courses with activity sheets and posters, providing 24-48 hour access to a panel of child psychologists for written parent/caregiver Q&A. Free for Adelaide-based families with healthcare card; NDIS funding accepted.
• Calm Kid Pro Online support platform for professionals working with 5 to 11 year olds, offering short videos, therapy room resources, professional learning modules, and a daily Q&A center where users can ask child psychologists questions.
• When Life Sucks for Kids Step-by-step guide for 8 to 13 year olds covering family, friends, life, school and feelings topics, including real-life stories, cartoons, practical advice, and calm sentences for self-talk. Available in printed ($29.95) and e-book ($17.95) formats.
• When Life Sucks for Teens Guide for teens managing common challenges including relationship issues, motivation, body image, stress, and emotional difficulties, with practical advice on what to do and what not to do. Available in printed and e-book formats.
• Face-to-Face Psychology Services Individual therapy sessions with children and teens aged 4-18 and their families, delivered by a team of 23 child/adolescent psychologists at two Adelaide clinic locations (Wayville and Aberfoyle Park). Services supported by multiple funding models including NDIS, Better Access, Department of Child Protection, and private funding.
• Group Programs Two group programs: 'Connect, Coach and Take Charge' for parents/caregivers of children with 'big feelings,' and 'Chilled' for children who have challenges with feeling frustrated. Additional parent distress 1:1 therapy program available.
• Professional Supervision Google Meet or face-to-face supervision and consultation for psychologists, school counsellors, social workers, youth workers, teachers, and other professionals working with children/teens. Provided by experienced psychologists with 14-25 years of experience; $230 plus GST per 50-minute session.
• Child and Adolescent Therapy Basics and Beyond (CATBB) Weekly instructional training modules via Zoom covering comprehensive concepts in working with children, adolescents, and families, including assessment, case formulation, treatment planning, anxiety disorders, challenging behaviours, trauma, and evidence-based interventions. 51 topics covered over 12 months.
• Developing Minds Clinical Registrar Program (DMRP) 18-to-24-month structured program for registered psychologists seeking clinical endorsement, providing initial structured onboarding, weekly then fortnightly 1:1 supervision, monthly group supervision, peer mentoring, competency-based goal setting, and annual professional development budget.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Save the Children AustraliaminorOthersDeveloping Minds supports Save the Children Australia through regular monthly donations and $5 per new client seen. Also raises awareness of human suffering issues through reception area information, corporate networks and website. Supports alleviating suffering in children in the third world.
• University of South AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloping Minds team teaches the University of SA Child Interventions Course and supervises within the Uni SA clinic program. Kirrilie Smout has coordinated and taught the Child Clinical Interventions course in the Masters of Clinical Psychology program. Several team members are employed casually to lecture provisional psychologists.
• NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme)coreOthersAccept NDIS funding for therapy services, allowing children with disabilities to access funded sessions through the scheme.
• Department of Child Protection (SA)coreOthersFunded provider for Department of Child Protection services, supporting families involved with child protection services.
• Better Access (Medicare)coreOthersMedicare Better Access initiative provider, offering up to 18 fully funded sessions per year (vs standard 10) through the Better Access to Mental Health Care program.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ReachOut Australia: Australia's leading online mental health platform for young people and their parents, offering self-guided tools, peer support and professional content. Comparable to Developing Minds' Calm Kid Central/Calm Kid Pro digital layer as a national-scale digital psychoeducation and support channel for youth mental health.
• Smiling Mind: Australian-developed mindfulness app and digital program for children and young people. Comparable as a national digital wellbeing resource for kids that complements clinical offerings, in a similar space to Developing Minds' Calm Kid Central.
• Quirky Kid: Sydney-based private child psychology practice offering therapy, parenting programs and teacher training to children and families. Closest geographic and service-line peer to Developing Minds, with a similar specialist child/family model, books, and group programs.
• Centre for Clinical Interventions (CCI): Government-funded provider of free evidence-based self-help resources and treatment protocols for anxiety, depression and related disorders in children and adults. Comparable as an Australian clinical resource publisher in child/adolescent mental health, with a similar content/training mission.

Broad incumbents

• Headspace Australia: Australia's largest youth mental health organization, providing in-person and online services to 12-25 year olds. Comparable as the dominant national provider in the same paediatric/adolescent mental health category, though with a broader age range and significantly larger scope than Developing Minds.
• Kids Helpline: Australia's free 24/7 counselling service for children and young people aged 5-25, operated by yourtown. Comparable as a national paediatric mental health support channel but operating at a much larger scale and as a free service rather than fee-for-practice.

Emerging players

• THIS WAY UP Clinic: St Vincent's Hospital-affiliated online clinic offering clinician-guided and self-guided internet-delivered CBT programs for anxiety and depression, including youth programs. Comparable as a digital evidence-based therapy channel that overlaps with the upper end of Developing Minds' clinical offering.
• MindSpot Clinic: Australian government-funded online mental health clinic delivering therapist-guided internet CBT for adults. Comparable as a nationally funded digital psychology service model, though focused on adults rather than the paediatric segment Developing Minds serves.
• Brave Online: Online cognitive-behavioural therapy program for children and adolescents with anxiety, delivered by Australian clinical psychologists. Comparable as a digital-first child anxiety intervention that overlaps with Developing Minds' therapy and Calm Kid Central offerings.

Others

• Australian Psychological Society (APS): Peak professional body for psychologists in Australia, providing accreditation, professional development and Find-a-Psychologist referral directory. Comparable as an ecosystem player whose Find-a-Psychologist channel and CPD offerings intersect with Developing Minds' professional supervision, registrar training, and parent/professional referral sources.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/developingminds.net.au
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/developing-minds

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Developing Minds