This is the start of a series of articles on services provided by the Australian Government for people with a disability and their carers.

There are many services available and it can seem like a maze when you are trying to find your way through them all; information can be confusing and difficult to understand. After 18 years of caring for a child with a disability I have learned to find my way through this maze but it was not easy to begin with. On top of dealing with a child’s disability, its diagnosis, treatment, therapy and the every day challenges it brings us, the process of finding out about services and payments can be stressful for parents; it certainly was for me before I tapped into support resources. There is plenty of help and support on hand. Please do not be afraid to use it as it can really ease the journey of looking after a child with a disability.

Where to find support and information

• Commonwealth Carelink Centres are information centres for older people, people with disabilities and those who provide care and services. Centres provide free and confidential information on community aged care, disability and other support services available locally, interstate or anywhere within Australia. . Free call 1800 052 222, Carelink Centre Locations
• Telephone Centrelink on 13 27 17
• Our forums which provide support, information and experiences from those caring for a person with Fragile X Syndrome
• Our website link pages – Support groups and Organizations, Advocacy and Online Support

This series of articles will consist of information on:

• Centrelink Payments
• Medicare Payments
• Respite Services
• Education
• Adult Services
• Employment
• Other Government Services

Departments responsible for the various disability services:

Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) – provides services and assistance that help people with disabilities to participate actively in community and economic life, access a responsive and sustainable safety net, and develop their capabilities. To keep up to date with FaHCSIA news you can subscribe to disAbility e-news, a regular sector update to keep you informed about FaHCSIA disability issues. Back copies are available on this page too.

Department of Health and Ageing

Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

Payments and Allowances Centrelink and the Family Assistance Office

Office of Early Childhood Education and Child Care

Other Government resources for Information

mychild.gov.au a new online portal for information on early learning and care launched 22nd October 2008

Raising Child Network – funded by the Australian Government

If there is anything in particular you would like us to cover on this topic, please let us know by leaving a comment below.