NDIS
What is Thriving Kids? A plain-English guide for parents
Written by the Hey Sprout team — pending clinician review
Thriving Kids began on 1 October 2026. Who it's for, what it offers, how it fits with the NDIS, and where to get reliable information now.
Written by the Hey Sprout team — pending clinician review
Last updated 20 October 2026
General information with cited sources, not clinical advice. See the Hey Sprout editorial policy for how we write, update and correct pages.
Thriving Kids is a new national program for children aged 8 and under who have developmental delay or autism with low to moderate support needs, and for their families. It started on 1 October 2026 and is being rolled out in stages, with all supports due by 1 January 2028.[] It is separate from the NDIS. Your child doesn't need a diagnosis to use it, and there are no changes to how children access the NDIS before 1 January 2028.[][]
Who Thriving Kids is for
The Australian Government describes Thriving Kids as an improved approach to early intervention for children who need extra help with communication, learning, behaviour, movement or social skills.[] It is for:
- children aged 8 and under with developmental delay and/or autism who have low to moderate support needs
- their families, a word the government uses to include parents, carers, siblings and kin.[]
"Support needs" means how a child manages everyday life, which the government calls functional capacity. It does not mean a particular diagnosis.[] So a label such as autism level 1 or level 2 does not on its own decide which program a child uses. Governments have not yet published the exact threshold for "low to moderate". The assessment that will decide NDIS access from 2028 is still being designed, with advice from a Technical Advisory Group.[]
What Thriving Kids offers
Governments agreed on a national model, so families should find similar types of support in every state and territory, even though the details will differ. The supports fall into four groups.[]
| Type of support | Examples | Who delivers it |
|---|---|---|
| Information and advice | An online information hub, a nurse phoneline, an autism helpline | Australian Government |
| Help to spot needs early | Child health and development checks, a new Medicare Healthy Kids Check at age 3 | States and territories, GPs |
| Programs for families | Supported playgroups, peer support groups, family programs, online courses | Mostly states and territories |
| Targeted supports | Speech pathology, occupational therapy, psychology, low-cost assistive technology, more intensive help for families | States and territories |
Targeted supports may be one-on-one or in groups, and in person or online.[] Most supports are meant to happen where children already spend their time, such as at home and in the community.[]
What's available now, and what comes later
The first phase is mostly information and advice. Since 1 October 2026, families can use:[][]
- the Thriving Kids Information and Resource Hub, run by the Raising Children Network
- a national phoneline staffed by maternal and child health nurses, for questions about development and behaviour in children aged 8 and under. Call 1800 882 436 or use video call, 7am to midnight, 7 days a week.
- the Thriving Kids Autism Helpline, run by Amaze, for families of children aged 0 to 8 who have an autism diagnosis or may be heading towards one. Call 1300 654 789, 8am to 7pm, Monday to Friday.
The Medicare Healthy Kids Check is scheduled to start on 1 November 2026. GPs will be able to do one check per Medicare-eligible 3-year-old, covering physical, social and emotional development, health and wellbeing. The GP can then refer on, including to Thriving Kids supports.[]
Targeted allied health will take longer. The Raising Children Network, which runs the government-funded hub, says allied health services are expected during 2027.[] All supports are due to be in place by 1 January 2028.[]
How Thriving Kids relates to the NDIS
Thriving Kids and the NDIS are separate programs. The key dates come from the government's summary of the NDIS changes.[]
| Who | What happens |
|---|---|
| Any child, until 1 January 2028 | No change to NDIS access. Children can still apply under the current rules. |
| Children aged 8 and under who apply from 1 January 2028 | Assessed against new criteria. Those with developmental delay or autism and low to moderate support needs will be supported through Thriving Kids and mainstream services instead of the NDIS. |
| Children with permanent and significant disability, or high support needs | Remain eligible for the NDIS. |
| Children aged 8 and under already on the NDIS before 1 January 2028 | Continue to be reassessed under the rules in place before that date. Once they turn 9, they are reassessed under the new functional capacity criteria. |
The government defines high support needs here as developmental delay or autism with substantially reduced functional capacity.[]
What's still being worked out
Thriving Kids is new, and some important details were still open when it launched:
- Each state and territory is building its own mix of new and existing services, so what is offered, and when, will depend on where you live.[]
- The Commonwealth says it will keep working with states and territories as services grow over time.[]
- The government says it is still working on the design and details of Thriving Kids with states and territories before NDIS access laws change.[]
- On launch day, 1 October 2026, Queensland had not signed up to deliver Thriving Kids, so it was unclear what targeted services Queensland families would get.[]
- There is no firm plan yet for children who turn 9 and are not eligible for the NDIS.[]
Expect details to change over the next year. The health department says it will update its website at key stages of the rollout.[]
Where to get reliable information
- The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Thriving Kids pages. These hold the official national model, timelines and NDIS changes.
