Autism & Early Childhood FAQs
Autism and early childhood support in Australia - Thriving Kids, Foundational Supports, the NDIS early childhood approach, and how the reforms fit together.
What is Thriving Kids?
Thriving Kids is the first phase of Foundational Supports, a government program for young children with developmental delay or autism and their families. States and territories deliver it with the Australian Government, and it sits outside the NDIS with its own rollout.
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 Ageing
What are Foundational Supports?
Foundational Supports are supports outside the NDIS, in addition to mainstream services like health and education. They include general supports open to people with disability, and targeted supports for those with extra needs who do not require the NDIS to meet them.
All governments made a commitment to work together to deliver Foundational Supports, including a commitment of $10 billion in joint funding over 5 years. As of 2026-02-12 · Foundational Supports - Department of Social Services
Is my child's NDIS access changing?
The government has announced changes to NDIS access for young children with developmental delay or autism and lower support needs, subject to new laws. Nothing here decides your child's access. The NDIA and early childhood partners assess each child against the published rules.
As announced, 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. These changes require amendments to the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013. As of 2026-05-13 · Thriving Kids - Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
What is the NDIS early childhood approach?
The NDIS early childhood approach is for children younger than 9 with delays in their development or disability. As of 2026-07-23 · Guide to the early childhood approach - NDIS
The early childhood approach helps young children with developmental delay or disability, and their families, get support. Early connections can help even before a child is found eligible for the NDIS. Local early childhood partners deliver it and help families apply.
What is the difference between developmental delay and developmental concerns?
Developmental delay is a defined term: a young child finds everyday things much harder than others their age, meeting the definition in the NDIS Act. Developmental concerns describes delays that do not meet that definition, and children with concerns can still access early supports.
Can my child access the NDIS because they are Autistic?
The NDIS does not decide access by diagnosis. It looks at impairment type and how much it affects everyday activities, against its published requirements. A diagnosis can form part of the evidence, but the assessment weighs function, and the NDIA alone decides each case.
What is the National Autism Strategy?
The National Autism Strategy sets a national plan for a safe and inclusive society for all Autistic people. It is supported by a First Action Plan and delivered by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing across its published outcome areas.
The National Autism Strategy focuses on actions and enabling change in 4 key outcome areas: social inclusion, economic inclusion, diagnosis, services and supports, and health and mental health. As of 2026-03-17 · National Autism Strategy - Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
Why does this site say Autistic person rather than person with autism?
We follow the identity-first language the government uses for the National Autism Strategy: Autistic person and Autistic people. The Autistic community holds a range of views on wording, and both identity-first and person-first language are respected. This is a style choice, not a clinical one.