Remember to get kids health check

Australian families on income support who receive Family Tax Benefit Part A are being reminded to ensure their four year old children get a health check in order to get their $726 end-of-year supplement.

This is the first year of new Healthy Start for School requirements to ensure that young children from low income families are healthy, fit and ready to learn before they start school.

Families on income support are now required to get their children checked for physical health issues such as hearing or sight impairment, as well as developmental conditions and delays prior to starting school in order to get their FTB Part A end of year supplement.

Previously these families received the supplement automatically each year.

So far about 52,500 child health checks have been completed and reported to Centrelink out of a total of about 92,000. This means that 39,700 families are at risk of missing out on or delaying receiving the $726 payment, unless they take their four year old for a health check.

The number of reported health checks is increasing as it gets closer to 30 June, but parents need to ensure their child gets a health check and that it is reported to Centrelink before the end of the month so they can receive their $726 payment in July.

In an effort to remind families about this requirement, Centrelink has started calling families and putting reminders on people’s online records.

Centrelink has already sent a number of reminders by letter and SMS to affected families.

We want to see more children, particularly from low income households, starting school healthy and ready to learn.

Evidence shows that children from low income families not only begin school less well prepared, but that early gaps persist and even widen as children progress through school.

We want to make sure that children who need that little bit of extra help are not left behind, because providing support as early as possible to those who need it is one of the most important things we can do to give children the best possible start for school.

Families can still receive the supplement if the health check is completed after 1 July and reported to Centrelink but this must be done within two years, and they won’t get their supplement until it’s done.

Parents can report their child’s health check by updating their details online at: www.humanservices.gov.au/families or by calling the Families and Parents Line on 136150.
These new requirements are part of the Gillard Government’s welfare reform agenda.