Thriving Kids NDIS: What the changes mean for families

Introduction

Early identification and support for developmental delay and autism are widely recognised as critical to long-term outcomes for children. The federal Thriving Kids program aims to provide earlier, evidence-based supports for young children and their families while altering how some children access the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Given the program’s potential to reshape services for children aged eight and under, parents, clinicians and service providers are watching closely for clarity on timing and eligibility.

Main body

What Thriving Kids will do

According to government material, Thriving Kids is designed to identify children with additional developmental needs as early as possible and to align supports with each child’s needs and family circumstances. The program seeks to establish a national system of local supports for children aged eight and under with developmental delay and/or autism who have low to moderate support needs.

Changes to NDIS access and rollout timeline

The Australian Government and all state and territory governments have agreed in principle to change NDIS access arrangements to support the rollout of Thriving Kids. The program will begin offering local supports from 1 October 2026. Changes to NDIS access will commence from 1 January 2028 and will be limited to children aged eight and under with developmental delay and/or autism with low to moderate support needs.

Program implementation and political context

Implementation has included negotiation between the states and the Commonwealth. National cabinet discussions resulted in a short delay to allow jurisdictions more time to prepare; the Prime Minister confirmed a three-month delay to the original start date and affirmed that full implementation would be completed by 1 January 2028. As part of broader negotiations, the national cabinet also agreed to additional funding measures for state and territory hospitals to support health system readiness.

Concerns from families

Families currently on the NDIS and those considering supports have expressed a desire for certainty about what Thriving Kids will mean for their children’s ongoing access to NDIS services. One clear thread in public discussion is the program’s role in diverting children with milder needs towards local health and education supports rather than the NDIS.

Conclusion

Thriving Kids aims to deliver earlier, localised supports for young children with developmental needs while narrowing NDIS access for a specific cohort. With services to start from 1 October 2026 and access changes from 1 January 2028, families and providers should prepare for a phased transition and seek updated guidance from local health and disability services as details are finalised. Greater clarity on operational rules and pathways will be essential for families to plan care and supports.