Thriving Kids, a new national program for young children with developmental delay or autism, began rolling out from 1 October 2026. If your child is already on the NDIS, their plan and supports continue.
The Australian Government's Thriving Kids program is designed to help children aged 8 and under get support earlier, closer to home, and without needing to navigate the NDIS.
If your child currently has an NDIS plan, their plan and supports continue. There are no changes to how people access the NDIS until 1 January 2028, and Thriving Kids services are expected to be in place before those changes begin.
For many families, news about the NDIS and Thriving Kids has been hard to follow. Timelines have shifted, and some information online is now out of date. This article brings together our summary of what the government has confirmed so far and points you to official sources for advice on your child's situation.
What is Thriving Kids?
Thriving Kids is a new program for children aged 8 and under with developmental delay and/or autism who have low to moderate support needs. It also supports their parents, carers and kin.
It works differently from the NDIS. Rather than individual-funded plans, Thriving Kids provides services through local, community-based settings. Supports will mostly be delivered where children live, learn and play, including at home, in early learning and school, and in the community.
A few key points:
- It's jointly funded. All governments will invest $4 billion over five years, with the Australian Government and the states and territories each contributing $2 billion.
- It focuses on early help. The program aims to identify children's developmental needs early and connect families with support.
- Children with high support needs stay on the NDIS. Children with permanent and significant disability, including those with developmental delay and/or autism with high support needs, will continue to be eligible for the NDIS.
You can read the government's overview at About Thriving Kids (Department of Health, Disability and Ageing). An Easy Read guide is also available.
What's available from 1 October
Thriving Kids is being rolled out in stages, so not every service will be available straight away. The first services began from 1 October 2026, and more will be added over time until the full rollout is complete by 1 January 2028.
National services from the Australian Government
From launch, families can access national information and advice, including:
- A national online hub with information and resources about child development, developmental delay and developmental differences, delivered by the Raising Children Network
- A national phone line for families with questions about their child's development or behaviour
- An Autism Helpline, delivered by Amaze, with trusted information for families of autistic children, and families whose child may be seeking an autism diagnosis.
Services from your state or territory
State and territory governments will deliver:
- Child health and development checks
- 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 supports, and low-cost assistive technology or capacity for children who need it
- State measures to assist workforce capability readiness.
The first phase focuses on general supports, such as parenting programs and information services. Targeted supports, like allied health therapy, will be introduced gradually. The government has a helpful guide of the stages on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website.
What's on offer, and when, will differ depending on where you live. The ACT, Northern Territory, South Australia and Victoria have now shared their first steps, which are summarised below. Other states will share details about local services and how to access them as they become available.
What your state or territory has announced so far
Here's a summary of what's been announced about Thriving Kids in each state and territory.
New South Wales
Thriving Kids is being introduced across NSW in stages from October 2026, with more services becoming available throughout 2027. Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to access Thriving Kids.
Services will be delivered in community settings and may include:
- Supported playgroups
- Parenting programs
- Peer support for families, carers and kin
- Information and advice about child development
- Help finding and connecting with services.
Some children who need extra help with their developmental goals may also receive short-term allied health support. Services will reflect local needs, including those of Aboriginal families, multicultural families and families in regional, rural and remote NSW, but not every service will be available in every location.
NSW will share more information about where services will be delivered and how families can access them as services roll out. If you have concerns about your child’s development in the meantime, the NSW Government suggests talking to your doctor or a child and family health nurse. You can also join the NSW Thriving Kids mailing list for updates.
Find out more on the NSW Government’s Thriving Kids webpage.
Victoria
From October 2026, Victorian families can access:
- Practical information and guidance to help you understand available supports and next steps
- Access to the Advocating for Children with Disability (ACD) Support Line 03 9880 7000 or 1800 654 013 for regional callers
- More publicly funded autism assessments
- More places in the Strengthening Parent Support Program
- More training for early years educators to strengthen inclusion and help identify developmental concerns earlier.
From January 2027, Victoria will start delivering time-limited, targeted allied health and support services to help children build everyday skills and independence. These will begin in six areas (Bendigo, Hobsons Bay, Hume, Loddon, Maribyrnong and Melton) before expanding to the rest of the state throughout 2027.
Families in these 6 areas will also be able to access two new developmental checks: one when their child starts kinder, and one when they start school. The checks will be done by allied health professionals and trained clinicians. Victoria's Department of Education will lead delivery, including triage and intake.
Find out more on the Victorian Government's Thriving Kids webpage.
Western Australia
WA’s first phase began on 1 October 2026 and focuses on testing what works best for families. What WA learns will shape future services before full rollout from January 2028. The WA State Budget includes $361 million in joint funding over five years for Thriving Kids, and families won’t need a diagnosis to get help.
From 1 October, families can contact Thriving Kids Connect WA, a new information, advice and navigation service delivered by Uplyft. The service can:
- Listen to your concerns and what matters to your child and family
- Give information and advice about your child’s development
- Explain the types of support that may be available
- Connect you with relevant services, including through referrals.
Call 1300 WA KIDS (1300 925 437) or visit Uplyft’s Thriving Kids Connect WA page. More services, providers and referral pathways will be added throughout 2027. You can also join the WA Thriving Kids mailing list for families.
Find out more on the WA Government’s Thriving Kids webpage.
South Australia
South Australia is building on existing programs and adding new supports in stages, with the full approach expected to be in place by the start of 2028. Supports include:
- Preschool Boost: Already running in more than 250 early learning services and expanding to more than 400 next year. It offers small group programs for children and allied health coaching for educators and families.
- Stronger playgroups: Around $4 million in extra funding for the state's 140 Learning Together Communities playgroups. This will give facilitators more time with families who need extra support and bring allied health professionals into playgroups. This support starts in the first half of 2027.
