Laura is a Sleep Practitioner, early child development and sleep researcher, and co-founder of Children’s Sleep Australia, Infant Sleep Australia, and the Sombelle Paediatric Sleep Clinic Programs. She is an Honorary Fellow of the Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne and Honorary Fellow at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.

Laura has published her paediatric research examining infant sleep, parent-child interactions, and child language and mental health development in major paediatric journals. She has presented her findings at national and international scientific conferences, as well as to community organisations including to childcare educators and perinatal psychologists. She has appeared to audiences of 250+ million on news outlet worldwide.

Laura completed her LifeCourse Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Royal Children’s Hospital, where she focused on examining risk and protective factors for child cognitive and mental health development, including sleep health during infancy.

Laura has the following qualifications and certifications:

• Bachelor of Arts with 1st class honours (Psychology)

• PhD, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne: What mother-child talk can tell us about children’s language and social, emotional and behavioural development.

• Postdoctoral Fellowship: Centre of Research Excellence in Safer Families, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and The University of Melbourne: Family violence and child development

• LifeCourse Postdoctoral Fellowship, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital

• OCN London Accredited Level 6 Advanced Paediatric Sleep Training: Moving Theory into Practice (EDS, London)

• Paediatric Sleep Training for Health Professionals (EDS London)

• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for School Kids Sleep Problems, WINK, certification pending.

• Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia, WINK, certification pending.

• Treating Teen Sleep Problems, WINK, certification pending.

• Morning Light Therapy, WINK, certification pending.

• Advanced Cognitive Therapy for Insomnia, WINK, certification pending.

• Sleeping Sound Autism Health Professional Course, Monash University

• Sleep and Autism, Attwood and Garnett events

Laura is a member of the following professional organisations:

• International Pediatric Sleep Association

• World Sleep Society

• WINK Sleep

• Association of Professional Sleep Consultants (APSC)

She’s a parent too!

Laura has two children who are growing up way too fast! She is originally from the UK, where her wider family still lives. Laura has lots of experience traveling long haul with kids.