School Enrolment, Medicare and Passport With a Parenting Order in Australia
Getting the parenting order sealed was the hard part. Using it should be straightforward — but schools, Medicare, and the passport office each have their own rules about what they need to see and who counts as an authorised person. Here is exactly what to bring and what to expect at each agency.
What Your Sealed Parenting Order Actually Proves
A sealed parenting order made under Part VII of the Family Law Act 1975 is a binding court order. In WA, non-married or de facto parenting matters are governed by the Family Court Act 1997 (WA). The order names you as the person with whom the child lives or who holds parental responsibility for major long-term decisions — or both, depending on how the order is worded.
Third-party institutions — schools, Medicare, the Australian Passport Office — are not courts. They do not interpret the order's legal weight the same way a judge does. They look for specific phrases: "live with," "parental responsibility," or "major long-term issues including education and health." If your order uses those words, the administrative path is much smoother.
Keep a certified copy of the sealed order available for agencies that ask to see it. For a passport application relying on a court order, bring the original(s) of all orders relating to the child and a completed B7 form. Check each agency's document requirements before lodging.
School Enrolment
Each state and territory has its own school-enrolment rules, but the practical requirements are similar. To enrol a child, a school needs proof that you have authority to make decisions about the child's education.
What to bring:
- The sealed parenting order or a certified copy — ask whether the school needs to sight the original
- The child's birth certificate or a certified extract
- Proof of the child's address (a utility bill or bank statement showing where you and the child live)
- Immunisation history from the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) — available through myGov or by calling 1800 653 809
- Any existing school reports or transfer documentation if the child was previously enrolled elsewhere
What schools look for in the order:
The school will check whether the order names you as the person with whom the child lives and whether it gives you responsibility for major long-term decisions including education. If the order allocates sole parental responsibility for education to you, the school can act on your enrolment and consent requests without contacting the parents.
If the order allocates joint responsibility for education, the responsible people must consult with each other and make a genuine effort to reach a joint decision. The order's terms guide the school's assessment of your authority.
State-specific notes:
- NSW: Under the Education Act 1990, the "person who has parental responsibility" can enrol. Present the sealed order at the school office.
- Victoria: The Department of Education accepts parenting orders as proof of care. Regional schools sometimes ask for a letter from a community legal centre confirming the arrangement.
- Queensland: State schools require the enrolment form to be signed by a person with parental responsibility. Present the order to show who holds that responsibility under its terms.
- Western Australia: If your parenting order was made by the Family Court of Western Australia under the Family Court Act 1997, the same principles apply — present the sealed order.
If a school refuses to enrol the child, ask them to put the refusal in writing and contact the relevant education department or regional office. A sealed order can establish who has authority to make education decisions, while enrolment remains subject to the applicable school requirements.
Medicare
Adding a grandchild to your Medicare card — or getting a separate card for the child — requires evidence that the child is in your care. A parenting order is the strongest proof.
Option 1 — Add the child to your existing card:
Use Services Australia's Application to copy or transfer from one Medicare card to another and provide supporting documents, which can include:
- The certified sealed parenting order
- The child's birth certificate
- Your Medicare card
- The child's existing Medicare number if they had one (check their Immunisation History Statement for the number)
Services Australia assesses each application; providing supporting documents does not guarantee approval. The child's Medicare number stays the same — only the card they appear on changes.
Option 2 — New separate card for the child:
For a child under 15, use the copy-or-transfer form. A child aged 15 or older can use the separate online process to manage their Medicare card, subject to Services Australia's eligibility requirements.
What this means in practice:
Once the child is on your Medicare card, you can:
- Use the child's Medicare details for eligible health services; whether you can consent to treatment depends on your authority and the order's terms
- Claim Medicare rebates for the child's medical expenses
- For a child under 14, access or create their My Health Record online if you have parental responsibility and the child is on the same Medicare card; otherwise, check the eligibility rules for becoming an authorised representative. A child aged 14 or older manages their own record unless they lack capacity.
For non-emergency medical procedures that fall under "major long-term health decisions" — things like elective surgery, orthodontic work, or mental health treatment plans — the order's allocation of parental responsibility for health determines who can consent. If you hold sole responsibility, you consent. If it is shared, the medical provider may require evidence of consultation with the other party.
Free Download
Get the Parenting Orders Checklist
Everything in this article as a printable checklist — plus action plans and reference guides you can start using today.
Passport
Passport applications for children under 18 require the consent of every person with parental responsibility — or a court order that overrides that requirement. This is where parenting orders and passport applications frequently collide.
The Australian Passport Office's default rule:
Every person with parental responsibility must consent by completing the consent sections of the application form. If an order removes a person's parental responsibility, you do not need that person's consent, but provide all relevant orders to the Passport Office. An Australian court order that permits the child to have a passport, travel internationally, or live or spend time with someone outside Australia can also allow an application without full parental consent.
What actually works:
If your parenting order permits the child to have an Australian passport, travel internationally, or live or spend time with someone outside Australia, provide it with the application. When relying on a court order, include the original(s) of all relevant orders and a completed B7 form.
If your order does not mention passports or travel:
- You can ask the court for an order expressly permitting the child to have an Australian passport or travel internationally. This can be done as a standalone application.
- You can also ask the court to include passport and travel clauses when your main parenting order is being drafted — adding them at the consent orders stage costs nothing extra.
What to bring to the post office or the Australian Passport Office:
- Completed child passport application form (available at passports.gov.au)
- The child's birth certificate (full certificate, not an extract)
- The original(s) of all court orders relating to the child and a completed B7 form, if relying on an order instead of full parental consent
- Your own identification (passport or driver's licence)
- A passport-sized photo of the child meeting current specifications
Processing time: Allow at least six weeks for a child passport application. Applications without full parental consent can take longer, so wait for approval before booking travel.
Airport watchlists: If there is any risk that a parent might take the child overseas without your consent, you can ask the court for an order requesting the Australian Federal Police to add the child to the Family Law Watchlist (formerly the Airport Watchlist). The order can restrict the child's departure without permission. This is a separate application from the parenting order itself.
When the Order Is Not Enough
Some agencies — particularly private health insurers, private schools, and overseas consulates — may not immediately recognise a parenting order. If you encounter resistance:
- Ask the institution to identify exactly which provision or policy requires them to refuse
- Provide a plain-language cover letter explaining the order, ideally drafted with help from a community legal centre
- Contact the institution's complaints or escalation pathway
A sealed parenting order can establish your authority, but its effect depends on the terms of the order and the decision involved. Institutions may need to review the order and their applicable requirements. If an institution refuses to act on it, ask for written reasons and seek advice about the specific decision.
Pulling It All Together
The Parenting Orders for Grandparents and Relatives guide includes post-order checklists for school enrolment, Medicare, Centrelink, and passport applications — each one listing the exact documents, the agency contact, and the order clauses the agency needs to see. If you are still preparing your application, the guide walks through the entire court process from family dispute resolution through to final orders.
Get Your Free Parenting Orders Checklist
Download the Parenting Orders Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.