What is Thriving Kids? The New Early Support Program Explained
Thriving Kids is a new government program for young children with developmental delay or autism, and it is one of the more significant changes to early childhood support in years. It is worth understanding clearly, because it is being built to serve many of the families who would otherwise look to the NDIS. This article covers what it is, who it is for, and how it is being funded and rolled out.
What it is
Thriving Kids is the first phase of a larger program called Foundational Supports, which delivers supports outside the NDIS. Its stated purpose is to identify children with additional developmental needs as early as possible, when timely, evidence-based support can make the greatest difference.
Governments have committed to jointly contribute $4 billion over 5 years to implement the first phase of Foundational Supports, known as Thriving Kids. As of 2026-05-13 · Thriving Kids - Department of Health, Disability and AgeingThe design point is that these services are delivered close to home through state and territory systems, rather than through an individual NDIS plan. That is a real shift in how early support reaches a family.
Who it is for
The program has a defined group in mind.
Thriving Kids will support children aged 8 and under with developmental delay and/or autism with low to moderate support needs, and their families, carers and kin. As of 2026-02-12 · Foundational Supports - Department of Social ServicesChildren with permanent and significant disability, and young children with autism or developmental delay whose functional capacity is substantially reduced, are stated to remain eligible for the NDIS under the usual arrangements. Which side of that line a particular child sits on is a decision for the NDIA, not something a family or a website can settle from a description alone.
How it is funded
Part of the funding flows directly to the states that deliver the services.
At least $1.4 billion of the Australian Government's $2 billion contribution will be provided as direct funding to states for Thriving Kids services. As of 2026-05-13 · Thriving Kids - Department of Health, Disability and AgeingThat direct-funding design reflects the fact that states and territories run the frontline services, from health to early education, that Thriving Kids is meant to strengthen.
When it arrives
The rollout is deliberately staged.
Thriving Kids will commence rollout of state services from 1 October 2026 and is expected to be at scale from 1 January 2028. As of 2026-05-13 · Thriving Kids - Department of Health, Disability and AgeingThe sequencing is the important part: services are meant to be in place before any change to NDIS access for young children takes effect, so that families are not left between systems. The companion article on what is changing for the NDIS sets out that access change and how the two timelines line up.
Thriving Kids is an announced program, and some of it depends on decisions still to come. The official Thriving Kids page carries the current detail, and it is the place to check before making any plan around it.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who is Thriving Kids for?
- Young children with developmental delay or autism and lower support needs, together with their families, carers and kin. Children with higher, substantially reduced functional capacity are stated to remain with the NDIS under the usual arrangements, which the agency decides case by case.
- Is Thriving Kids part of the NDIS?
- No. It is part of Foundational Supports, which sit outside the NDIS. States and territories deliver Thriving Kids services with the Australian Government, so it has its own rollout, its own delivery, and its own front door rather than an individual NDIS plan.
- When does Thriving Kids start?
- Its rollout is staged. State services begin rolling out from an announced start date, and the program is expected to reach full scale later, timed so that services exist before any change to NDIS access for young children takes effect.
Related tools
Eligibility Criteria Walkthrough
The NDIA's published access criteria, step by step, with links to the application process.
Plan Benchmark
Average plan budgets and support mix for your age group, disability group, and region - from official NDIA data.
Plan Management Quiz
Self-managed, plan-managed, and agency-managed - how each works, side by side.
Related articles
Autism & Early Childhood Support in Australia: A Plain-English Map
How support for Autistic children and children with developmental delay works in Australia - the NDIS early childhood approach and the Thriving Kids reforms.
What are Foundational Supports? The Supports Outside the NDIS
Foundational Supports are a new tier of disability support outside the NDIS. What general and targeted supports mean, and how Thriving Kids fits in.
Thriving Kids vs the NDIS: What is Changing for Young Children
The government has announced changes to NDIS access for young children with developmental delay or autism. What is changing, the timing, and what stays.
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Written by
Lion Med Supplies EditorialLion Med Supplies Editorial Team
Lion Med Supplies's editorial team researches and produces independent comparison content for Australian homeowners. All content is built from primary sources - manufacturer spec sheets, government program documentation, and installer pricing surveys - and reviewed for factual accuracy before publication.