The new national Statement on Consumer and Community Involvement in Health and Medical Research was released by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF) in May 2026.

This statement was developed together by people from the community, consumers, and researchers. It explains why research should be shaped by the people it is meant to help. It also shows how researchers, organisations and communities can work together to make research more useful, relevant and fair.

We are delighted to share that work from CP‑ACHIEVE has been included as examples in the statement.

One example involved young people with cerebral palsy who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), their families, and carers.  People who use AAC are often not included in research. The example showed what was done to support AAC users to share their ideas, experiences and perspectives. They helped shape a project about mental health and ways to support wellbeing.

Another example brought together a person with lived experience of cerebral palsy and a PhD student. The consumer, Gaurav, was involved at every stage of the research. This included helping design interview questions and presenting the results at a conference.

These examples show how researchers and consumers can work together in real projects. They also show how listening to different experiences can improve research and lead to better outcomes.

At Healthy Trajectories, we believe research is strongest when children, young people and families are involved at every step. This new statement supports how we work and our commitment to meaningful partnerships.