Is bulk billing available for a child psychologist?

Sometimes, but it's the exception rather than the rule in private practice. Community health services and some clinics bulk-bill children more often than they bulk-bill adults. Ask directly when you call to book — don't assume either way.

What's the difference between a psychologist and a clinical psychologist for the rebate?

A clinical psychologist holds additional postgraduate training and a specific registration endorsement, and attracts a higher Medicare rebate — $149.05 against $101.55 for a registered psychologist, at 2026 rates. Both can work well with children; the rebate gap reflects qualifications, not automatically a better fit for your child.

Child Psychologist Cost in Australia: The Real Numbers

The short version: private fees commonly sit between $150 and $330 a session, Medicare rebates part of that if your child has a Mental Health Treatment Plan, and the rest is the gap you pay yourself.

The full pathway to finding a child psychologist covers the referral process end to end. This piece is just the numbers, laid out plainly.

What a session actually costs

The Australian Psychological Society’s suggested fee for a standard 46–60 minute session is $330, though what you’re actually quoted varies by state, by practitioner experience, and by whether you’re seeing a registered psychologist or a clinical psychologist. In practice, many families pay somewhere in the $150–$300 range.

That’s the full fee, before any rebate.

How the Medicare rebate works

Once your GP has written a Mental Health Treatment Plan (still often called a Mental Health Care Plan), Medicare rebates part of each session, for up to 10 individual sessions per calendar year:

$101.55 per session with a registered (general) psychologist
$149.05 per session with a clinical psychologist

These are 2026 rates and they do move, so treat them as the current baseline rather than a fixed number.

The gap, with real numbers

Say your psychologist charges $250 and you’re seeing a clinical psychologist. Medicare rebates $149.05. You pay the $100.95 gap. See a registered psychologist charging $200, and the $101.55 rebate leaves a $98.45 gap. The exact gap depends entirely on what your practitioner charges, which is worth asking upfront rather than after the first session.

Where bulk billing fits in

Some clinics bulk-bill children, meaning no gap payment at all — but it’s not the default, and plenty of private practices don’t offer it. Community health centres and some public services bulk-bill more consistently than private practices do. Ask when you book, not when you get the invoice.

Telehealth: same rebate, often shorter waits

Telehealth sessions attract the same Medicare rebate as in-person ones, and waitlists are often shorter — useful to know if the practitioner you want has a long queue for face-to-face appointments. It tends to work well for older kids in particular.

Money is one more thing to work out on top of an already hard decision, and it’s fair to feel that. Once you’ve found the right person, the big feelings guides cover the everyday strategies that help while you wait for the first appointment — and if you’re not sure a psychologist is even the right kind of support, OT vs psychologist vs behaviour therapist explains who does what.

This article is general parenting guidance, not clinical advice, and is not a substitute for seeing a qualified professional. If you are worried about your child, our finding support guides explain where to start in Australia.