If you have read headlines about Thriving Kids and the NDIS, you are not alone if you feel unsure about what it means for your child.
Here is the clearest way to think about it. Thriving Kids is being built as a national system of supports for children aged 8 and under with developmental delay and or autism with low to moderate support needs. It is intended to roll out state services from 1 October 2026 and be at scale from 1 January 2028.
The Australian Government has also published that changes to NDIS access arrangements will commence from 1 January 2028 and will be limited to children aged 8 and under with developmental delay and or autism with low to moderate support needs.
This article focuses on what is confirmed, what is still being finalised, and what families can do now.
What is Thriving Kids trying to do?
The Government’s public information describes Thriving Kids as part of Foundational Supports, with joint funding of $4 billion over five years. The intent is earlier identification of developmental needs and easier access to evidence-based supports, delivered through local services in the places children live, learn and play.
One important detail. Thriving Kids is not described as an individualised funding package. The published model is focused on connecting children and families to supports matched to functional needs.
What stays the same
This is the part many families need to hear clearly.
The Australian Government has published that children with permanent and significant disability, and children aged 8 and under with developmental delay and or autism who have substantially reduced functional capacity (high support needs), will remain eligible for the NDIS, subject to usual arrangements.
So if your child has high support needs, the published position is that the NDIS remains the right system.
What changes from 1 January 2028
The Government has published that changes to NDIS access will commence from 1 January 2028 and will be limited to children aged 8 and under with developmental delay and or autism with low to moderate support needs.
The Government’s Q and A also explains that “support needs” refers to abilities and needs based on functional capacity, rather than a formal diagnosis, and that this framing is intended to match families to the right supports.
What if my child is already on the NDIS?
The Government has published that children aged 8 and under enrolled in the NDIS prior to 1 January 2028 with developmental delay and or autism with low to moderate support needs will be subject to reassessment under the eligibility criteria in place prior to 1 January 2028.
That wording matters. It signals that there is a transition period and that reassessment processes will be part of the picture for some families.
What is still being finalised
The Government has stated that details about specific services and how to access them will be made available closer to services commencing, and that there will be a range of supports matched to each child’s needs and circumstances.
This is why it can feel vague right now. The national model is published, but the practical “how does my family access this in my suburb” detail is still being built with states and territories.
What families can do now
You do not need to wait for 2026 or 2028 to support your child. You can prepare without panic by focusing on three practical things: function, goals, and evidence.
Start here:
1) Capture real examples, not labels
Write down what is hard in daily life. Mornings, mealtimes, play, childcare drop off, sleep, toileting, transitions, noisy environments, group time.
2) Turn concerns into goals
Try “We want our child to be able to…”
For example: “We want our child to be able to follow a two-step instruction at preschool”, or “We want our child to be able to communicate needs without escalating”.
3) Collect observations from other settings
Childcare, preschool, school transition programs, grandparents, sporting clubs. Ask for short notes on what helps and what makes it harder.
4) Ask your current team how progress is measured
Not just “Are we doing therapy?” but “What has changed in function over 12 weeks?”
These steps help regardless of which system your child is in, because the published Thriving Kids model is explicitly linked to functional needs and matching supports to those needs.
What others are saying, and why it matters
Alongside Government updates, many advocacy and peak bodies are pushing for one core principle: no child should lose support in the transition.
For example, Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA) has published community concerns about rollout pace and the risk of children “falling through the cracks”, based on its own survey work.
You do not need to agree with every viewpoint to take the underlying message seriously. The best transition is one where supports are in place, easy to access, and high quality before families are asked to change pathways.
How Bloom can help, without adding pressure
Bloom supports families to turn uncertainty into a clear plan. That usually starts with understanding your child’s functional needs now, setting practical goals, and choosing the right mix of support.
Depending on what is going on for your child, this can include Paediatrics (0-9 and 10-17), Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Psychology/Counselling, Physiotherapy, Positive Behaviour Support (PBS), Dietitian, and Exercise Physiology.
If you are unsure where to start, a goal-based intake conversation is often enough to point you in the right direction.