- More child development checks: After introducing a new one-year-old check, the state will invest around $2 million a year from 2027–28 to increase access to checks for preschool-aged children.
- Targeted supports: For children and families who need extra help. The process to engage providers will open in the first half of 2027, with services expected to start by the end of 2027.
The South Australian Government says more initiatives, including peer support groups and autism-specific supports, will be announced in the coming weeks. Supports for Aboriginal children and families will be developed together with Aboriginal peak bodies. A new Thriving Kids Ministerial Forum will also give families, communities, providers and professionals a voice in how the rollout works.
Find out more on the South Australian Government’s Thriving Kids webpage.
Tasmania
Thriving Kids began rolling out across Tasmania on 1 October 2026, with supports expanding progressively until full services are in place from 1 January 2028. Families won’t need a diagnosis to access information, navigation and many supports.
The Tasmanian Government is recruiting Early Childhood Connectors in every region to help families find the right support sooner. Connectors will work with Child and Family Learning Centres, Child Health and Parenting Service staff, GPs, early childhood services, disability organisations and community groups to help families understand their options and connect with local supports. They won’t provide assessment, diagnosis, therapy or case management.
Over time, Thriving Kids in Tasmania will offer child development information, navigation, family programs and targeted supports, including group-based allied health services.
Find out more on the Tasmanian Government’s Thriving Kids webpage.
Australian Capital Territory
Thriving Kids launched in the ACT on 1 October 2026 for children aged up to 8 years. Families don't need a formal diagnosis or referral to get started.
If you have questions or concerns about your child's development, you can call the new Thriving Kids ACT Information and Navigation line on 02 6205 5500. The line offers information, advice and connections to support services.
Other ACT supports will be rolled out progressively, including:
- Targeted therapy supports: time-limited allied health therapy and functional assessments through the ACT Child Development Service
- Intake, referral and navigation services: help to understand your child's needs and find the right supports, plus developmental screening at local Child and Family Centres
- More playgroups and parenting supports: including new supports designed specifically for families of autistic children
- Services for priority groups: including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, and culturally and linguistically diverse families
- Community awareness initiatives: to improve understanding of developmental delay and neurodivergence.
The first phase is backed by an initial $20.3 million over five years, part of a $63.4 million joint investment by the ACT and the Australian Government.
Find out more on the ACT Government's Thriving Kids webpage.
A note for Queensland families
At the time this article was published, the Queensland Government had not yet signed its Thriving Kids agreement with the Australian Government. This means state-delivered Thriving Kids services in Queensland may not be available in Queensland from 1 October 2026.
Your child's existing NDIS plan is not affected, and the Australian Government's national information services are designed to be available to families across the country. We'll share updates as more information becomes available.
Implementation timeline
- From 1 October 2026: Thriving Kids services will roll out alongside the NDIS. Your child's NDIS plan is not replaced by Thriving Kids.
- By 1 January 2028: Thriving Kids is fully operational nationally. From this date, new applicants aged 8 and under with developmental delay and/or autism and low to moderate support needs will be supported through Thriving Kids instead of the NDIS.
- From 1 January 2028: Children aged 8 and under who joined the NDIS before that date with developmental delay and/or autism and low to moderate support needs will be reassessed. Children with permanent and significant disability, or who have high support needs, will continue to be eligible for the NDIS.
The government has said that more information about the assessment and transition will be shared closer to the time. For the latest official information, see the NDIS Thriving Kids website and the government's Securing the NDIS timeline.
Other NDIS changes starting 1 October
Thriving Kids isn't the only change starting in October. Under the new NDIS legislation passed in August, some NDIS budgets are also changing from 1 October 2026. These changes can affect participants of any age.
Budgets for social, economic, and community participation support, and for improved daily living skills, will be progressively reset as plans are reassessed or renewed. This won't happen to every plan on the same day. It will happen at your child's next plan renewal or reassessment.
If your family uses these budgets to fund support workers for community participation or for allied health professionals like Occupational therapists or Speech pathologists, it's worth reviewing how your child's current supports are funded before your next plan meeting. The government's NDIS changes timeline sets out what's changing and when.
What you can do now
- Keep using your child's current supports. If your child is on the NDIS, nothing about their plan changes just yet even though Thriving Kids has started.
- Check your state or territory's Thriving Kids page. Local services will be announced here as they become available. Some states also offer mailing lists for updates. If you live in the ACT, you can also call the Thriving Kids ACT line on 02 6205 5500.
- Prepare for your next plan review. Note how your child's supports are currently funded, especially any social and community participation or capacity building supports.
- Talk to someone if you're unsure. If you have one, your support coordinator, plan manager or local area coordinator can help you understand what the changes mean for your child.
Where to find more information
- Thriving Kids overview (Department of Health, Disability and Ageing), including links to each state and territory
- Thriving Kids questions and answers
- Thriving Kids on the NDIS website
- Raising Children Network: Thriving Kids questions answered
Supporting our Mable community through the change
At Mable, we are committed to collaborating with the government and the NDIS to enable people in the community to receive the support they need.
For clients and families
Independent support workers on Mable can continue to provide support to their clients as usual. The start of Thriving Kids does not change how NDIS-funded supports are booked on Mable. If your child's plan is renewed or reassessed and your community participation or capacity building budgets change, speak with your support coordinator or plan manager (if you have one) about how this affects your child's supports.
For support workers
There are no changes to how independent support workers provide support on Mable as a result of Thriving Kids starting. Some clients may see changes to their NDIS budgets at plan renewal, which could affect the supports they book.
We will keep everyone updated on developments and share further information about Thriving Kids as the government announces updates.
The information in this article is general information only and based on current information as of the date of publication. In addition to the information shared here, Mable encourages you to conduct your own research and seek independent advice about funding and support services.
