TERMS & CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
These terms apply to all services provided by Focused Mental Education Pty Ltd (ABN 56 678 167 765) (“FME”, “we”, “us”) and form part of every quote and invoice we issue. By accepting a quote, confirming a booking, issuing a purchase order or paying an invoice, you (the client) agree to these terms, including telling participants about the terms that affect them. If we have both signed a separate agreement, it prevails over these terms to the extent of any inconsistency.
In summary: services are paid in full before delivery unless we have agreed otherwise in writing; no surcharge applies to card payments; booked participant numbers remain payable; Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) courses must meet the requirements of Mental Health First Aid Australia (MHFA Australia); and if you cancel, blended online MHFA places are non-refundable once eLearning is assigned. Different rules apply to NDIS funded supports (clause 4.1).
1. Payment and Quotes
1.1 Payment before delivery. Unless we have agreed other arrangements with you in writing, all services must be paid in full before delivery, before MHFA eLearning is assigned and before we begin developing any bespoke service. A purchase order or supplier agreement that we accept is an agreement in writing, and payment is then due by the due date as stated on our invoice.
1.2 No card surcharges. Following the Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision to remove card surcharges from 1 October 2026, no surcharge applies to any card payment. Rather than pass card processing costs on to our clients through higher prices, we have chosen to absorb these costs ourselves.
1.3 Bank transfer preferred. Where feasible, we encourage payment by bank transfer, as this better supports us as a small Australian business. Please use your invoice number as the payment reference. To pay by card, please call us on (02) 8044 3365.
1.4 Payment security. We will never change our bank details by email. If you receive a request to pay into different account details, please call us on (02) 8044 3365, as listed on www.fme.com.au, before making any payment.
1.5 Late payment. If an invoice for services already delivered remains unpaid 30 days after its due date, we may, at our discretion, charge a late payment fee of $100, and a further $100 for each additional 30 days it remains unpaid, up to a total equal to the original invoice amount. These fees reflect our follow-up costs and the impact of late payment on a small business. We will send a written reminder at least 7 days before any fee is charged. Each fee is invoiced separately and does not itself attract a late payment fee. No late payment fee applies to services not yet delivered. However, late payment may affect the delivery of the course or service you have requested, including the assignment of eLearning and our ability to hold your booked date.
1.6 Quotes. Quotes are valid until the expiry date shown and are based on the details you provide, including participant numbers, delivery mode, dates and location. If these details change, we may issue a revised quote.
1.7 Delivery location. Our standard quotes are based on delivery online or in metropolitan areas near our Mount Annan base. Delivery interstate will attract additional charges for travel, accommodation and related costs. Delivery in regional or remote areas of Australia may also attract these charges, depending on factors such as distance from our base, the length of delivery and any specific requirements you request. Any additional charges will be itemised in your quote.
1.8 Competitive quotes. We aim to remain competitive and will do our best to match or beat a current written quote from a comparable provider for the same service, including the same course, delivery mode, participant numbers, location and inclusions. A copy of the competitor’s quote or invoice must be supplied before you accept our quote so we can apply any discount. This does not apply to quotes from not-for-profit organisations, which often receive subsidised funding from other agencies that we are unable to compete with.
1.9 Not-for-profit and charity discount. We are proud to support communities, not-for-profit organisations and charities across Australia. Where we apply our 15% not-for-profit or charity discount, we may ask for proof of your organisation’s status, such as its ACNC registration. If the discount has not been applied, we may not have known your organisation is a not-for-profit or charity. Please contact us and let us know so we can update your quote or invoice accordingly.
1.10 Price changes. MHFA Australia and the NDIS may update their pricing periodically throughout each year. As an organisation that promotes affordable mental health services, we do our best to absorb these increases wherever possible. However, as a small business, there will be times when they increase the cost of our services so that we can continue operating. Please be aware that prices may have changed since you last booked a service with us. Quoted prices remain fixed until the quote’s expiry date (clause 1.6), and once you accept a quote, the price for that booking will not change. For NDIS supports, clause 4.1 applies.
1.11 Currency and GST. All amounts are in Australian dollars. GST is shown on your quote or invoice where it applies. NDIS supports are generally GST-free.
2. Participant Numbers, Changes and Cancellations
2.1 Booked numbers remain payable. The number of participants on your quote or invoice remains payable, including for anyone who does not attend on the day.
2.2 Reducing numbers. Any reduction in participant numbers must be notified to us in writing at least 48 hours before the course starts. Where pricing is per person, places removed with this notice are credited in full, except blended online places once eLearning has been assigned (clause 2.4). Reductions notified with less notice remain payable. Where a quote is based on a minimum number of participants, that minimum remains payable. Reducing a booking to no participants is treated as a cancellation under clause 2.5.
