Funding Options

Having a child with a disability can be expensive.  There can be extra expenses such as therapy, aids and equipment.  There are a number of funding options available.  Some of these are listed below:

  • Caring for a child under 16 yrs of age – Carer Payment (caring for a child under 16 years) can provide you with income support if you are unable to support yourself through substantial paid employment while you are providing care to a child aged under 16 years with a severe disability or severe medical condition: http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/carer_child.htm)
  • Caring for a person 16 years or over – Carer Payment (caring for a person 16 years or over) can provide you with income support if you are unable to support yourself through substantial paid employment because you are caring for someone aged 16 years or over on a daily basis who has a severe disability, medical condition or who is frail aged: http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/carer_adult.htm)
  • Medicare rebates for therapy – Access up to 5 private therapy sessions per calendar year (eg. 4 occupational therapy sessions, 1 session with a speech-language pathologist) – ask your GP. “The allied health initiative allows chronically ill people being managed by their GP under a Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Plan to access Medicare rebates for allied health services”http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/provider/incentives/allied-health.jsp  
  • The ‘Better Start’ initiative: Children up to 6 years old who are diagnosed with Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, fragile X syndrome, or moderate or greater vision or hearing impairment (including deaf blindness), can be registered for Better Start services.  They are able to access early intervention services—such as speech pathology, audiology, occupational therapy, orthoptics, physiotherapy and psychologyhttp://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/disability/progserv/people/betterstart/Pages/better_start_early_intervention.aspx
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