Editorial standards

Why these exist

Parents deserve to know the rules we hold ourselves to. What "clinically reviewed" means. Where we get our information. How we handle conflicts of interest. How we correct ourselves. This page is our commitment to transparency.

Where we source our information

We cite Australian clinical guidelines — from the Autism CRC, NHMRC, RACP, RANZCP, Speech Pathology Australia, and Occupational Therapy Australia. We cite the DSM-5-TR. We cite peer-reviewed journals in developmental psychology and paediatrics. We cite Services Australia. We do not cite blog posts, marketing content, or unverified online sources. If it's not from a reputable clinical source, it doesn't go on this site.

Clinician attribution

Every clinical page on this site names the reviewing clinician(s). You see their name, their discipline (paediatrician, psychologist, GP, occupational therapist, speech pathologist), and the date they last reviewed it. Clinicians are paid a market rate for their time. They are not shareholders. They don't get bonuses for approving content. Their job is to read it, think about it, and either sign off or ask us to change it.

Review cycle

Every clinical page is reviewed at least once every quarter. If a guideline changes, we update the page sooner. Each page has a "last reviewed" date at the bottom. If a clinician changes the review date but finds nothing that needs changing, we still update the date — it shows the content is current.

Conflicts of interest

Every board member discloses financial interests annually — whether they have a clinic, a private practice, shareholdings in health companies, or research funding that might create a bias. If a board member has a direct conflict with a piece of content (e.g., they own a clinic we're writing about), they recuse themselves from reviewing it.

Commercial content

We don't currently take sponsored or commercial content. If we ever do, it will be clearly marked as "SPONSORED" and disclosed in the page footer. We will not disguise advertising as editorial content. And any sponsorship will be clearly disclosed in our board minutes.

Corrections policy

If we get something wrong, we fix it quickly and we tell people what changed. At the bottom of every corrected page, we note: "Updated [date]: corrected [what was wrong]. Original version [link to archived version if available]." We don't quietly change things. We show our work.

Found an error? Email editorial@knowmykid.com.au.

Readability

We aim for a Year 9 reading level. We use plain language. When we use medical or developmental terminology, we explain it. We use short sentences. We avoid unnecessary jargon. If a sentence doesn't make sense to a tired parent reading at 11pm, we rewrite it.

Imagery and representation

No stock "sad child" imagery. We don't use generic stock photos of distressed children or anxious families. If we use photography, it features real families with consent, or illustrations that represent diverse Australian families.

Diverse representation. When we illustrate or photograph, we show: diverse skin tones, single-parent families, multi-generational homes, families with disability, and First Nations families.

Authentic moments. We use kitchen tables, school gates, bath time, bedtime — the domestic moments where parents actually notice patterns. Not clinics, not medical settings, not posed "perfect family" moments.

AI and automation

Content on this site is human-written and human-reviewed. We may use AI tools to help with search-result summarisation, accessibility support (e.g., generating alt text), or routine administrative tasks. We will never use AI to generate final clinical copy. Every sentence a parent reads has been written and reviewed by a human clinician or health writer.

Changelog

Clinical pages should include a changelog at the bottom showing recent updates — when they were made, what changed, and why. This is being rolled out page-by-page through 2026.