Referral Agent Guidelines
KidSport Eligibility
In usual circumstances, the eligibility for KidSport is as follows:
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Aged 5 – 18 years
Health Care or Concession Card Holder
Applicant’s primary place of residence must be in the local government they are
applying to.
What is a Referral Agent?
Under certain circumstances children who do not hold a Health Care or Concession Card
may be eligible for KidSport. To assess eligibility, the parent / guardian will need to approach
a Referral Agent for approval.
Who are Referral Agents?
Referral Agents can include, but are not limited to:
 School Teachers
 Doctors
 Police
 Social Workers
 Local Area Coordinators (employed by Disability Services Commission to support
people with disability by assisting with planning, coordination of services and
information provision)
Referral Agents must be registered with the local government in order to refer children to the
KidSport program.
How to Refer a Child to KidSport
To approve a child for KidSport, the Referral Agent must complete a local government
Referral Form and attach this to the KidSport voucher. local government
Once the Referral Agent has made a decision whether or not to approve them for the
program, they must let the parent / guardian know, and complete the details on the individual
child’s form.
Eligibility through the Referral Agent
There are a number of important points to consider before you refer a child to the KidSport
program.
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The Referral Agent should have good knowledge of the child’s background and feel
confident in understanding any specific issues that the child may be experiencing.
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To be eligible for KidSport through a Referral Agent, the child or their immediate
family must have experienced an ‘unforseen crisis’.
What is an ‘Unforseen Crisis’?
An ‘unforseen crisis’ is where the individual or family has to meet or will have to meet an
unexpected expense resulting from circumstances beyond their control.
Crisis situations are usually one-off situations which have a significant impact on an
individual or family. They do not relate to ongoing issues such as difficulties with budgeting.
If there are ongoing financial difficulties, then the Referral Agent should suggest that they
visit Centrelink or a Financial Counsellor for advice.
Examples of ‘unforseen crisis’ can include, but are not limited to:
 Death or serious illness of parent, guardian or sibling (causing expenditure on
medical bills, funerals etc.)
 Redundancy or sudden loss of income that is out of the control of the income earner
 Fire, flooding or other natural disaster causing significant damage to property and
that incurs unexpected costs.
 Situations when the child has been placed into temporary care / foster care and the
relevant concession cards are unavailable.
 Significant family breakdown where the normal household income has suddenly
become impacted.
Examples of situations that are not an ‘unforseen crisis’ may include:
 Expected expenditure such as car registration, household bills, general maintenance,
fines, traffic infringements, purchase of non-essential items, participation in activities.
 Sickness of family that does not incur significant medical expense.
Tips for Referral Agents
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Explain to the parent / guardian that Referral Agents can only be used for crisis
situations.
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Do not suggest ideas or examples of an ‘unforseen crisis’ that would be considered
as a legitimate reason to access KidSport funding. Simply listen to the parent /
guardian’s personal situation and make an assessment on whether this constitutes
as an ‘unforeseen crisis’.
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If you are in any doubt, do not complete the Referral Form. You can contact the local
government for clarification and make a decision when you are ready. You may also
ask for further proof if you have any doubts. This may include copies of medical bills
or accounts relating to property damage etc.
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Referral Agents should be aware that the Department of Sport and Recreation may
audit the KidSport Program at any given time. As a Referral Agent, you have a
responsibility to ensure that KidSport funds are allocated as the program intended
and to the best of your knowledge any information provided is correct.