Better Start Program

What is Better Start?

The Better Start for Children with Disability initiative provides funding for early intervention services.

Children are eligible for the Better Start program 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, Sight 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

Children with an eligible diagnosis must register for Better Start before they turn 6 years old. A child will have until they turn 7 to access funding.

Children registered with Better Start can access up to $12,000 (maximum $6,000 per year) to pay for early intervention services. These services include: audiology, occupational therapy, orthoptics, physiotherapy, psychology and speech pathology.

What is the eligibility threshold?

Cerebral palsy   - All children with a confirmed diagnosis of cerebral palsy will be eligible for Better Start.

Deafblindness - All children with a diagnosis made by a specialist multidisciplinary team which includes an ophthalmological and audiological evaluation (therefore application of a threshold is not necessary) will be eligible.

Down syndrome - All children with a confirmed diagnosis of Down syndrome, including those with mosaic Down syndrome, will be eligible.

Fragile X syndrome - All children will be eligible if they have a confirmed diagnosis of Fragile X syndrome with full mutation.

Hearing impairment - Children will be eligible if they have a hearing loss in both ears that meets either of the following two criteria:

A permanent conductive or sensorineural hearing loss that has a four frequency average hearing loss* of 40dBHL or greater in the better-hearing ear

Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder diagnosed in both ears.

* The four frequency average hearing loss represents the average of hearing thresholds at 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz and 4000 Hz.

Sight impairment - Children will be eligible if they have vision of less than or equal to 6/18 or equivalent field loss, in the better eye with correction.

Prader-Willi - All children will be eligible if they have a confirmed diagnosis of Prader-Willi syndrome.

Williams - All children will be eligible if they have a confirmed diagnosis of WIlliams syndrome.

Angelman - All children will be eligible if they have a confirmed diagnosis of Angelman syndrome.

Kabuki - All children will be eligible if they have a confirmed diagnosis of Kabuki syndrome.

Smith-Magenis - All children will be eligible if they have a confirmed diagnosis of Smith-Magenis syndrome.

CHARGE - All children will be eligible if they have a confirmed diagnosis of CHARGE syndrome.

Cornelia de Lange - All children will be eligible if they have a confirmed diagnosis of Cornelia de Lange syndrome.

Rett's Disorder - All children will be eligible if they have a confirmed diagnosis of Rett's Disorder.

Microcephaly - All children will be eligible if they have a confirmed diagnosis of Microcephaly based on a head circumference less than the third percentile and a functional level at or below two standard deviations below the mean for age on the Griffiths Mental Development Scales or the Bayley Scales of Infant Development.

Parents or carers who have questions about the disability thresholds should contact the Department of Social Services directly. For more information you may also download the better start brochure