Australia launches universal support scheme for young children with developmental needs

The new Thriving Kids programme begins rollout, aiming to shift support for children with autism and developmental delays from the NDIS to community-based services, amid concerns over implementation and future gaps.

Thriving Kids begins its first rollout on 1 October, marking the opening stage of a major shift in how Australia supports young children with developmental delay or autism. The new programme is part of the federal government’s wider effort to slow the growth of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, while trying to redirect some children towards mainstream and community-based services rather than individual NDIS packages.

The government has argued that the NDIS has expanded beyond its original intent, with children making up a very large share of participants. It says many of those under nine, particularly those with autism or developmental delay and low to moderate support needs, would be better served by earlier help in familiar settings such as early learning centres, schools, libraries and sporting clubs. According to the Australian Government, Thriving Kids is backed by A$4 billion in joint funding over five years and is designed to provide support outside the NDIS without immediately removing children already in the scheme.

For now, the first phase is centred on universal supports. That includes information for families worried about a child’s development, referral pathways and supported playgroups for children aged five and under. A Medicare-funded health check for three-year-olds is also due to begin in November, with general practitioners carrying out the assessments. From January 2027, states and territories are expected to start rolling out more targeted assistance, such as speech therapy, occupational therapy and low-cost assistive technology, for children who need extra support. Children with permanent and significant disability, including those with high support needs, will remain eligible for the NDIS.

Even so, the model still faces major questions about delivery. The ABC has reported that workforce capacity remains a concern, with teachers, therapists and other providers already under strain and warning that there has been too little detail on how the new services will be staffed. There is also uncertainty in Queensland, the only state yet to sign on fully to the scheme. That has raised the possibility that children in the state could face a patchier rollout than elsewhere, particularly when it comes to targeted services.

The biggest unanswered question is what happens at the edges of the system. The government has said NDIS access will not begin tightening until January 2028, meaning children will continue to enter the scheme for now. But as eligibility changes bite, families and advocates are warning that some children could fall between services if they are too old for Thriving Kids at nine but do not meet the threshold for the NDIS. The prospect of a future Thriving Teens model has been raised, yet no firm plan has been set out. For many families, the central test of the programme will not be whether it exists, but whether it can provide consistent help before gaps open up.