Sandra

Ok my daughter is only 11 and I hope the conversation is not necessary yet....but I like to think ahead

When you go to a doctor here you have to pay (Sydney area I am about $45) unless you find bulk bill (and it is becoming rarer).

So when I am having the adult conversations with my kids and telling them I am not the only source - ie they should talk to a doctor.........how the hell do they get medical advice? Without me knowing about it........they get charged! I have told both mine to take the medicare card that lives in a family place....talk and then if a bill comes back........I DO NOT ASK PROMISE

I am heading this the pill....to get some attention, but what if my son wants medical advice.....you get medicare cards - 1 per family unless you request more and been offered one more? - and medical care costs

So how do children get privacy?

I will wait till the aussies get on line in the morning ....but this bothers me with pre teen and teen ( I only know how much privacy I had when growing up in the UK with doctors and it was free) here I need to advise them....???

Thanks

saraliz

I believe all the states have family planning associations that run sexual health clinics. Have a look at http://www.fpa.net.au, or at http://www.fpahealth.org.au (for NSW). Many clinics are geared towards teens/young adults.

I know from experience that the clinics in Perth are run by the Family Planning Association of Western Australia (FPWA), which is a non-profit organisation. They run a clinic for under-25 year old's in Fremantle (http://www.fpwa-health.org.au/quarry.htm). The FPWA charge a yearly fee of $25 ($12 for students). They also charge an additional amount for contraceptives (from memory, about $15 for 6-months worth of birth control pills) - but there is no additional fee for their other services (including smears, breast/testicular exams, counselling, STI checks, etc.). They cater for both males & females, and are completely confidential. I assume other states would offer similar services.

It's definitely worth making sure that your kids know where your local clinic is - perhaps you could even pay the yearly fee for them each year, just in case