Children + adolescents · Under 18
Child + adolescent psychology in Australia
Pathways for under-18s through Medicare Better Access, headspace, schools-based services, and what families need to know about consent, assessment and getting a young person to engage.
★Key takeaways
- ✓Better Access applies to children and adolescents on the same terms as adults: 10 Medicare-rebated sessions per calendar year, $96.65 general / $141.85 clinical, with a GP Mental Health Care Plan as the gateway.
- ✓headspace (12–25 year olds) is free, no referral or Medicare card required, and operates ~150 centres nationally. Excellent first port of call for mild to moderate concerns and youth-friendly framing.
- ✓School psychology service models vary by state and sector. VIC public uses Mental Health Practitioners in secondary schools; NSW public uses regional school counsellors / psychologists; QLD public uses guidance officers. Speak to your school principal or wellbeing lead.
- ✓AHPRA does not have a “child psychologist” title. The closest specific credential is the Educational and Developmental Psychology endorsement – common for ASD/ADHD assessment.
- ✓Consent: under-14s are typically treated under parental consent; from ~14 “Gillick competence” lets a mature young person consent in their own right. Safety-risk disclosures override young-person confidentiality, and this is explained at session 1.
Pathways
Four ways to access psychology for an under-18
1. Medicare Better Access
GP writes a Mental Health Care Plan, child sees an AHPRA-registered psychologist for up to 10 Medicare-rebated sessions per calendar year. Gap fee typically $80–$200/session. Same rebate as adults; can be in-person or telehealth.
2. headspace (12–25)
Free, no Medicare card or referral required. Around 150 centres nationally. Mental health, physical health, work / study and AOD support. Youth-friendly, drop-in capable in some centres. Waitlists 2–8 weeks typically.
3. School-based services
Varies by state and sector. VIC public has Mental Health Practitioners in secondary; NSW has school counsellors / psychologists; QLD has guidance officers; SA has wellbeing teachers + psychologists. Catholic + independent schools usually have their own. Speak to the principal.
4. Private (full fee)
Direct private engagement with a child / adolescent psychologist. Typical fees $200–$330/session. No Medicare rebate without MHCP. Useful when you want immediate access (no GP wait), specialist not on Better Access panels, or assessment-only work.
Schools-based services by state
Government school models
| State | Model | Who delivers |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria | Mental Health Practitioner in every government secondary school + primary schools through the Mental Health in Primary Schools initiative | AHPRA-registered psychologists, mental health social workers, mental health nurses |
| New South Wales | School counsellors / school psychologists shared across school groups; Tell Them From Me wellbeing surveys; Wellbeing Framework | School counsellors are typically AHPRA-registered psychologists or accredited school counsellors |
| Queensland | Guidance officers employed by Department of Education; additional psychologists in regional support teams | Guidance officers are usually AHPRA-registered psychologists or specifically trained guidance professionals |
| Western Australia | School psychologists in primary + secondary government schools, allocated by Department of Education | AHPRA-registered school psychologists |
| South Australia | Wellbeing teachers + Student Support Services psychologists shared regionally | Mix of wellbeing teachers and AHPRA-registered psychologists |
| Tasmania | Student Support Services across regions; School Health Nurse model alongside | Mix of psychologists, social workers, school health nurses |
| ACT | School psychologists in each public school cluster, Network Student Engagement Teams | AHPRA-registered school psychologists |
| Northern Territory | Student Wellbeing Support Service across remote and urban schools | Mix of psychologists, social workers, family liaison officers |
Catholic and independent schools fund and recruit their own wellbeing and psychology staff; arrangements vary widely by school. Source: state Department of Education websites and 2024 school wellbeing budget announcements.
Three kinds of work
Behavioural vs developmental vs school psychology
Three overlapping but distinct types of child psychology work:
- Behavioural psychology – treatment of acute issues (anxiety, school refusal, oppositional behaviour, sleep, OCD). CBT and behavioural protocols. Typical 8–16 sessions.
- Developmental psychology – assessment and support for developmental concerns (ASD, ADHD, learning disability, intellectual disability, language disorder). Often involves cognitive and adaptive assessment, parent psychoeducation, NDIS pathway.
- School psychology – work delivered in the school setting. Assessment, classroom consultation, group work, individual support, crisis response. Boundaries with the family vary by jurisdiction.
Picking the right person
What to look for
- AHPRA registration current. Bonus: Educational and Developmental Psychology endorsement for assessment work; Clinical Psychology endorsement for complex mental health work.
- Experience in the age band: psychologists who work mostly with 5–12 year olds use different methods than those who work mostly with adolescents.
- Working Children Check (mandatory but worth confirming). Most clinics display this on the practitioner profile.
- Parent-involvement style explained up-front: some psychologists run parent-only sessions every 4–6 weeks; others work primarily with the child and provide a debrief.
- Therapy approach named (CBT, ACT, family-based, behaviour therapy) rather than vague “talking with children”.
