Who is Shield Health Support?
One of our amazing tutors, Bristie doing what she does best!
We are a veteran-owned and operated company with two businesses dedicated to delivering better educational outcomes for veterans’ children! This is our passion, and we are incredibly proud of the work we have accomplished so far.
Our owner, Jesse, an ex-Army member, witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by Australian Defence Force (ADF) members’ children in their education. His mates on deployment wouldn’t see their kids for six months or more, and many families were posted to new locations every two years.
This constant movement meant the children had to transition from schools they were comfortable in to unfamiliar ones, often every two years. To make matters worse, what if there are only a few schools in the area, limiting the family’s options based on where Defence housing is located? What if the child has learning difficulties? Or if the parent sustains injuries and has to discharge from the ADF?
The sad reality is that our men and women sacrifice so much for our country, but one unintended sacrifice is the impact on their children's education. The Defence lifestyle is tough on families, and many academic challenges arise for the children of current and former Defence members. This has become an increasing concern within the Defence and ex-Defence community.
In 2019, the Australian Defence Force Family Survey revealed that the biggest concern for families regarding the Defence lifestyle was their children's education. You can access the survey here.
So, who are we?
We are an organisation dedicated to addressing the educational needs of Defence and ex-Defence children.
Our two businesses, Shield Tuition and Shield Health Support, work directly with Defence and ex-Defence families to secure government funding for their children’s educational needs. We do this in two key ways:
DVA Tutoring
Shield Tuition collaborates with veterans within the Education Schemes to help them access DVA Additional Tuition. This is a DVA claim that provides veterans with funding to cover school tutoring for their children. Shield Tuition manages the entire claims process, ensuring the school completes the DVA claim correctly, and submits it to DVA. Once approved, we provide a Shield Tuition tutor who will work directly with your child and meet the DVA Additional Tuition requirements.
DVA-Funded Allied Health Services
Where appropriate, children can access allied health services to help them reach their full academic potential. DVA can provide up to $3,000 in special assistance for children with suspected (not yet diagnosed but in the process) or confirmed special needs. This funding can be used for a psychoeducational assessment for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or ADHD, or for occupational therapy to conduct a functional capacity assessment and provide ongoing therapy. Through these allied health supports, children of veterans receive better care, a clearer understanding of the barriers to their academic success, and a defined path towards better educational outcomes.
Both of our businesses share the same mission: to enhance the education of veteran children. We believe that by helping the veteran’s family, we are directly supporting the veteran as well.
