Support for children, parents and carers
Find services, programs and support to help your child learn, grow and develop, and get help with the costs of early childhood education and care.
Parent and Carer Information Hub
Visit the Parent and Carer Information Hub for information about free services and resources to support you from pregnancy to your child’s first 5 years.
If you are a parent of a school-aged child, you may be able to ask your employer for a flexible work arrangement to fit in with your caring responsibilities.
The Child Care Subsidy helps families with the cost of child care. Use the Child Care Subsidy calculator to estimate what payments you may get and how much you may need to pay.
Services Australia – raising kids
Learn more about Services Australia payments towards the cost of raising a child – from having a baby and help with child care to assistance for students and teenagers and support for grandparent carers.
If you need some help or support or just want to talk through a parenting issue, Parent Line provides a free telephone counselling and support service for parents and carers with children aged 0 to 18 who live in NSW.
Parent Pathways is a free service for eligible parents and carers with children under 6. Get personalised support, training and financial help to build skills and plan for work or study.
Going back to work and need childcare? Search for children's education and care services near you and get helpful tips on activities you can do at home to encourage your baby’s learning.
If you care for a young person who has been in out-of-home care for more than 12 months before turning 18, and they continue to live with you after turning 18, you may be eligible for a new fortnightly payment.
Support for people with a disability or health condition
If you have a disability or health condition, or you care for someone who does, you may be eligible for payments and services to help with costs and support.
The Disability Gateway helps people with disability, their families and carers to find the information, services and support they need in Australia.
Get free support through Carer Gateway if you care for someone who has a disability or is unwell. Find help with everyday tasks like cooking and cleaning, as well as respite and other support services.
Services Australia – health and disability
Find out about the payments and services that are available if you provide temporary or ongoing care to someone or need to take time off work to care for them.
NSW services and support for people with disability
Find services and resources offered by the NSW government for people with a disability, including transport subsidies, school support and help with training and employment.
National Disability Insurance Scheme
The NDIS is for eligible Australians who were born with, or have acquired, a permanent and significant disability. Learn more about the support and services that are available to help them achieve their goals.
Work out how much support you have available in your NDIS plan.
The NSW Companion Card program is for people with a significant and permanent disability who need ongoing support to take part in community activities. The Companion Card allows a cardholder’s support person free entry into participating venues and events. Find out where you can use the Companion Card.
Support for seniors
Find discounted services, aged care and other support to help older Australians stay independent.
If you need aged care, or you care for an older person who is frail or has a disability, you may be eligible for Services Australia payments and other allowances.
Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
The Commonwealth Seniors Health Card gives eligible older people access to cheaper health care and discounts on medicines and some everyday expenses.
NSW residents aged 60 or over can apply for a NSW Seniors Card or Senior Savers Card. Both are free. Use the Seniors Card map search tool to find discounts and special deals.
Get help to stay independent at home through the Support at Home program. Find out how to access services like cleaning, meals and transport. Use the Support at Home fee estimator to calculate how much you will need to contribute and to plan your Support at Home budget.
Australian Red Cross - services for older people
The Australian Red Cross provides support services for elderly people, such as healthy meal deliveries and companionship volunteers who visit older people at home or in an aged care centre.
The Home Equity Access Scheme lets eligible older Australians access a loan using the equity in their home to supplement their retirement income. Use the eligibility calculator to help you check if you’re eligible, and the loan calculator to see how much you may be able to get.
Carer Gateway offers free services and support for those who care for someone who is unwell or older, such as help with cooking and cleaning and access to planned respite.
Crisis support
A crisis can be sudden and life changing, but you do not need to go through it alone. There are support services available if you need help when times get tough.
Learn more about where to get help at our Crisis support page.