Thriving Kids: What we know so far...
If you have or know a child with a developmental delay, autism or other neurodevelopmental differences, the term, ‘Thriving Kids’ may be familiar. You may also have heard that the NDIS is changing and wondering what exactly that means for your child.
What is Thriving Kids?
With a lot of information circulating and the bigger picture daunting and unclear, what you need to know is: the Australian Government has partnered with state and territory governments in a bud to reform Australia’s health and disability systems, with a key focus on ensuring the sustainable growth of the NDIS in future.
Part of this reform involves governments investing into supports outside of the NDIS, referred to as, “Foundational Supports”. Thriving Kids is one phase of support, with governments committing $4 billion over 5 years to support its implementation.
In moving away from the NDIS, Thriving Kids aims to have a child, family and kin centered approach, encouraging children and families to access support in the place’s children already live, learn and play. Thriving Kids aims to provide support based on the child’s
developmental and functional needs, rather than based on a diagnosis.
Why has Thriving Kids been introduced?
Thriving Kids is intended for children aged 8 and under with developmental delays and autism requiring low to moderate support needs.
The aim is to identify developmental differences earlier and provide support before families need to navigate the NDIS. Ideally, children would have access to assistance in early childhood, schools and community services, including:
- Support in early childhood education and school settings;
- Support for parents, families and kin, including practical strategies and parenting support; and
- Developmental information, screening and earlier identification, with pathways to appropriate support.
When will things change?
Thriving kids will be introduced gradually, rolling out across the country from 1 October 2026, with full implementation expected by 1 January 2028.
Children 8 and under will not immediately lose access to their NDIS Supports on 1 October 2026. The Government has confirmed that children targeted by the Thriving Kids initiative who are already accessing the NDIS before 1 January 2028 will continue to be reassessed under the eligibility criteria in place prior to the changes.
From 1 January 2028, children with developmental delays and autism requiring low to moderate support needs who are applying for NDIS support will be redirected to receive support through Thriving Kids.
These changes sit alongside the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026, which passed in parliament on the 19th of August 2026 and is currently awaiting Royal Assent. The legislation is part of the broader reform intended to refocus the NDIS on people with permanent and significant disability.
What we don’t know
This is where things become less clear.
Thriving Kids is intended to support children who need more than universal services can provide, but who have low to moderate support needs and do not require an individualized NDIS plan.
But children with developmental delays may be school-aged but over 8. What happens to these children? Many questions remain unanswered about how Thriving Kids will work in practice, including available services, and what happens when a child’s support needs change.
So, while we now have a clearer picture of what Thinking Kids is intended to be, there is still much to understand about what it will actually mean for children and families on the ground.
Need to know more: Contact our office on 07 56200558 to discuss.
This article is provided for general information purposes only. Its content is current at the date of publication. It is not legal advice and is not tailored to meet your individual needs. You should obtain specialist advice based on your specific circumstances before taking any action concerning the matters discussed in this article.
References:
National Disability Insurance Agency, ‘Thriving Kids’ (Web Page, 5 February 2026) https://www.ndis.gov.au/news/11085-thriving-kids
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Grattan Institute, ‘Reform Must Make the NDIS Work Better for the People who Need It Most’ (Web Page, 2024) https://grattan.edu.au/news/reform-must-make-the-ndis-work-better-for-the-people-who-need-it-most/
Learning Links, : ‘Thriving Kids: What Families Need to Know’ (Web Page, 2026) https://www.learninglinks.org.au/thriving-kids-what-families-need-to-know/
Bloom Healthcare, ‘Thriving Kids: Eligibility, Rollout, and Support Overview’ (Web Page, 2026) https://bloom-healthcare.com.au/blog/thriving-kids-eligibility/
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