This page provides links to other Australian Government funded initiatives that provide free support and advice for families supporting children with disability or other support needs.
Envisage
Envisage Families provide workshops and online resources that aim to empower Australian parents and caregivers with a child and/or child with a disability or developmental concern aged 0-8 years to feel confident and competent in raising their children, using a positive approach that focuses on child and family strengths, and the endless possibilities that can from the care giving experience.
Available nationally. Click the button below to learn more.
Autism Connect
Autism Connect is a free, national autism helpline, providing independent and expert information over phone, email and webchat. It supports Autistic people, their families and carers, health professionals, researchers, teachers, employers and the broader community. If you need an interpreter, you can use the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) to speak to an Autism Connect advisor in a language other than English. TIS National provides operator-assisted access to an immediate phone interpreter in over 160 languages. To access this service, call the TIS National Contact Centre on 131 450 and ask to speak to Autism Connect.
Contact Autism Connect:
1300 308 699
Monday – Friday, 8am - 7pm local time
Click the button below to learn more.
AutismCRC
Autism CRC Ltd (Autism CRC) was established in 2013 under the Commonwealth Government’s Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) Program, as the world’s first national, cooperative research effort focused on autism across the lifespan. Their mission is to motivate, facilitate and translate collaborative autism research, across the lifespan and the spectrum, underpinned by inclusive practices. They provide the national capacity to develop and deliver evidence-based outcomes through unique collaboration with individuals on the spectrum, families, professionals, services providers and government. Together, they address agreed needs and co-produce outputs with these stakeholders for the benefit of the community.
Click the button below to learn more.
Raising Children Network
Your complete and trusted online parenting resource.
The Raising Children Network site provides free, reliable, up-to-date and independent information to help families grow and thrive together.
Click the button below to learn more.
Disability Gateway
The Disability Gateway is a free Australia-wide service to help people with disability, and their families and carers, find trusted information and services. It is for all Australians with disability, regardless of whether they are a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participant or not. When you call the Disability Gateway, you will talk to a real person who will give you clear and fact-checked information and connect you to helpful supports and services.
Contact the Disability Gateway:
1800 643 787
Monday – Friday, 8am - 8pm AEDT/AEST
Click the button below to learn more.
Carer Gateway
Support for unpaid carers. There are 2.65 million unpaid carers across Australia. These are people who provide care to a family member or friend with disability, a medical condition, mental health condition, or someone who is frail due to age. Through Carer Gateway, unpaid carers can access a range of support services including counselling, emergency and planned respite, peer support and tailored support packages to assist them in their caring role.
Contact the Carer Gateway:
1800 422 737
Monday – Friday, 8am - 5pm local time
Click the button below to learn more.
NDIS
The NDIS provides funding to eligible people with disability to gain more time with family and friends, greater independence, access to new skills, jobs, or volunteering in their community, and an improved quality of life.
The NDIS also connects anyone with disability to services in their community.
Click the button below to learn more.
Disability Standards for Education
New resources to support children and students with disability
Informative new resources, co-designed by young people with disability and their carers, have been developed to help people with a disability to access education and training on the same basis as their peers.
The practical, easy-to-use resources will help students and young people with disability and their carers navigate the Disability Standards for Education 2005 (Standards) and the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. The informative resources, including fact sheets, workbooks and action plans will help students and all young people with disability and their carers understand their rights to do with education and, critically, how to exercise those rights.
The resources are available in Easy Read and Auslan and translated into eight languages.
