Professor Frank Oberklaid

Professor Frank Oberklaid, AM, MD, FRACP, DCH, was the Foundation Director of the Centre for Community Child Health for over 25 years. He is currently Co-Group Leader of Child Health Policy, Equity and Translation at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute and an Honorary Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Melbourne. 

Professor Oberklaid is an internationally recognised researcher, author, lecturer and consultant, and has written two books and over 200 scientific publications on various aspects of paediatrics. For many years he was Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health and remains on the editorial boards of a number of international journals. 

His work has been acknowledged in the form of a number of prestigious awards and many invited international lectureships and visiting professorships.  

Professor Oberklaid was co-Chair of an expert working group tasked with developing the National Children's Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy in 2021. He was Chair of the Victorian Children’s Council for 12 years, providing expert advice to the Premier and Ministers on child health policies and services for children, and has chaired or been a member of many national health committees, expert working groups and advisory boards. 

Professor Oberklaid is especially interested in prevention and early intervention, child mental health and the use of research findings to inform public policy and service delivery. His clinical and research training is in child development and behaviour, and his work as a specialist paediatrician is with children who have developmental and behavioural problems. 

Professor Oberklaid leads the Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS) initiative.