Eligibility is determined based on the child's age and not on whether he or she attends school. The child's state of health is not taken into consideration either. The child must be aged :
- 4 to 16 on 30 September of the school year for which the supplement is
OR
- 4 to 17 on 30 September of the school year for which the supplement is paid, if the person who has custody is receiving the supplement for handicapped children for that child.
In Québec, school attendance is mandatory from ages 6 to 16. However, most children attend the optional year of full-time kindergarten a year earlier. Some handicapped children or children who live in underprivileged areas may also attend pre-kindergarten at 4 years of age.