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Real Support Right Now overview

Information and resources for parents and carers to help your family with the cost of living.

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The Victorian Government has policies and programs in schools to help your family with the cost of living.

Check with your child’s school to see if they offer these programs.

School Breakfast Clubs

More than 1,200 Victorian public schools have a School Breakfast Club program.

School Breakfast Clubs offer:

Foodbank Victoria have provided more than 60 million meals in schools since the program began in 2016.

Each school breakfast club is run by the school, for the school. Check with your child’s school about School Breakfast Clubs.

To learn more, visit School Breakfast Clubs program(opens in a new window).

More affordable uniforms

From 2026, uniforms at Victorian public schools with a dress code cannot include school logos on pants, shorts, skirts, skorts, leggings or socks. This helps reduce uniform costs for families.

Schools can also help families by:

Ask your school for support if you are having difficulty with the cost of school uniforms.

To learn more, visit: School uniforms(opens in a new window).

Free period products

Free pads and tampons are available in every Victorian public primary, secondary and specialist school.

Access to free period products helps:

Pads and tampons are available in dispensers at school for students who need them. Check with your school about the location of the dispensers.

To learn more, visit: Free period products in all government schools(opens in a new window).

Glasses for Kids

The Glasses for Kids program offers free vision screening for Prep to Year 3 students at eligible schools. Students can also get further free vision testing and glasses if they need them.

State Schools’ Relief runs the program in targeted schools across Victoria. Your school will contact you about free vision screening if it is eligible.

Select schools are eligible for the Glasses for Kids program and are visited by the program on a rolling basis. Ask your child’s school if they are taking part.

Getting glasses through the Glasses for Kids program can help your child to see better. This makes it easier for them to learn, read and play at school. Good vision helps children do their best in class and feel more confident every day.

The program is optional. Parental consent is required before students take part.

To learn more, visit: Glasses for Kids(opens in a new window).

Smile Squad dental checks

Smile Squad provides free dental care for all Victorian public school students.

It offers:

If your child’s school chooses to participate, they will let parents and carers know when Smile Squad will be visiting. The program is optional. Parental consent is required before students take part.

To learn more, visit: Smile Squad(opens in a new window).

Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund helps eligible families with the costs of:

Eligible families can submit an application to their child’s school.

The amount that eligible families receive increased to $400 per child from 1 January 2026.

To learn more, visit Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund(opens in a new window).

Doctors in Secondary Schools

The Doctors in Secondary Schools program helps students in 100 Victorian public secondary schools. Doctors and nurses spend one day a week providing free healthcare to students at those schools.

The program aims to:

Doctors in Secondary Schools general practitioners (GPs) provide students with the same services as those provided by GPs in the community. This includes management of physical and mental health in a youth-friendly environment.

To learn more, visit Doctors in secondary schools(opens in a new window).

Further support for families

Free Kinder

Children can attend a kindergarten program for free at participating services in Victoria, saving families almost $2,700 per child each year.

The Free Kinder program is available to children enrolled in funded:

Free Kinder is for everyone.

You do not need to have a Health Care Card or Pension Card, Australian citizenship, or proof of address. You also do not need to be eligible for Australian Government Child Care Subsidy (CCS) to receive Free Kinder.

Children can attend a kinder program at a:

To learn more, visit: Find A Kinder Program(opens in a new window).

Education & trainingParents & carers

Updated 27 March 2026

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