A Thriving Kids Update and What Families Are Asking

The Minister for Health and Ageing, Disability and the NDIS, Mark Butler MP, announced further details about Thriving Kids, alongside the release of the Thriving Kids Advisory Group report. The National Cabinet has committed $4 billion over five years to the program.

While the announcement provides clearer direction for families, it remains high-level, with many details still being worked through.

Here’s what we know so far.

When Is Thriving Kids Starting?

• 1 October 2026: Thriving Kids will begin.

• 1 January 2028: Full rollout.

• From this date, eligibility rules for the NDIS will change for children aged 0–8.

• The Australian Government will oversee national components like information and evaluation.

• State governments will deliver parenting programs and targeted supports.

What This Means for Families Right Now

Children who enter the NDIS before 1 January 2028

If your child is currently aged 0–8 and on the NDIS:

• They can remain on the NDIS (subject to usual eligibility and reassessment rules).

• Between now and 1 January 2028, children aged 0–8 can still access the NDIS under current rules.

• If your child is already on the NDIS before 2028, the current eligibility rules will continue to apply to them.

• “Subject to usual rules” means reassessments and standard eligibility processes still apply.

  
  

What Changes From 1 January 2028?

• From this date, access rules for children aged 0–8 will change.

• Children with "significant and permanent disability" will continue to access the NDIS. This includes children with developmental delay or autism who have high support needs.

• Children identified with developmental delays and low to moderate support needs will instead receive support through Thriving Kids.

What Thriving Kids Will Allegedly Include

According to the announcement, Thriving Kids will provide:

• Help identify developmental delays (through GPs, Child and Family Nurses and others)

• Free information and advice (online and over the phone)

• Parenting supports and programs (including peer groups and playgroups)

• Targeted allied health supports (speech pathology, occupational therapy, etc.)

• Low-cost assistive technology, aids and equipment

Additional points shared:

• No diagnosis will be required to access Thriving Kids.

• A mix of online, group and individual supports will be available.

• Supports will be free, with no gap fees.

• There will be a focus on delivering support in everyday environments such as the home, childcare and kindergarten.

Questions Families Are Asking

While the investment and commitment to early support are significant, many parents in our community are asking important questions.

1. What does “low to moderate” actually mean?

Autism and developmental differences are not linear. Support needs can fluctuate daily, and autism is a permanent disability (aka you don't just "grow out of it"). Many families feel the term “mild” does not accurately reflect lived experience. The concern is how these categories will be defined and who makes that determination.

2. Will there be enough allied health support?

Most autistic children and children with developmental delays benefit from individualised therapies, including occupational therapy, speech therapy, physiotherapy, and psychology.

Parenting programs can be valuable, but they are not a substitute for trained clinicians delivering evidence-based intervention. The key question remains: Will there be enough therapists available, and will families be able to access them in a timely way? Early intervention matters. Missing that window can have long-term impacts.

3. What about rural and regional communities?

Access is already uneven across Australia, and workforce shortages are already evident.

How Thriving Kids will ensure equitable access in rural, remote, and underserved communities remains unclear.

4. Is this individualised support or one-size-fits-all?

Families consistently tell us their children need personalised therapy plans. Group programs can complement care, but rarely replace tailored intervention. How Thriving Kids balances scale with individualisation will be critical.

5. What happens to 9-year-olds?

The reform focuses on children aged 0–8. Families of children just outside this bracket are understandably asking where they fit, particularly when support needs do not disappear on a birthday.

What We Can Say

The announcement brings more clarity than we’ve previously had. It confirms:

• Funding has been allocated.

• A timeline has been set.

• Children currently on the NDIS will not be automatically removed.

• Early supports will expand outside the NDIS.

But many operational details are still being developed. As always, policy design matters just as much as policy intention.

Our Position

As always, our reflections are based on the publicly available announcement and the lived experience shared within our community. They are not political, nor affiliated with any party.

We believe:

• Early support matters.

• Individualised therapy matters.

• Families deserve clarity.

• Children deserve access to qualified professionals.

• Equity must be prioritised.

We will continue to share updates as more information becomes available.

If you are a parent of a child aged 0–8, this update implies that you do not need to take immediate action based on this announcement. Current NDIS access rules remain in place until 1 January 2028, but staying informed now gives families time to ask questions and advocate where needed.

We’ll keep watching this space with you.