02/03/2026
š£ We really didnāt want families and educators to miss this.
From today, 1 March, Medicare has expanded funding for children and young people under 25 who need speech therapy.
Because this change literally starts today, many families - and even some GPs - may not have heard about it yet.
And for some children, this could make a very real difference.
If a child in your life is experiencing:
ā¢ Stuttering
ā¢ Ongoing difficulty being understood
ā¢ Persistent speech sound errors
ā¢ Childhood apraxia of speech or dysarthria
ā¢ Speech differences related to cleft lip and/or palate
There is now an expanded Medicare pathway that may help reduce the cost of assessment and therapy.
Until age 25, this includes:
āļø Up to 8 assessment sessions
āļø Up to 20 treatment sessions
āļø $87.25 rebate per eligible session (March 2026)
Thatās more sessions - and a higher rebate - than many families realise is available.
And we know how much this matters.
Communication shapes everything for a child.
When children can express their wants, needs and feelings clearly, they connect more easily. They make friends. They join in. They ask for help. They show what they know. They participate in learning with confidence.
When support is delayed because of cost, children donāt just āwaitā. Sometimes they speak less. Hold back. Work harder than they should just to keep up. Confidence can quietly shrink.
Thatās why weāre sharing this.
Not everyone will qualify - but someone in your circle might.
If youāre a parent, or if you work with children and families, it may be worth checking this update and having a conversation with your GP.
Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is pass on information that could change a childās trajectory š
Please share so families and educators donāt miss it.
