Funding
Every Prep to Year 3 student at participating schools will be eligible to receive a free vision screening and, if required, further eye testing and free glasses.
In addition to $2.9 million made available in the 2023/24 Budget to continue the initiative through to 2027, a further $6.8 million in the 2024/25 Budget will now expand program access, making it available to a further 74,000 eligible students at an additional 473 eligible government schools.
Parental consent is required for vision screening, which is not compulsory. The initiative is managed and delivered by State Schools’ Relief and its partners, supported by the Department.
What the funding covers
Glasses for Kids provides free vision screening and, if needed, further testing and free glasses to participating Prep to Year 3 students.
At a scheduled Glasses for Kids school visit, participating students will be seen in small groups where:
- optometrists will conduct individual initial vision screenings
- students whose initial screen demonstrates that further assessment is required will receive additional vision testing
- for students requiring glasses, optometrists will order their prescriptions
- students choose their own frame in consultation with Glasses for Kids program staff
- schools are provided with written advice to each parent/carer detailing the outcome of the visit for all participating students to take home
- students requiring further investigation of eye health issues will be provided with a referral letter.
Glasses, for students who require them, are delivered to the school for distribution approximately three weeks after the screening.
Why it's important
Glasses for Kids supports families with the costs of eye-care by providing a convenient school-based vision screening and testing service. It also breaks the link between disadvantage and outcomes by promoting an awareness of eye health at an early age. Through the provision of free glasses, the program contributes to improved student learning and engagement and removes vision impairment as a barrier to accessing education and achievement.
This initiative breaks the link between disadvantage, access to eye healthcare professionals and learning outcomes. While the initiative is not means-tested at the family level, it is targeted to schools in less advantaged communities and the children who benefit the most come from families experiencing financial disadvantage.
If left unaddressed, a vision impairment can affect the lifelong learning capabilities of a child. Glasses for Kids helps alleviate this problem by providing an on-site service to children at their school, to address vision impairments in children who otherwise may have gone undiagnosed.
Eligibility
Glasses for Kids is delivered to targeted schools in disadvantaged areas across Victoria.
All Prep to Year 3 students in targeted schools are invited to participate.
How to apply
The Department of Education will invite eligible schools to participate in this program at least one term prior to a scheduled visit.
Schools are selected based on their relative levels of disadvantage.
Once a school principal accepts the program invite, parents/carers of all Prep to Year 3 students in the eligible school will be invited to participate.
Parents/carers must complete the consent form and eye-health questionnaire for their child to participate.
When it's available
State Schools’ Relief started delivery of the initiative to schools in 2015.
Delivery of the expanded Glasses for Kids program will roll out progressively through to 2027, with the schedule of school visits to be planned in partnership with State Schools Relief.
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