Early childhood health checks
Get regular health checks
Regular checks with a nurse or doctor can help track your child’s development. The health checks are free at different ages as they grow.
Find out more about health checks on your state or territory government website.
| State or territory | Resource |
|---|---|
| ACT | MACH health checks ACT Child development checks in ACT |
| NSW | Regular health checks NSW |
| NT | Baby and child screening NT |
| Qld | Child health Qld |
| SA | Health Checks SA |
| Tas | Child Health Service Tas |
| Vic | Child Health Services Vic |
| WA | Child Health WA |
Get the Healthy Start for School health check if you’re on a payment
Your child needs a health check when they’re turning 4 if you get some Centrelink payments or Family Tax Benefit Part A.
Centrelink will send a letter to your myGov inbox or in the mail if you need to do this.
Find out more about the Healthy Start for School health check on the Services Australia website.
Tell Centrelink the health check is complete
You need to tell Centrelink the health check has been completed before your child turns 5. You can do this in your Centrelink online account through myGov.
Get help through the NDIS
If you're concerned about your child's development, NDIS early childhood partners can work with you and connect you to NDIS supports if:
- your child is younger than 6 with developmental concerns
- your child is younger than 9 with disability.
Find out more about the early childhood approach on the NDIS website.
Get support through Thriving Kids
Thriving Kids is for families and their children aged 8 and under with developmental delay, autism or both. You don’t need a diagnosis to get support.
Supports include:
- online information and resources
- trusted advice about child development and autism
- health and development checks, including a new General Practitioner (GP) check for 3 year olds
- peer support, parenting groups, facilitated playgroups and family programs
- targeted supports like allied health, low-cost assistive technology or capacity building for families and children who need it.
Some supports are available now, with more being rolled out until 1 January 2028.
Find out more about Thriving Kids on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website.