Thriving Kids Fact sheet: Workforce
Helping children learn, develop and grow
If you work with children, you can make a big difference in their lives, by recognising developmental concerns early, sharing best practice information with their families and if they need additional help, connecting them to other support.
About Thriving Kids
Thriving Kids is for families and their children aged 8 and under who might need extra support with their development.
It helps families find information and advice on developmental delay or autism, build their skills, and connect with available supports, to give children the best start in life.
It starts with a conversation
Whether you’re a school or early childhood education and care professional, nurse, GP, paediatrician, allied health professional, or social and community worker, if you have concerns about a child’s development, it starts with a conversation.
By starting a conversation on child development, sharing the professional knowledge
you have with the family, and linking families with other supports, you can help children access support early, when it has the biggest impact.
Thriving Kids supports will aim to connect families to the right support at the right time.
The supports currently available to families through GPs, maternal and child health nurses, child and family centres or schools will continue to be available.
Thriving Kids supports
Thriving Kids support includes:
- online information and resources
- existing health and development checks and new checks for children aged 3
- trusted advice about child development and autism
- peer support, parenting groups, facilitated playgroups and family programs
- specialised assistance from healthcare professionals.
Thriving Kids is a joint Australian, state and territory government initiative.
Thriving Kids started in October 2026 and supports are growing over time.
All supports will be rolled out by 1 January 2028.
Get expert advice
If you are supporting a child or family and have questions about their development, you can speak with a maternal and child health nurse for information and advice on childhood development and behaviour for children aged 8 years and under.
Call 1800 882 436 or video call, 7am to midnight, 7 days a week.
You can also direct families to the:
- Thriving Kids Information and Resources Hub website for information, practical resources and guidance to help them understand their child’s development
- Thriving Kids Autism Helpline, you can call or go into our website, for information and advice if their children are on a journey to an autism diagnosis or have a diagnosis
To learn more, scan the QR code or go into our website.