About Thriving Kids
The Australian Government is working with state and territory governments to set up Thriving Kids.
Thriving Kids will support children aged 8 and under who need extra help with their development. It will help identify developmental needs earlier and connect children and families to the right support.
Thriving Kids supports
Thriving Kids is for:
- children aged 8 and under with developmental delay and/or autism with low to moderate support needs
- families.
Children may be supported by their parent/s, carer/s, sibling/s or kin. We use the term ‘families’ to talk about the diversity of care arrangements for children.
Children will not need a diagnosis to get support through Thriving Kids.
Thriving Kids will support families to:
- learn about child development and identify concerns earlier
- further build their confidence and skills in supporting their child’s development
- find and connect with the right support.
Thriving Kids will also help people who work with and regularly spend time with children to:
- better understand developmental delay and autism
- identify when children may need additional help if they are not meeting developmental milestones.
Thriving Kids will provide:
- information about child development, developmental delay and autism
- help to identify when a child may need extra support
- information and advice
- help for families to find the right supports
- programs for families that help support their child’s development
- targeted supports for children and families who need it.
Thriving Kids supports will be:
- child and family-centred
- focused on strengths and neuro-affirming
- evidence-based
- culturally appropriate
- mostly available in everyday places, like at home or in the community
- flexible and inclusive.
Read more about the supports governments are planning.
When supports will start
Thriving Kids will start from October 2026. Supports will grow over time. All supports will be rolled out by 1 January 2028.
Supports will mostly be delivered where children live, learn and play. This includes at home, in the community and in other places where children spend their time.
There are no changes to how people access the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) until 1 January 2028.
Thriving Kids supports will be available before changes to NDIS access begin on 1 January 2028.
More information about supports in your state or territory, and how to access them, will be available soon.
Read more about how access to the NDIS is changing from 1 January 2028.
How governments are working together to deliver Thriving Kids
All governments will invest $4 billion in Thriving Kids over 5 years from mid-2026. The Australian Government and state and territory governments will each contribute $2 billion.
Australian Government funding will help:
- state and territory governments deliver Thriving Kids supports
- deliver national supports that enable Thriving Kids across the country.
Read more about what supports the Australian Government is delivering.
State and territory governments will deliver:
- child health and development checks to identify when a child may need extra support
- information to help families find the right supports in their state or territory
- programs for families that help support their child’s development
- targeted supports (like allied health, low-cost assistive technology and capacity building) for children and families who need it
- state measures to assist workforce capability readiness.
Foundational Supports
Thriving Kids is the first phase of Foundational Supports. Foundational Supports are services available outside the NDIS for people with disability and developmental delay. They help strengthen the disability system.
All governments have agreed to work together to deliver Foundational Supports. This includes $10 billion in joint funding over 5 years. $4 billion of this has been committed to Thriving Kids.
Governments will keep working together to deliver future phases of Foundational Supports.
Read about Foundational Supports.