Moving to Australia with Kids: Essential First Steps & Tips
Landing in Australia with a kid is an exciting adventure. But beyond the initial thrill there are a few essential things to sort out to ensure a smooth transition for your family. I migrated to Australia with my 6-year-old kid and we settled in Melbourne. So, I hope these tips will be helpful for you to settle comfortably if you are here with a kid.
1. Settling in and soothing little travelers
The initial days can be a whirlwind. Both you and your child might experience a sense of displacement. Its crucial to create a comforting environment. Unpack familiar items like their favorite toy or blanket immediately. Explore your local surroundings together, a nearby park, a small café these little excursions can make a big difference in helping them feel secure and happy in their new environment.
2. Navigating Melbourne: Your myki guide
Melbourne claims an excellent public transport network of trains, trams and buses all accessible with a myki card. You can purchase a reusable myki card from the airport, major train stations, designated kiosks and many convenience stores including seven eleven. Remember each person including children aged 5-18 needs their own myki card to travel legally. While children aged 4 and under travel for free those between 5 and 18 are entitled to concession fairs. To access these concession fairs you need to obtain a concession myki card and provide proof of age such as a passport or for older children a student ID.
3. Prioritizing health: Vaccination and Immunization
Upon arrival one of the first health related tasks is to ensure your child’s vaccination records are recognized in Australia. Bring their official vaccination history with you. To integrate this information into the Australian Immunization Register you need to visit a local general practitioner or contact your local council’s health services. Once updated you will receive notifications about any upcoming vaccinations. This step is crucial as up to date immunization records are often required for school and childcare enrollment as well as for claiming the childcare subsidy.
4. Understanding the Australian health care system
Navigating health care with children requires understanding the Australian system. If you have private health insurance, ensure its active and covers common pediatric health concerns. For permanent residents and eligible visa holders enrolling in Medicare, Australia’s public health care system is essential. You can typically enroll online through the services Australia website or by visiting a Medicare office. For non-emergency health issues your first point of contact will be a general practitioner at a local medical clinic. If your child needs to see a specialist like a pediatrician a referral from your GP is usually required. In case of medical emergency dial 000 for ambulance services or go directly to the emergency department of a public hospital.
5. IHI: Individual Health Care Identifier
Its also important to obtain an Individual Health care Identifier for your child. This is a unique number used to identify them within the health care system. For children under 14 you might not be able to apply for this online and may need to complete a paper form or do it through another process.
6. Education in Victoria: enrolling your child in school
Once you are more settled, enrolling school aged children is the next key step. In Victoria education is compulsory from around the age of 5. The school system is divided into pre-school / kindergarten, primary school and secondary school. To find the designated public school for your residential address you can often use online tools available on the Victorian department of education website. While your child is guaranteed a place at their designated school you can also apply to other schools though acceptance will depend on factors like availability.
After identifying potential schools, I highly recommend contacting them to arrange a school tour. This provides invaluable insights into the school’s environment, facilities and community. Once you have chosen a school contact their enrolment office to inquire about the specific processes and required documentation. For Victorian government schools, the process generally involves filling out enrolment forms and submitting documents such as your child’s birth certificate, passport, vaccination records, visa details and proof of your residential address. Depending on your visa category you may be required to pay school fees.
7. Essential for little travelers : Car seats
If you plan to purchase a car, remember that Australian law mandates the use of appropriate car seats for children based on their age and size. Familiarize yourself with these regulations and ensure you have a complied car set professionally installed before transporting your child.
Taking care of these essentials upon arrival will make a big difference in your family’s settlement in Australia.
