Thriving Kids is a new Australian Government program that will help young children and their families get the right support for the child’s development. It is the first phase of Foundational Supports, which are disability and developmental support services available outside the NDIS.
The program is intended to help families identify developmental needs earlier and connect with practical, appropriate support. It is not a new NDIS plan or a replacement for the NDIS.
What is the Thriving Kids Program?
Thriving Kids will provide information, advice and support for children’s development. It is designed to help families understand a child’s development, recognise when extra help may be useful, and find the right support.
Support may include child development and health checks, information and advice, family programs, peer support, targeted allied health supports, low-cost assistive technology and capacity-building support for families. Supports are intended to be child and family-centred, evidence-based, culturally appropriate and available mainly in everyday settings such as at home and in the community.
The program will also include national supports, such as a Digital Hub, phone information services, Medicare Thriving Kids for questions about a child’s development or behaviour, and an Autism Helpline.
Who is Thriving Kids for?
Thriving Kids is for children aged 8 and under with developmental delay and/or autism who have low to moderate support needs. It is also for their families, including parents, carers, siblings and kin.
A child does not need a diagnosis to receive support through Thriving Kids. The program is also designed to help people who spend time with children, such as early childhood educators and health professionals, better understand developmental delay and autism and recognise when a child may need extra help.
Children with permanent and significant disability who meet the NDIS access requirements will continue to be supported through the NDIS.
When will Thriving Kids be available?
Thriving Kids supports will start to become available from October 2026. The rollout will happen in stages, so not every support will be available everywhere straight away.
The Australian Government says all Thriving Kids supports are planned to be rolled out by 1 January 2028. More information about local supports and how to access them will be shared as the rollout continues.
There are no changes to how people access the NDIS until 1 January 2028. Thriving Kids supports are intended to be available before those NDIS access changes begin.
Is Thriving Kids the same in every state?
Not exactly. Governments have agreed on a national model, so families should be able to access similar types of support across Australia. However, each state and territory will tailor services to local needs.
State and territory governments will deliver many local supports. These include child health and development checks, help to find local services, family programs and targeted supports such as allied health, low-cost assistive technology and capacity building.
This means the overall purpose of Thriving Kids will be consistent across Australia, but the local services, access pathways and timing may differ depending on where a family lives.
What should families do now?
Families do not need to make an NDIS access request simply because Thriving Kids is being introduced. If you have concerns about a child’s development, speak with a GP, child health nurse, early childhood educator or other treating health professional. They can help you understand what support may be useful while local Thriving Kids services are rolled out.
This article provides general information only. Individual eligibility and available services will depend on a child’s circumstances and the supports available in their state or territory.
