Better Start for Children with Disability

Better Start for Children with disability is a government funded initiative to improve access to early intervention services for children with disability. The aim of the initiative is to better prepare children with disability to be ready for school.

To be eligible for Better Start, the child must be diagnosed with one of the disabilities funded under the Better Start scheme.

Eligible children will be able to access funding of up to $12,000 (maximum of $6000 per year) for early intervention services.

Early intervention services which are funded under Better Start include audiology, occupational therapy, orthoptics, physiotherapy, psychology, and speech pathology.

Children are eligible for Better Start funding if diagnosed with one of the following disabilities:

Cerebral palsy

Deafblindness

Down syndrome, including mosaic Down syndrome

Fragile X syndrome with full mutation

Hearing impairment

Vision impairment

Prader-Willi syndrome

Williams syndrome

Angelman syndrome

Kabuki syndrome

Smith-Magenis syndrome

CHARGE syndrome

Cornelia de Lange syndrome

Rett’s Disorder

Cri du Chat syndrome; or

Microcephaly

The eligibility threshold for inclusion in Better Start for children with vision impairment is vision of less than or equal to 6/18 or equivalent visual field loss, in the better eye, with correction.

Children with an eligible diagnosis must be registered with Better Start before they turn six years old. The funding can be used until the child turns seven years old.

Our Orthoptists provide early intervention services and are registered Better Start service providers.

For more information about Better Start services, please contact Better Start on 1800 242 636 or visit their website at http://betterstart.net.au/

For information on whether your child qualifies for Better Start funding for vision impairment, contact our Orthoptists on 9241 2913.