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Thriving Kids Implementation of Australian Government supports
Governments are delivering Thriving Kids, an improved approach to early intervention for children with extra developmental needs.
Governments are working together and jointly investing to strengthen supports available in the community for children aged 8 and under with developmental delay and/or autism and their families.
This information focuses on the Thriving Kids supports the Australian Government is implementing and how you will see them roll out.
For more information about supports state and territory governments are introducing, visit Thriving Kids website.
Families will start to see Thriving Kids supports becoming available from October 2026.
Supports will continue to build to January 2028.
October 2026
Families can access the:
- Thriving Kids website which shares key information about Thriving Kids for families and workforces.
- Thriving Kids Information and Resource Hub, delivered by the Raising Children Network.
- The hub shares reliable information, practical resources and guidance to help families understand and support their child’s development.
- National phoneline on 1800 882 436 or through video call, where families can speak with a maternal and child health nurse to get expert information and advice about childhood development and behaviour of children aged 8 and under.
- The phoneline is available 7am to midnight, 7 days a week.
- Thriving Kids Autism Helpline on 1300 654 789 which is sharing autism-specific information and advice for families with children aged 0 to 8 who may be on a journey to an autism diagnosis or have a diagnosis.
- The service can help families access reliable, evidence-informed advice, understand available support options, and connect with services.
- It is available 8am to 7pm, 5 days a week.
These phone services are also accessible via the National Relay Service for families who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing.
November 2026
A Medicare Healthy Kids Check will be added to the Medicare Benefits Schedule for 3-year-olds.
The service will support GPs to assess the child’s physical, social and emotional development, health and wellbeing.
This assessment will help families identify, with the help of their GP, children who may require additional supports, further monitoring, referral to appropriate supports (including Thriving Kids supports) or further assessment.
Late 2026
Further resources will be available through the Thriving Kids Information and Resource Hub, and they will continue to grow over 2027.
People who work with children and families will be able to access some information, resources and training about child development, neurodevelopmental difference, autism and inclusive ways to support children.
The resources will also explain how Thriving Kids can help connect families within information and support, and how workers can guide families to get help when they need it.
New resources will continue to be added throughout 2027.
Early 2027
Activities focused on strengthening the First Nations sector will start to roll out, in line with best practice approaches for engaging with First Nations children and families.
This work will continue to grow over 2027.
New online peer support for Autistic children and their families will become available.
Mid 2027
Medicare Thriving Kids will be fully rolled out.
It will offer families and professionals with development and behavioural concerns access to comprehensive information, advice and service navigation via phone and video call.
More in-depth tools and training about child development and autism will start to roll out.
This will better support workforces that regularly interact with children, or who will deliver Thriving Kids.
Late 2027
The adapted Comprehensive Health Assessment Program tool will be available for GPs and families to use.
It will guide GP-led annual health assessments for children aged 3 to 12 years with suspected or confirmed neurodevelopmental delay.
The health assessment will be an opportunity for GPs and families to consider and discuss the child’s health needs, and to understand how the child might benefit from accessing additional supports that are most meaningful for the child and family.
Tools and resources to help embed the National Best Practice Framework for Early Childhood Intervention will be available.
This will support the sector to use evidence-based approaches, so families have confidence that services are focused on what works best for children's development, participation and wellbeing.
Work will be underway to develop the National Digital Child Health Record.
This will help families and professionals to access important information about a child’s health and development in one place.
The Australian Government will continue working with state and territory governments to report Thriving Kids progress.
This will include annual reporting and preparing for a review of Thriving Kids in 2029.
Early 2028
All Thriving Kids supports will be available.
From 1 January 2028, there will be some changes to how people will access the NDIS.
Read more about how access to the NDIS is changing from 1 January 2028 on our website
About this resource
Implementation of Australian Government supports
Governments are delivering Thriving Kids, an improved approach to early intervention for children with extra developmental needs.
Governments are working together – and jointly investing – to strengthen supports available in the community for children aged 8 and under with developmental delay and/or autism and their families.
This information focuses on Thriving Kids supports the Australian Government is implementing and how you will see them roll out. For more information about supports state and territory governments are introducing, see Thriving Kids.
Families will start to see Thriving Kids supports becoming available from October 2026. Supports will continue to build to January 2028.
October 2026
Families can access the:
- Thriving Kids website which shares information about Thriving Kids for families and workforces.
- Thriving Kids Information and Resource Hub, delivered by the Raising Children Network. The hub shares reliable information, practical resources and guidance to help families understand and support their child’s development.
- National phoneline on 1800 882 436 or through video call. Families can speak with a maternal and child health nurse to get expert information and advice about childhood development and behaviour of children aged 8 and under. The phoneline is available 7am to midnight, 7 days a week.
- Thriving Kids Autism Helpline on 1300 654 789 which is sharing autism-specific information and advice for families with children aged 0 to 8 who may be on a journey to an autism diagnosis or have a diagnosis. The service can help families access reliable advice, understand available support options, and connect with services. It is available 8am to 7pm, 5 days a week.
These phone services are also accessible via the National Relay Service for families who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing.
November 2026
- A Medicare Healthy Kids Check will be added to the Medicare Benefits Schedule for 3-year-olds. The check will support GPs to assess a child’s physical, social and emotional development and their health and wellbeing. With the help of their GP, this will help families understand if their children may require additional supports, further monitoring, referral to appropriate supports (including Thriving Kids) or further assessment.
Late 2026
- More resources will be available through the Thriving Kids Information and Resource Hub. They will continue to grow over 2027.
- People who work with children and families will be able to access some information, resources and training about child development, neurodevelopmental difference, autism and inclusive ways to support children. The resources will also explain how Thriving Kids can help connect families with information and support, and how workers can guide families to get help when they need it. New resources will be added throughout 2027.
Early 2027
- Activities focused on strengthening the First Nations sector will start to roll out. These activities will align with best practice approaches for engaging with First Nations children and families. This work will continue to grow over 2027.
- New online peer support for Autistic children and their families will become available.
Mid 2027
- Medicare Thriving Kids will be available. It will offer families and professionals with development and behavioural concerns access to information, advice and navigation through phone and video call.
- More in-depth tools and training about child development and autism will start to roll out. This will better support workforces that regularly interact with children, or who will deliver Thriving Kids.
Late 2027
- The adapted Comprehensive Health Assessment Program tool will be available for GPs and families to use. It will guide GP-led annual health assessments for children aged 3 to 12 years with suspected or confirmed neurodevelopmental delay. The health assessment will be an opportunity for GPs and families to consider and discuss a child’s health needs, and to understand how the child might benefit from accessing additional supports that are most meaningful for the child and family.
- Tools and resources to help embed the National Best Practice Framework for Early Childhood Intervention will be available. This will support the sector to use evidence-based approaches. This means families can have confidence that services are focused on what works best for children's development, participation and wellbeing.
- Work will be underway to develop the National Digital Child Health Record. This will help families and professionals to access important information about a child’s health and development in one place.
- The Australian Government will continue working with state and territory governments to report Thriving Kids progress. This will include annual reporting and preparing for a review of Thriving Kids in 2029.
Early 2028
- All Thriving Kids supports will be available.
- From 1 January 2028, there will be some changes to how people will access the NDIS. Read more about how access to the NDIS is changing from 1 January 2028.