Reference guide for carers – being healthy

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

The Child Safety Service will be the child or young person’s representative in relation to the NDIS.

You can request that the Child Safety Service provide the NDIS with consent for you to support the child or young person with a NDIS access request, using their existing plan or speaking with NDIS support coordinators and providers.

Smoking and vaping

E-cigarettes and vapes are treated the same as tobacco cigarettes under Tasmanian law. It is illegal for a child or young person under the age of 18 to smoke or vape.

You have an important role in protecting a child or young person in your care from smoking and vaping. The most important thing you can do, is to talk to your child or young person about smoking, vaping and other drugs.

For more information and advice relating to smoking and vaping please refer to Vaping: Information and advice for parents and carers, The Facts About Vaping, or E-cigarettes and Vaping.

For culturally sensitive support Quitline has Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander counsellors who are able to provide support, please refer to the Quitline for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities website or call 13 78 48.

Sex and contraception

In Tasmania no one is legally allowed to have sex with anyone under the age of 17 years. For more information relating to sex and the law, please refer to What is consent? eSafety Commissioner website.

There are no age restrictions to accessing contraception such as condoms and spermicides at the supermarket or pharmacy. There are also no age restrictions to a young person seeking medical advice for contraception without parent or guardian consent, and may be prescribed contraception if deemed appropriate to do so by the doctor, without parent or guardian consent.

You can talk to children and young people about understanding their bodies, gender, puberty and sexuality. When doing this you must consider the developmental age, maturity and individual circumstances of the child or young person when having these conversations.

For more information and advice on these conversations please refer to Talk Soon Talk Often Booklet and Respectful Relationships – Bullying Stops Here.

If you have concerns, queries or need further guidance, please contact the Child Safety Service or Care Team, if one is in place.

Medical appointments

While a child or young person is able to see a doctor without needing consent from a parent or guardian, a doctor can only provide medical treatment or prescription medication if a person is able to provide informed consent (except in emergency situations).

In most cases, informed consent must be provided by a parent or guardian. However, a child or young person under the age of 18 may be able to provide consent for medical treatment, if they are deemed to be a mature minor by a doctor. This will depend on their level of maturity and understanding, and other factors. For more information please refer to Young people’s rights at the doctor in Tasmania.

Where a child or young person is not deemed a mature minor, or is unable to provide consent themselves, you can make appointments for general medical needs (including immunisations, taking the child or young person to a doctor and specialist appointments).

You can provide consent and permission for the child or young person to have minor and low-risk, non-invasive health services, such as blood tests or x-rays, and can have prescriptions filled and you can administer medications as prescribed.

You must inform the Child Safety Service about all appointments, medical treatments and any medications that have been prescribed.

Planned significant medical treatments and invasive procedures, such as operations or other procedures involving admission to hospital, must be approved by the Child Safety Service.

Emergency care

In an emergency where there is risk of death or serious injury if medical treatment is not immediately provided, you can provide consent for the child or young person. A medical practitioner can do whatever is necessary to avoid death or serious injury without needing to seek consent from anyone and may proceed, even if a parent or guardian refuses consent.

Where it is not reasonable or possible to contact the Child Safety Service in an emergency situation, you must inform the Child Safety Service of any emergency or urgent care required/ provided for a child or young person in your care, as soon as possible.

Dental appointments

You can make appointments and sign forms for general dental requirements (cleaning, fillings, x-rays), but major dental or orthodontic treatments (extractions, root canals) must be approved by the Child Safety Service. You must inform the Child Safety Service about all appointments and dental treatments.

Published June 2, 2026