Parents of Deaf Children (PODC) has advised parents that children with mild and unilateral hearing loss are eligible for NDIS early intervention under existing criteria.
Ms Suzanne Robertson, PODC president, said that after many months of advocacy alongside families, PODC had received an official CHAMP letter of support confirming this.
“CHAMP – Childhood Hearing Australasian Medical Professionals – is a network of Australia’s leading paediatric hearing specialists including ENT surgeons, paediatricians, audiologists and researchers who guide national best practice in childhood hearing care,” she said.
She said the CHAMP letter clarified that:
- The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) early-intervention criteria released in 2017 had not changed.
- Children aged 0–25 years who meet the audiometric thresholds are eligible.
It said eligibility was met when a child:
- Was between birth and 25 years old,
- has hearing loss ≥25 dB in either ear at two or more adjacent frequencies,
- the hearing loss is likely to be permanent or long-term, and
- requires personal amplification.
Robertson said that over the past couple of years, PODC had seen an increasing number of concerning examples where families had been denied NDIS access, told mild or unilateral hearing loss “doesn’t qualify”, were refused early supports or approved with fewer supports than the criteria allowed.
“These decisions often contradict both the NDIS criteria and evidence base,” she said.
To support families further, the CHAMP letter also includes links to key evidence and recommendations raised in a Federal Parliamentary Inquiry into Hearing Services — including material that strengthens the case for early intervention.
Robertson thanked Associate Professor Valerie Sung and Dr Karen Liddle for listening to families and bringing their experiences forward, and to CHAMP for producing such a clear and evidence-based resource.
A/Prof Sung is a paediatrician and principal research fellow at The Centre for Community Child Health, a department of The Royal Children’s Hospital and a research group of Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.
Dr Liddle is a community and developmental paediatrican at Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service.
“If you believe this letter may help with your child’s NDIS access or plan review, please reach out,” Robertson said. “PODC is happy to provide the letter and help guide you through your next steps.
“This is another positive step forward, made possible because families shared their stories and trusted PODC to advocate alongside them.”
People can contact PODC at info@podc.org.au.