2.3 Class sizes and adding participants. MHFA Australia requires a minimum of 6 participants and a maximum of 12 participants for online delivery or 24 participants for face-to-face delivery. Participant numbers for bespoke services are as agreed between FME and the hiring organisation. Additional participants may be added on the day of delivery, subject to available places and, for MHFA courses, the maximum class size set by MHFA Australia. Payment for additional participants is due immediately. Participants cannot be added on the day for blended online courses, as the eLearning must be completed beforehand.
2.4 Blended online courses. Once a participant’s eLearning has been assigned, the fee for their place remains payable and is non-refundable, and the place cannot be withdrawn, removed or swapped with another person, because MHFA Australia issues eLearning to each named person, we pay MHFA Australia for it at that point, and it cannot be reused. This applies even if you later cancel the whole booking. Once we receive a participant’s details, we will assign their MHFA eLearning to that person without further notice, so changing your mind after that point does not make the place refundable. Please send participant details only once your participants are confirmed. This does not apply if we cancel (clause 2.6), and nothing in it limits your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.
2.5 Cancellation policy. Cancellations must be made in writing. If you cancel a whole booking, the share of total payments made shown below is refunded, based on the notice we receive before the first course or service date. This scale does not apply to blended online places once eLearning has been assigned, which are non-refundable (clause 2.4).
NOTICE RECEIVED BEFORE THE FIRST COURSE OR SERVICE DATE:
More than 30 calendar days
REFUND OF TOTAL PAYMENTS MADE:
75%
NOTICE RECEIVED BEFORE THE FIRST COURSE OR SERVICE DATE:
15 to 30 calendar days
REFUND OF TOTAL PAYMENTS MADE:
50%
NOTICE RECEIVED BEFORE THE FIRST COURSE OR SERVICE DATE:
8 to 14 calendar days
REFUND OF TOTAL PAYMENTS MADE:
25%
NOTICE RECEIVED BEFORE THE FIRST COURSE OR SERVICE DATE:
7 calendar days or less
REFUND OF TOTAL PAYMENTS MADE:
No refund (0%)
Unless we have agreed other payment arrangements in writing (clause 1.1), a booking is not secured until payment is received. Where such an agreement is in place and you have not yet paid, the amount we would otherwise keep remains payable. These amounts reflect the preparation, administration and booking costs we incur and the dates we hold for you. Refunds are paid to the account or card used for payment. Changes to individual places are covered by clauses 2.2 and 2.4. Confirmed bookings cannot be rescheduled. A request to change a confirmed date is treated as a cancellation under this policy, unless we agree otherwise in writing. For more details of this policy, please contact us.
2.6 If we need to cancel. If we must cancel or postpone a booking because of illness, an emergency or other circumstances beyond our control, we will work with you to arrange a suitable new date or an alternative appropriately accredited instructor or facilitator. Where we cannot, we may offer a refund of payments made for services not yet delivered. This does not limit your rights under the Australian Consumer Law (clause 4.4).
3. Course Delivery and Participant Requirements
3.1 Online delivery. Online sessions are delivered through Microsoft Teams, as it is the most widely used and accepted platform among our clients, most of which are Australian government agencies. Each participant needs a reliable internet connection and a device with a working camera and microphone.
3.2 Cameras on. To meet MHFA Australia’s attendance requirements, we need to see each participant on screen throughout every session. Please check that your camera is working beforehand and plan to keep it on for the whole session. Participants who are not visible on screen may not meet the attendance requirements. Keeping cameras on also helps us create a more connected and supportive learning environment.
3.3 eLearning first. For blended online courses, the eLearning is mandatory and must be completed before attending the instructor-led sessions, as required by MHFA Australia. We will provide regular eLearning progress reports to the key contact person or people who arranged the service with us until the instructor-led component is delivered.
3.4 Certificates. MHFA certificates are issued only to participants who meet MHFA Australia’s attendance and completion requirements. Arriving late, leaving early or missing part of a course may affect eligibility. Accreditation as a Mental Health First Aider also requires completing MHFA Australia’s assessment.
3.5 Refresher courses. To attend an MHFA Refresher course, participants must show that they completed a full MHFA course (not a refresher) within the past three years, as required by MHFA Australia. We are not responsible where a participant does not meet these requirements before their accreditation lapses.
