A better start

Under the Australian Government’s new Better Start for Children with Disability (Better Start) initiative, children aged under six years who have been diagnosed with moderate or greater sight or hearing impairments including deafblindness, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy or Fragile X syndrome can register to access early intervention funding of up to $12,000 (to a maximum of $6,000 per financial year).  

Funding will be available for services such as speech pathology, audiology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychology and orthoptics. You have until your child turns seven to use the early intervention funding.

The Better Start initiative also includes a one-off payment of $2,000 for eligible families living in outer regional and remote areas. As access to services is limited for these families, this payment assists with travel, home visits and similar expenses.

The Better Start Registration and Information Service is operated by Carers Australia. For information about how to register your child for the Better Start initiative, call Carers Australia on 1800 242 636.

A number of new Medicare items are also part of the Better Start initiative. The new items are available for children up to the age of 15, provided their treatment and management plan is in place before the age of 13.

The Medicare component of the Better Start initiative is being implemented by the Department of Health and Ageing and further information is available at www.mbsonline.gov.au and www.health.gov.au

For further information about the Better Start initiative:

Visit: www.fahcsia.gov.au/betterstart,

Call: 1800 989 530

Email: Better.Start@fahcsia.gov.au