What it costs
Typical out-of-pocket for under-18 psychology
| Service | Typical fee | Medicare rebate | Out-of-pocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| headspace (12–25) | Free | Bulk-billed | $0 |
| School psychologist (govt school) | Free | N/A | $0 |
| Private registered psych (Better Access) | $200–$280 | $96.65 | $103–$183 |
| Private clinical psych (Better Access) | $230–$330 | $141.85 | $88–$188 |
| Cognitive assessment (WISC-V) | $600–$1,200 | Not rebated | $600–$1,200 |
| ASD multidisciplinary assessment | $1,500–$4,000 | Partial (paediatrician items) | $800–$3,000 |
| ADHD assessment (paed + psych) | $1,200–$3,000 | Partial (paediatrician items) | $600–$2,200 |
Ranges current 2025-26. NDIS may fund some assessments and ongoing support for participants with eligible disability; speak to the NDIS planner if applicable. Catholic Education health insurers and private health “extras” sometimes cover assessment costs partially.
If a young person is in crisis
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (free, 24/7, ages 5–25). Lifeline 13 11 14 (24/7, all ages). headspace phone counselling 1800 650 890 (12–25). 13YARN 13 92 76 (First Nations support). For life-threatening emergencies, call 000 or attend a hospital emergency department.
Common questions
Child + adolescent psychology – common questions
How do I get my child Medicare-rebated psychology sessions?
The pathway is the same as for adults: book a long appointment with the family GP and ask for a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) for your child. The GP assesses the child (with the parent present), writes the plan, and refers the child to a specific psychologist or class of psychologist. With a current MHCP the child is entitled to 10 Medicare-rebated psychology sessions per calendar year, same caps and rebates as adult Better Access ($96.65 general / $141.85 clinical per 50+ minute session).
Does my child need to be present for the GP appointment?
Yes. The Mental Health Care Plan requires the GP to actually see the child (in person or by telehealth). The GP needs to make a clinical assessment, not just take parent report. Bring the child along, even if they’re reluctant – the GP will work with the family to make the assessment as comfortable as possible. For very young children (under 6), GPs often conduct a play-based observation rather than a formal interview.
What about consent – do I need my child’s consent to take them to a psychologist?
It depends on the child’s age and maturity. Children under about 14 are typically treated under parental consent, with the child’s assent (cooperation) sought as part of good practice. From around 14–15, “Gillick competence” applies in most Australian jurisdictions: a young person mature enough to understand the treatment can consent in their own right, and can also choose to keep some information from parents. Most psychologists explain confidentiality limits at session 1 – including that the psychologist may need to inform parents if there’s safety risk to the young person or others.
What is headspace and who is it for?
headspace is the national youth mental health foundation, federally funded, with around 150 centres across Australia. It’s free for young people aged 12–25 (no Medicare card or referral required), and offers mental health, physical health, work / study and alcohol and other drug support. Sessions are with psychologists, social workers, counsellors and youth workers, depending on the centre and the issue. Waitlists vary widely by centre – metropolitan centres can run 2–8 weeks, regional centres similar or shorter. Find your closest centre at headspace.org.au.
Is there a school psychologist my child can see?
School psychology service models vary by state and sector. Victoria: government schools have access to Department of Education Mental Health Practitioners (typically employed in secondary schools); Catholic and independent schools employ their own counsellors and psychologists. New South Wales: government schools share regional school counsellor / psychologist allocations; Catholic and independent schools have their own. Queensland: government schools have guidance officers (often AHPRA-registered psychologists), with specific allocations for student support. Speak to your child’s school principal or wellbeing coordinator about what’s available.
What’s the difference between a child psychologist, a school psychologist and a paediatrician?
A registered psychologist with experience in working with children can be called a “child psychologist” – there isn’t a separate AHPRA endorsement. The Educational and Developmental Psychology endorsement (one of the 9 AHPRA endorsements) is specifically for psychologists trained in learning and development across the lifespan – common skill set for ASD/ADHD assessment. A school psychologist is a psychologist working in an education setting (state DET, Catholic diocese, independent). A paediatrician is a medical doctor specialising in child health – they can diagnose ADHD and prescribe medication, which a psychologist cannot.
How do I get my child assessed for autism or ADHD?
Both pathways start with a GP or paediatrician. For autism: the most accepted Australian assessment standard involves a multidisciplinary team (paediatrician + psychologist + speech pathologist) using tools like ADOS-2 and DSM-5 criteria. Cost ranges from $1,500 to $4,000 private, with Medicare item 135 covering one paediatrician initial consult and various follow-up items. For ADHD: GP refers to paediatrician (under 18) or psychiatrist; psychologist conducts cognitive and behavioural assessment (Conners 3, BRIEF, cognitive assessment). Stimulant medication can only be prescribed by paediatrician or psychiatrist. State-specific authority-to-prescribe rules apply.
My teenager doesn’t want to see a psychologist – what can I do?
This is common and developmentally appropriate. Strategies that often work: (1) Let them choose the psychologist from a shortlist of 2–3; agency matters. (2) Frame the first session as “a check-in, not a commitment” – many young people relax once they’ve met the clinician. (3) Suggest headspace if the issue is mid-range; the youth-friendly framing helps. (4) Offer telehealth – many teens find video sessions less confronting than going to a clinic. (5) Don’t force it for issues short of safety risk; pushing too hard can entrench resistance. For safety concerns (suicidal ideation, self-harm), the threshold for involving the GP and psychologist is lower; safety overrides preference.
General information only. This is general information about child and adolescent psychology services in Australia, not clinical advice. School service models update from year to year – confirm current arrangements with your school principal or wellbeing coordinator. Speak with an AHPRA-registered psychologist for advice on your child’s specific situation.