We all want our kids to thrive, no question. So, when the Australian Government announced Thriving Kids, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) alternative for some children aged eight years and under, it naturally brought up a lot of questions. If your child has developmental delay or autism, or you’re simply exploring what support might look like, you’ve no doubt got plenty of your own as well.
There’s been a fair bit of waiting for answers, but the Government has now shared more detail, giving us a better sense of what Thriving Kids is aiming to do and who it’s designed to help.
Here’s what we know so far about the new program and how it may support children across Australia.
We first learnt of Thriving Kids in August 2025 when the Government shared its intention to create a better support pathway for young children with mild to moderate developmental delay or autism.
You can read more about that here.
The message was clear, families need earlier, more accessible help in their own communities – not just through the NDIS – and Thriving Kids evolved as part of the response to that call.
Since then, a national advisory group has worked with parents, professionals, and the disability sector to shape what the new system could look like. The advisory group’s final report, released in February 2026, outlines the proposed national model for Thriving Kids, which will be jointly funded by the Australian Government and its state and territory counterparts.
You can read the final report here.
Thriving Kids is part of a bigger picture too. It’s the first phase of what are called ‘Foundational Supports’ – services that sit outside the NDIS so people with lower support needs can still get help, while the Scheme focuses on those with more complex requirements.
So, now that you’re caught up, here’s what the proposed national model looks like and what it will mean for children, their families, and the people who support them.
Thriving Kids will become a national support system for children aged eight years and under with developmental delay and/or autism with mild to moderate support needs. It’s designed to sit alongside the NDIS, not replace it, and will roll out gradually from October 2026, with full implementation by January 2028.
Thriving Kids aims to provide earlier, more accessible help within local communities, but children who have higher or more complex support needs will still be eligible for the NDIS. However, before the full rollout in 2028, some of the children currently supported by the NDIS may be reassessed under new eligibility criteria.
So, what does Thriving Kids actually offer? The model includes a mix of scaled existing services and new services that focus on early identification, family help, and practical developmental help.
These supports will be broken up into three main areas, including:
The Australian, state and territory governments have agreed to jointly contribute up to $4 billion across five years to bring Thriving Kids to life. States and territories will deliver the on-the-ground support, things like parenting programs, local information, advice and navigation, and targeted allied health support, while the Australian Government will provide the national framework, including information and awareness activities, online resources and phone advice to make sure families can find the help they need.
For most families, the funding detail isn’t really the thing that matters most. What’s more important is what this will actually look like in everyday life.
While the rollout will take time, Thriving Kids is designed to:
Right now, nothing changes for families overnight, but as the program develops, the most helpful thing you can do is stay informed and ask questions. If your child is already accessing supports through the NDIS, any future updates or reassessments will come with notice, and if you’re unsure whether Thriving Kids might be relevant for your child, your GP or early childhood educator is a good first step for advice.
You can find updates and read more about Thriving Kids on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website, and we’ll keep sharing what we learn with you too.
