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Finding out your child has a disability

Accessing services

The Queensland and Australian governments share funding and administration of services for children with a disability and their families. Services can be provided by government departments or agencies, or community organisations.

  • Find out what services are available in your local area by contacting the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services on 13 QGOV (13 74 68).
  • Call Centrelink on 13 27 17 to find out if you are eligible for the Carer Allowance (Child).

Universal services

Even if your child has a disability, this should not stop you from accessing services available to all families, including playgroups, child health community nurses and community centres.

Specialist services

These are services specifically designed for children with a disability, such as therapies, early childhood intervention and respite care. Specialist services can also help children access universal services.

Contact your local Disability Service Centre or call 13 QGOV (13 74 68) for more information.

Why am I being asked this?

When you access services, a worker will most likely ask you questions and you may think, ‘Why do they need to know that?' They are not being intrusive—they just need to find out what they need to know for the best interests of your family. Providing more details helps the service to assess your situation, and prioritise your family's needs.

Licence
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia (CC BY 3.0)
Last updated:
1 March 2013

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