After more than a year of talk, the start of Thriving Kids begins today. (ABC News: Patrick Stone)
The first phase of the $4 billion National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) alternative for kids under nine with developmental delay or autism who have "low to moderate" support needs begins today.
Thriving Kids is intended to offer children and families a baseline level of support in places they already live, learn and play, without needing a diagnosis or specialist referral.
While running under a national model, each state and territory will run their own iteration of Thriving Kids.
Today simply marks the first stage of the program, with the launch of what are being called "general supports".
That includes the Thriving Kids Autism Helpline (1300 654 789) delivered by autism organisation Amaze, which will provide autism-specific information, guidance and connections to relevant services.
An online resource hub, delivered by the Raising Children Network, contain information, practical resources and guidance to help families support their child's development.
A Medicare-funded three-year-old developmental health check is set to start on November 1, aiming to give families cheaper access to a doctor to help catch developmental concerns early.
"We are absolutely committed to making sure that for children under the age of nine, those Thriving Kids services are fully up and running [by then]. We're not going to let parents and children fall between two stalls," federal minister Mark Butler said.
How is 'low to moderate' defined?
This is the $4 billion question, but one we don't have an exact answer for yet.
"Thriving Kids is going to be available for children that have mild to moderate support needs. But at the moment, it's really unclear exactly what that means," Children and Young People with Disability Australia chief executive Skye Kakoschke-Moore said.
"It's also unclear how families who might have more than one child with mild to moderate support needs are going to be supported."
Skye Kakoschke-Moore says big questions remain unanswered. (ABC News: Ben Pettitt)
Does this mean my child will be kicked off the NDIS?
Not today.
The government says there will be no changes to how people access the NDIS until January 2028 — the date Thriving Kids is expected to be completely rolled out and when new eligibility criteria, currently being designed, will be in place.
"We'll have two systems operate in parallel. Children are still able to be enrolled in the NDIS from now until the end of next year in the same way they have been … but at the same time we will be rolling out new Commonwealth supports and new state supports," Mr Butler said.
Children with "permanent" and "significant" disability, including developmental delay and autism, will remain eligible for the NDIS beyond 2028.
Anecdotal evidence from disability advocates and allied health professionals suggests some children have been removed from the NDIS before Thriving Kids begins, something the government strenuously denies.
What are the other big questions?
Advocates are worried about what will happen to the children who are no longer eligible for the NDIS, but too old for Thriving Kids.
Mr Butler said he is talking to the states about the development of supports outside the NDIS for other groups, including kids over nine. But considering Thriving Kids isn't ready yet, many are sceptical about how timely or effective such a program for over-nines may be.
Additionally, while families will not need a diagnosis to access Thriving Kids supports, it's still unclear what they will need.
The new assessment process that will determine whether a child goes into Thriving Kids or the NDIS is also yet to be designed.
While that change and others don't kick in until the start of 2028, giving governments more time to prepare, that also means another year of uncertainty for families.
It's also unclear how well Thriving Kids will cater for the specific needs of Indigenous and culturally and linguistically diverse children, who have historically faced barriers engaging with disability supports.
SNAICC, an advocacy group for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, said Aboriginal community-controlled organisations (ACCOs) are trusted places already providing wraparound, culturally strong support for families, and so they must be sufficiently resourced and involved in delivery.
How did we get here?
Thriving Kids was announced last August with the federal government under growing pressure to reduce the growth of the NDIS, which cost more than $50 billion last financial year.
Statistics from June 2025 showed 11 per cent of all kids between five and seven years of age were on the scheme.
The states and territories shut their disability services when the NDIS began, leaving families with nowhere else to go if they wanted support.
The Albanese government earlier this year agreed to boost states and territory hospital funding in exchange for them taking on more of a role in disability support.
What your state says
With Thriving Kids set to look a little different in each jurisdiction, the ABC contacted all states and territories to ask what families can expect over the next 15 months.
A spokesperson for the Department of Communities and Justice said families in NSW could continue to access the services they currently do.
When up and running, they said Thriving Kids would include a range of supports, including:
supported playgroups
parenting programs and peer support for families, carers and kin
information and advice about child development
help finding and connecting with services
Some children requiring extra help may also receive short term allied health support, with those services to become available in 2027, the spokesperson said.
The government will provide more information about accessing Thriving Kids supports when ready and new service providers will start becoming available from now and throughout 2027, they said.
