Giving kids with disabilities a Better Start

Better Start for Children with Disability is a new initiative from the Australian Government to help make important early intervention services and therapies more affordable and accessible for kids who need extra help.

Better Start has been provided by the Federal Government because research has concluded that intensive early intervention in the pre-school years is very effective in preparing children with disabilities for school.

Since July 1 2011, children under the age of seven diagnosed a range of disabilities became eligible to access Better Start funding. Eligible children include those diagnosed with:

• Cerebral Palsy
• Down Syndrome
• Fragile X Syndrome
• Sight or hearing impairments of moderate or greater severity

Once a child is registered for Better Start, he or she will be eligible for funding of up to a total of $12,000 to enable access to approved Early Intervention services. A maximum of $6,000 can be spent on this approved early intervention in any financial year.

Families have until the child’s seventh birthday to use the funding provided by Better Start for Children with Disability.

Kids First Children’s Services has been selected by the Australian Government as an approved provider for the Better Start for Children with Disability initiative. Parents and carers can use Better Start funding at Kids First to pay for services like:

• Speech Pathology
• Occupational Therapy
• Psychology
• Multi-Disciplinary small group therapy programs

How do I Accessing Funding for my Child?

To access Better Start early intervention financial assistance, you need to register your child for this initiative before they turn six.

The Better Start Registration and Information Service is operated by Carers Australia. To register your child for the Better Start initiative, call Carers Australia on 1800 242 636 to arrange an appointment.

You will need to provide:

• Your child’s Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN)
• Proof of your child’s age and residential address
• A written conclusve diagnosis

More information

For more detailed information follow this link to the Better Start web site.