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Healthy Start for School

If you and/or your partner receive Family Tax Benefit Part A and an income support payment such as Parenting Payment, Newstart Allowance, or a payment from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, your child may need to have a health check for you to get the Family Tax Benefit Part A supplement.

If your child needs to have a health check, we will send you a letter to let you know.

What you need to do

  • Arrange a health check for your child.
    The health check could be an age-appropriate health check as outlined in the Health check table below. For more information about health checks, please talk to your health professional or health clinic.
  • Tell us the health check has been completed.
    This is to ensure you receive the Family Tax Benefit Part A supplement. The easiest way to tell us is by using Centrelink Online Services.
  • Tell us if you cannot complete a health check for your child.
    If there is a reason a health check can’t be completed for your child, call us on 136 150 as soon as possible to discuss.

Why you need to tell us

At the end of the financial year we check your income against your estimated income to make sure we pay you the right amount of Family Tax Benefit and to see if you are eligible for further top-up payments such as the Family Tax Benefit Part A supplement.

So, if the health check isn’t done, or you haven’t told us by 30 June by using Centrelink Online Services, part or all of the Family Tax Benefit Part A supplement of up to $726.35 for your child will be withheld.

If you have the health check completed after the financial year in which your child turned four, you can still notify us when the health check has been completed. You will be paid the Family Tax Benefit Part A supplement for your child if you are eligible.

Health check

A health check is an assessment of your child’s physical health and general wellbeing. It includes height, weight, hearing and sight. It ensures your child is healthy, fit and ready to learn when they start school.

A health check can be done from when your child turns three.

The table below lists health checks conducted in each State and Territory which satisfy the requirements:

State/TerritoryHealth checks that meet the requirements for FTB Part A supplement purposes
ACT
  • A three to three and a half year old health check – outlined in the Personal Health Record (the Blue Book)
  • A general health check provided by your local GP
  • A Healthy Kids Check provided under the Medicare Benefits Scheme
NSW
  • A three year old check or four year old check – outlined in the Personal Health Record called My First Health Record
  • A general health check provided by your local GP
  • A Healthy Kids Check provided under the Medicare Benefits Scheme
NT
  • A three year assessment or a four year assessment – under the Healthy under five Kids Program
  • A general health check provided by your local GP
  • A Healthy Kids Check provided under the Medicare Benefits Scheme
  • *A Compulsory Health check done under the NT emergency response
QLD
  • A two and half to three and a half year old health check or a four to five year old health check - outlined in the Personal Health Record (the Red Book)
  • A general health check provided by your local GP
  • A Healthy Kids Check provided under the Medicare Benefits Scheme
SA
  • A three year old health check or a four year old pre-school check – outlined in Child Health Record (the Blue Book)
  • A general health check provided by your local GP
  • A Healthy Kids Check provided under the Medicare Benefits Scheme
TAS
  • A three and a half year old child health assessment completed by Tasmanian family and child health nurses
  • A general health check provided by your local GP
  • A Healthy Kids Check provided under the Medicare Benefits Scheme
VIC
  • A three and a half year old health check completed by Victorian maternal and child health nurses
  • A general health check provided by your local GP
  • A Healthy Kids Check provided under the Medicare Benefits Scheme
WA
  • A three year old health check – outlined in the Personal Health Record book
  • A general health check provided by your local GP
  • A Healthy Kids Check provided under the Medicare Benefits Scheme