3.6 Onsite delivery. Please provide a suitable indoor training space with presentation technology ready to use, such as a screen or projector with a HDMI connection and access to power. If suitable technology is not available, please give us adequate notice so we know what we need to deliver the service appropriately. We typically bring a laptop, a portable speaker, a HDMI cable and an extension lead. Please also tell us about any site induction, security, parking or access requirements, and ensure the venue is safe for participants and our facilitator.
3.7 Participant details for MHFA courses. To register participants with MHFA Australia, we need for each participant:
(a) their full name, exactly as they wish it to appear on their certificate;
(b) their preferred email address, where course communications, eLearning assignments and outcome information will be sent; and
(c) their preferred mobile phone number. This is never used for marketing. It allows us to follow up information with participants where needed, and for online courses MHFA Australia asks instructors to hold each participant’s number so we can check in on their wellbeing if they leave a session unexpectedly.
Please provide these details when confirming your booking, after letting each participant know and referring them to our Privacy Policy (clause 4.2). We use them to register participants with MHFA Australia, check on wellbeing, report eLearning progress to the booking organisation and issue certificates. Where we do not have all of a participant’s details, we may not be able to enter them into the MHFA Australia portal or supply their materials. Where details are provided incorrectly, we may not be able to verify their credentials with MHFA Australia so they can obtain their accreditation.
3.8 Wellbeing. Courses discuss mental health topics that some people may find distressing. Participants may step away at any time and are encouraged to look after their wellbeing. Our courses are educational and are not a substitute for counselling or crisis support. For immediate support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, or call 000 in an emergency. We also have a range of readily available resources in the Resources section of our website, www.fme.com.au/resources, and we recommend people refer to these as well.
3.9 Accessibility and age. Please tell us before the course about any accessibility or support needs so we can make reasonable adjustments. NDIS services are provided to people aged 17 years and over. All other services, including MHFA courses, are provided to people aged 18 years and over. Where an NDIS participant is under 18, a parent, guardian or authorised representative must accept these terms.
3.10 No recording. To protect everyone’s privacy and psychological safety, participants must not record, photograph or screen capture any session.
3.11 Continuing professional development (CPD). Many of our courses may count towards CPD. It is each participant’s responsibility to confirm eligibility and recording requirements with their own professional body.
3.12 Conduct and safety. We aim to provide a respectful and psychologically safe learning environment for everyone. We may ask a participant to leave, or pause or end a session, if their behaviour is disrespectful, unsafe or disruptive. Where this happens, no refund applies for that participant.
3.13 Disclosures and duty of care. Participants are asked not to share identifying details about other people during sessions. If a participant discloses a serious risk to their own safety or the safety of someone else, we may need to act on it in line with our duty of care, which can include contacting emergency services or other appropriate supports.
4. NDIS Supports, Privacy and General
4.1 NDIS supports. For services funded under a participant’s NDIS plan, the participant’s service agreement and the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits in force at the time apply and take priority over these terms. Our charges will not exceed the NDIS price limits, clauses 1.1, 1.5, 1.7 and 2.1 to 2.5 do not apply, and all cancellations, including short notice cancellations and no-shows, are handled under the NDIS rules and the service agreement. We invoice NDIS supports only after they are delivered.
4.2 Privacy. We handle personal information in line with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles and applicable state and territory health records laws. Participant details are shared with MHFA Australia to register participants and issue certificates. Our Privacy Policy is available at www.fme.com.au/privacy-policy.
4.3 Intellectual property. Course materials remain the property of FME or MHFA Australia, as applicable, and must not be copied, shared or reproduced without written permission. Unless we agree otherwise in writing, FME retains ownership of bespoke materials it develops, and you may use them within your organisation.
4.4 Your rights. Nothing in these terms excludes, restricts or modifies any right or remedy you have under the Australian Consumer Law.
4.5 Feedback, complaints and disputes. We welcome your feedback. Please contact us on (02) 8044 3365 or at info@fme.com.au. NDIS participants may also contact the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission on 1800 035 544. If a dispute arises, you agree to raise it with us first and work with us in good faith to resolve it before taking any formal action.
4.6 Insurance. We hold professional indemnity and public and products liability insurance for our training, education, consultancy and NDIS services, and workers compensation insurance as required by law. Certificates of currency are available on request.
4.7 Changes and governing law. We may update these terms from time to time. The terms on your quote or invoice apply to that booking. These terms are governed by the laws of New South Wales.
5. How to contact us
Questions about these terms, feedback and complaints can be directed to:
Focused Mental Education Pty Ltd
PO Box 7370
Mount Annan NSW 2567
Email: info@fme.com.au
Phone: (02) 8044 3365
ABN 56 678 167 765
ACN 678 167 765
Effective date: Thursday 1st October 2026
Last reviewed: Thursday 1st October 2026