The spokesperson said Thriving Kids had been designed to reflect the needs of different communities across NSW — including Aboriginal families, multicultural families and families living in regional and remote areas — and parents could ask for help even if they were unsure what support they needed.
A spokesperson for the West Australian government said its most recent budget included $361 million in funding over five years for Thriving Kids services, which would include:
information and advice support so families and caregivers have assistance to navigate different service systems
family support programs, such as playgroups, peer supports and community groups to build capacity, skills, and connect with others
targeted, time-limited therapeutic supports for children with more moderate needs
They said the Department of Communities has spoken with more than 300 service providers across the state this year, and heard from families and experts about ensuring Thriving Kids works for the state's "unique geographical, service and population characteristics".
Some services will be established through a grants program, they said, while the Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia (AHCWA) and Council of Aboriginal Services Western Australia (CASWA) would help develop a partnership that includes mobilisation of Aboriginal community-controlled expertise.
"We will continue to work closely with families, people with lived experience and service organisations to ensure that Thriving Kids support works appropriately for WA," the spokesperson said, with more information available online here.
access to the Advocating for Children with Disability Support Line
more publicly funded autism assessments and places in the Strengthening Parent Support program
more training for early years educators to help identify developmental concerns earlier
From January 2027, allied health and support services to help children build everyday skills will begin at six initial sites in Bendigo, Hobsons Bay, Hume, Loddon, Maribyrnong and Melton, before expanding to the rest of the state throughout the year.
Starting in the initial delivery sites, families will also have access to two new developmental checks – one as each child starts kindergarten, and one as they start school.
The government said the Department of Education would lead delivery of the targeted supports and development checks, as well as managing triaging and intake. The checks will be undertaken by allied health professionals and clinicians.
"These initial supports will lay the foundation for the full complement of services to be delivered across the state from 2028." Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn said.
The South Australian government said it was expanding its Preschool Boost program and Child Health and Development Checks, while also funding qualified facilitators and allied health professionals to work with families at the state's 140 facilitated playgroups.
Further initiatives, including autism-specific supports, will be announced in coming weeks, the government said.
The government said the commissioning of the state's targeted supports would start in the first half of 2027, with delivery expected by the end of the year.
A Thriving Kids Ministerial Forum is set to be established to give families, early childhood and disability providers, peak bodies and others a voice in the design and rollout of supports.
"Thriving Kids is about helping and empowering children and families to access the right support at the right time," Human Services Minister Katrine Hildyard said.
"We want South Australian children and families navigating some difficulties and differences to know that they are not alone, that there is support close to home."
A spokesperson from the Tasmanian Department of Health said Thriving Kids supports would be "introduced over time", with the "full range" of services in place from January 1, 2028.
"Initial supports will include supported playgroups and Early Childhood Connectors in every region to connect families with services and supports. Further information will be provided over the coming weeks," they said.
The department will continue building workforce capability, strengthening local services and engaging families, carers, providers, advocates and Aboriginal communities, they added.
From today, families with questions about their child's development can call the Thriving Kids ACT Information and Navigation phone line on (02) 6205 5500 for advice and connections to support services.
The government said it would work with stakeholders and progressively roll out a range of targeted supports over the next 15 months, including:
time-limited therapy and functional assessments through the Child Development Service, with new allied health staff
new intake and referral services to help families understand their child's needs and undertake developmental screenings in local Child and Family Centres
targeted services for priority cohorts, including for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and CALD families
community awareness initiatives to improve understanding of developmental delay and neurodivergence
"We acknowledge these changes will impact many families, carers and kin of children who need developmental support. Thriving Kids is a new approach to early intervention, and represents an important step towards to making support easier to access and navigate," Disability, Autism and Neurodiversity Minister Suzanne Orr said.
Disability Minister Jinson Charles said existing services and support arrangements would continue while Thriving Kids was progressively introduced.
He said targeted supports would be provided through a phased uplift and expansion of existing NT Health allied health teams such as the Children's Development Team.
"We understand families want clear information and certainty. Our focus is on making it easier for children to receive support early, based on their developmental needs, without families having to wait for a formal diagnosis or navigate complex systems before asking for help," he said.
The government says consultation with families and stakeholders is underway, and more feedback can be provided via Have Your Say.
Additional reporting by political reporter Ewa Staszewska