What is Thriving Kids?

Thriving Kids is a national support program for children aged 8 years and under who need extra help with their development. It focuses on children aged 8 years and under who have developmental delay or autism with low to moderate support needs and their families.

Thriving Kids:

  • helps families identify concerns early in their child’s development
  • connects families with supports to help their child’s development.

Thriving Kids works alongside the NDIS and existing mainstream and community supports like child and family health services, playgroups and parenting groups.

Thriving Kids is a new program, so some details are still being worked on. For more information, visit Australian Government, Department of Health, Disability and Ageing – Thriving Kids.

How is Thriving Kids different from the NDIS?

Thriving Kids is separate and different from the NDIS.

Thriving Kids offers support outside the NDIS. It helps children get supports earlier and more easily – for example, without needing to get a diagnosis or apply to the NDIS.

When does Thriving Kids start?

Thriving Kids has started. Some general supports, including information, advice and parenting supports, became available to families from 1 October 2026.

All supports will be rolled out by 1 January 2028.

Why is Thriving Kids appropriate for autistic children?

Thriving Kids is designed to support children based on their developmental needs. This includes autistic children.

Evidence shows that early, individualised support – like the support offered through Thriving Kids – can help autistic children and children with other developmental needs develop well. It can help these children reach their full potential in areas like communication, social skills, daily living, and mental health and wellbeing.

Until now, it has been challenging for many families to access this kind of early, individualised support. Thriving Kids aims to change that by making support available earlier and more easily.

Is my child eligible for Thriving Kids?

Your child is eligible for support from Thriving Kids if your child is aged 8 years or under and has developmental delay or autism with low to moderate support needs.

Is my child eligible for the NDIS?

If your child is aged 8 years or under, they can still apply for the NDIS and the early childhood approach.

There are no changes to NDIS eligibility until 1 January 2028. After 1 January 2028, children aged 8 years and under with developmental delay or autism with low to moderate support needs will be supported through Thriving Kids and mainstream services instead of the NDIS.

If your child has significant and permanent disability, including developmental delay or autism with high support needs, they’ll continue to be eligible for the NDIS, subject to the usual criteria.

What supports can my child and family get through Thriving Kids?

Thriving Kids offers or will offer a range of supports to children and families.

These supports include:

  • information and advice about child development, developmental delay and autism
  • help to identify your child’s developmental needs early
  • help to find the right supports for your child
  • programs to support your child’s development
  • targeted supports like allied health services if your child and family need them.

The supports that are right for your child and family will depend on your child’s needs and your family’s circumstances.

For more information, go to Thriving Kids – Supports being rolled out.

What Thriving Kids supports can my child get now?

From October 2026, you and your child can get online and phone information and advice about child development, developmental delay and autism from the following services:

What Thriving Kids supports can my child get in the future?

From November 2026

If your child is aged 3 years, they can get a Medicare Healthy Kids Check through their GP. This check looks at your child’s development and assesses whether they need extra help.

From 2027

Targeted supports like allied health services for children will start becoming available. Children and families will be able to access a wider range of supports like parenting programs, peer support, advice and practical help.

For information about when more national supports will be available, go to Australian Government – Implementation of Australian Government Thriving Kids supports.

For information about when you can access state-based supports, go to Thriving Kids – State and territory governments.

What can I do if the supports my child needs aren’t yet available through Thriving Kids?

You can ask for help from the NDIS if the supports your child needs aren’t yet available through Thriving Kids.

The NDIS early childhood approach supports children younger than 9 years with developmental delay or disability. You child doesn’t need to be on the NDIS or have a diagnosis to get help through the early childhood approach.

You can contact the NDIS by visiting the NDIS contact page or by calling the NDIA on 1800 800 110.

How do I apply for Thriving Kids support for my child?

You don’t need to apply for Thriving Kids support.

You can access some Thriving Kids supports by yourself. These supports include the:

Other supports will be provided through community settings like GPs, early childhood services and schools.

Does my child need a diagnosis to get Thriving Kids support?

Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get Thriving Kids support.

The Australian Government says that all children aged 8 years and under with developmental delay or autism with low to moderate support needs can get support through Thriving Kids.

My child is getting NDIS support. Will this change?

There are no changes to who can get NDIS support right now.

Changes to NDIS access will start from 1 January 2028, when Thriving Kids is fully rolled out. From that date, children aged 8 years and under with developmental delay or autism with low to moderate support needs will be supported through Thriving Kids and mainstream services instead of the NDIS.

Note that children with permanent and significant disability, or developmental delay or autism with high support needs, will continue to be able to access the NDIS.

For more information, go to NDIS – Thriving Kids or Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing – About the changes to the NDIS.

Where can I find information about Thriving Kids in my state or territory?

You’ll get most Thriving Kids supports through programs and services in your state or territory. These websites have more information:

Thriving Kids Information and Resources Hub received grant funding from the Australian Government.

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Raising Children Network is supported by the Australian Government. Member organisations are the Parenting Research Centre and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute with The Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Community Child Health.

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