- The Raising Children Network Thriving Kids hub. It answers common questions and links to the Thriving Kids pages of the states and territories taking part.[]
- The nurse phoneline and the Autism Helpline listed above, if you have a question about your own child.
- Your GP, child health nurse or early childhood educator. They can tell you what is running locally.
Be careful with private websites that describe Thriving Kids with certainty. Check claims against the government pages, because details are still being settled.
What to do now
If you're worried about your child's development, you don't have to wait for Thriving Kids to reach your area.
- Book a GP or paediatrician appointment and bring your notes on what you've noticed. Our milestones by age pages can help you put your concerns into words.
- If your child is under 9, you can still contact an NDIS early childhood partner or apply to the NDIS under the current rules.[] Our guide to how the NDIS works covers the basics.
- If your child already has therapy through the NDIS, keep going. Thriving Kids doesn't change NDIS access before 1 January 2028.[]
If your child already has an NDIS plan, see whether your child will stay on the NDIS and what Thriving Kids means for their current therapy.
Acting early matters, whichever program ends up funding your child's support. Why early intervention matters explains the reasons. If you'd like to talk through options for speech, OT or psychology, you can send Hey Sprout an enquiry.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to apply for Thriving Kids?
No. There is no application form. You can use the online hub, the nurse phoneline and the autism helpline yourself, today. Targeted supports such as therapy may need an assessment first. Other supports will be offered through places your child already goes, such as your GP, early childhood services and schools, as your state or territory rolls them out.
Is Thriving Kids only for autistic children?
No. It is for children aged 8 and under with developmental delay, autism, or both, who have low to moderate support needs. Access is based on how a child is managing everyday life rather than on a particular diagnosis.
Will my child be moved off the NDIS now that Thriving Kids has started?
No. Governments have said there are no changes to how children access the NDIS until 1 January 2028. Children already on the NDIS keep their plans, and children can still apply under the current rules.
My child is 9. Can we use Thriving Kids?
Thriving Kids is for children aged 8 and under. For a child aged 9 or older with disability, the NDIS works through local area coordinators, who can connect you with community supports and help you work out whether to apply to the NDIS.
Who runs Thriving Kids in my state?
State and territory governments deliver most Thriving Kids services, including targeted allied health, so what is available and when depends on where you live. The Raising Children Network Thriving Kids page links to the Thriving Kids pages of the states and territories taking part.
Keep reading
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How Hey Sprout supports this
References
- About Thriving Kids — Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, 2026
- Thriving Kids: supports being rolled out — Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, 2026
- First phase of Thriving Kids supports start today — National Disability Insurance Scheme, 2026
- Thriving Kids: FAQs about support, eligibility and access — Raising Children Network (Australia), 2026
- About the changes to the NDIS — Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, 2026
- Medicare Healthy Kids Check factsheet — MBS Online, Australian Government, 2026
- Thriving Kids questions and answers (archived) — Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, 2026
- Thriving Kids launches today. Here's what will and won't change — UNSW Sydney (republished from The Conversation), 2026
