Thriving Kids explained: what families need to know

The new program for children aged 8 and under with developmental delay or autism: who it's for, what's available and when, what it means if your child is on the NDIS, and what to record along the way.

What is Thriving Kids?

Thriving Kids is a new national program for young children who need extra help with their development, and for their families. It is funded by the Australian Government together with the states and territories, and began rolling out in October 2026.

It sits outside the NDIS. The idea is that support starts earlier, closer to home, and in the places children already spend their time: at home, in early learning and school, and in the community.

Who it is for

Thriving Kids is for children aged 8 and under with developmental delay or autism who have low to moderate support needs. It also supports their parents, siblings, carers and kin.

You don't need a diagnosis. Families can come to Thriving Kids because they have noticed something, have a question, or have been pointed there by an educator, a maternal and child health nurse or a GP. Children with significant and permanent disability, or high support needs, continue to access the NDIS.

What is available, and when

From October 2026: general supports

Information and advice, peer support and parenting programs, and supported playgroups, delivered by local organisations. The national Thriving Kids Autism Helpline (1300 654 789) gives free advice to families of children aged 0 to 8, with or without a diagnosis.

From November 2026: a Healthy Kids Check at age 3

A new Medicare check with the GP looks at a three-year-old's physical, social and emotional development. It is a chance to talk through any concerns and, where needed, be referred on, including to Thriving Kids.

From 2027: targeted supports

For children who need more, states and territories are rolling out short-term, goal-focused allied health, such as speech, occupational therapy and psychology, often in play-based or small-group sessions. In NSW these begin in January 2027 through a central intake. Timing and intake differ by state, and all supports are due to be in place by January 2028.

If your child is already on the NDIS

Nothing changes to NDIS access before 1 January 2028. After that, children aged 8 and under with developmental delay or autism and low to moderate support needs are expected to be reassessed and, where that applies, supported through Thriving Kids instead. Children with significant and permanent disability stay on the NDIS.

Neither scheme decides on a diagnosis alone. Both look at what a child needs and can do in everyday life. That is the part a family sees most clearly, and the part that is hardest to show in a single appointment.

Why a record of daily life helps

Because a diagnosis isn't required, what you've noticed at home carries real weight. Educators, nurses, GPs and intake teams will ask what daily life looks like: how mornings go, what happens after school, how long things take, what helps.

Most parents answer from memory, in a short appointment, on whatever kind of day it happens to be. A dated record kept over weeks or months answers it properly. It shows the good days and the hard ones, the patterns, and what has changed, so whoever you're talking to sees more than a single visit.

What to record

You don't need to write much. One or two sentences on the day is enough. Over time, notes like these build a clear picture:

• Everyday routines: getting dressed, eating, sleep, toileting, and how much help each one takes.
• Communication: how your child lets you know what they need, and what happens when they can't.
• Transitions and change: leaving the house, drop-off, moving between activities.
• Big feelings: what led up to a hard moment, how long it lasted and what helped.
• Play and friendships: at home, at playgroup, at childcare or school.
• What educators and therapists tell you: so it sits alongside what you see at home.
• What's working: strategies that help, and progress worth noticing.

Bring the record to the Healthy Kids Check, to conversations with educators, and to any Thriving Kids or NDIS assessment. The aim isn't to make things sound better or worse. It's to describe your child's needs accurately.

Where to find out more

• The Australian Government's Thriving Kids site: health.gov.au/thrivingkids
• Your state or territory government's Thriving Kids page, for local services and intake
• The Thriving Kids Autism Helpline: 1300 654 789
• Your GP, maternal and child health nurse, or your child's educator