Education
From 1 October 2026, Australia's biggest NDIS change in a decade begins rolling out. Thriving Kids will redirect thousands of young children away from the NDIS. Here is everything you need to know, and what to do about it now.
If you have a child aged eight or under with autism or developmental delay, Thriving Kids is the most important change happening to the Australian disability support system in years. It begins rolling out in three months. Most families I speak with are still working out what it actually means for them.
I want to write this clearly, without the spin from either side. There are genuine positives in the Thriving Kids model. There are also real risks that families with high-needs children need to understand and prepare for. This is a guide that tries to give you both, so you can make informed decisions about your child's support.
What Thriving Kids is
Thriving Kids is a new national program for children aged eight and under with developmental delay or autism who are assessed as having 'low to moderate' support needs. It is funded jointly by the Commonwealth and state governments, $4 billion over five years, and is designed to move these children out of the NDIS and into a state-delivered, community-based early intervention model.
The program begins rollout from 1 October 2026 and is expected to be at full scale from 1 January 2028. Children will not be removed from the NDIS overnight, the transition is gradual. But new children entering the system from October 2026 will be assessed and potentially directed to Thriving Kids rather than the NDIS. For a full overview of all the 2026 changes, our NDIS Changes 2026 guide for parents covers the complete picture.
What it is supposed to offer
The theory behind Thriving Kids is genuinely good. The idea is that children who currently wait twelve to eighteen months for an autism diagnosis before accessing support could instead access early intervention immediately, through the Thriving Kids gateway, without a formal diagnosis. The program is designed to deliver therapy, OT, speech pathology, physiotherapy, psychology, embedded in everyday settings: at home, in childcare, in kindergarten.
- Earlier access to support, no waiting for a formal diagnosis to begin receiving help
- Family-centred therapy model, strategies embedded in daily routines rather than isolated clinic sessions
- State-delivered, community-based, services intended to be more local and accessible
- No diagnosis required for access, assessment focuses on functional need, not diagnostic category
- A dedicated Thriving Kids navigator to help families access services and coordinate support
What the concerns are
The concerns are real and I am not going to pretend otherwise. Advocacy organisations including Autism Awareness Australia, Amaze, and the Disability Council of NSW have all raised concerns about the pace of implementation and the readiness of state services. Here is what families should understand.
The program is being built as it is being implemented. State services are not yet at the scale required. The therapists, the navigators, the community infrastructure, these are being developed and funded over the five-year rollout period. Families directed to Thriving Kids from October 2026 may find that some of the promised services are not yet available in their area.
- Children assessed as 'low to moderate' will be moved to Thriving Kids, but the assessment framework is still being finalised in many states
- Children with higher support needs will remain on the NDIS, but the threshold for 'higher support needs' matters enormously and is not yet fully published
- Services are not yet built in all locations, regional and rural families face the greatest risk of receiving a Thriving Kids direction without local services available
- There is no guarantee that Thriving Kids will fund the same therapy hours as an NDIS plan did for equivalent children
- The transition for children currently on NDIS plans will be gradual, your child will not be immediately exited, but plan renewals from 2028 may be affected
“The theory behind Thriving Kids is good. The implementation timeline is tight. The families who navigate it best will be the ones who understand it best, and who document their child's needs now.”
Who is affected and when
This is the most common question I receive, and the answer is not as simple as it should be. Here is the clearest breakdown I can give based on current government guidance.
- Children aged 8 and under with autism or developmental delay applying for NDIS support from October 2026: will be assessed and may be directed to Thriving Kids rather than the NDIS
- Children aged 8 and under who are currently on the NDIS: will not be immediately moved. Plan renewals will be reviewed under the new framework from 2028
- Children aged 9 and over: not affected by Thriving Kids
- Children with complex, high or intensive support needs regardless of age: remain eligible for the NDIS
- Children with developmental delay who are already receiving NDIS early childhood approach supports: their pathway under the transition is being communicated progressively
What to do right now
If your child is currently on the NDIS and under eight, the most important thing you can do is document their support needs comprehensively before any review happens. The argument for remaining on the NDIS is a functional one, it is about demonstrating the intensity and consistency of support your child requires, not just the diagnosis they carry.
- Request updated functional assessments from your child's OT, speech pathologist, and psychologist, before your next plan review
- Ask your clinicians to document functional impact in detail: not 'child has autism' but 'child requires adult support for X, Y, Z daily living tasks due to A, B, C'
- Contact your NDIS local area coordinator now to understand when your current plan is due for renewal and what the transition process looks like
- If your child is not yet on the NDIS and you are considering applying, apply now, before October. Children who enter the system before October 2026 under the current framework are not immediately redirected
- Connect with a disability advocate in your state if you are concerned, advocacy services are free and can attend meetings with you
- Stay informed through organisations like Amaze, Autism Awareness Australia, and communities like THRVHUB where families are sharing real-time updates on how the transition is playing out in their areas
What THRVHUB is doing
Inside the THRVHUB community, we are tracking the Thriving Kids rollout state by state as it happens. Members are sharing information about which services are coming online, what assessments look like in practice, and how families are navigating the transition. If you want real-time, lived-experience information about what Thriving Kids looks like on the ground, not just government websites, the community is where that is happening.
We are also building resources specifically for families who are reviewing their child's support under the new framework: how to prepare for a review, how to document functional needs effectively, and how to challenge an assessment that does not accurately reflect your child's requirements.
The bottom line
Thriving Kids has the potential to help more children access early support without the diagnostic wait that has failed so many families. But that potential depends on state governments building the services they have committed to, on the assessment framework being applied fairly, and on families having access to accurate information about their rights throughout the transition.
The families who navigate this best will be the ones who understand it earliest, document most thoroughly, and connect with communities who are navigating it alongside them. This guide is the start of that. The THRVHUB community is the ongoing part.
Will my child lose their NDIS plan? Honest answers to the questions families are asking
This is the question I receive more than any other right now. Parents are frightened, and the information available online is either from providers with a financial stake in the answer or from government websites that are precise but not comforting. Let me try to give plain-English answers.
- My child is currently on an NDIS plan. Will they lose it? Not immediately. Children currently on NDIS plans are not being removed from the scheme as of October 2026. The transition happens at plan review, and for most children currently on plans, that review will happen under the new framework from 2028 onwards. You have time to prepare.
- My child has high support needs. Are they safe? Children with complex, high, or intensive support needs remain NDIS-eligible regardless of age and regardless of Thriving Kids. The critical question is how 'high support needs' will be assessed in practice, which is why thorough documentation from your clinicians matters enormously right now.
- My child is under eight and on NDIS with what seems like moderate needs. Should I be worried? You should be informed rather than reactive. Update functional assessments now. Make sure reports describe what daily life actually requires, not just the diagnosis. A well-documented child is in the strongest possible position at review.
- What if the assessment says my child has low to moderate needs but I disagree? You have the right to seek a review. You can bring documentation, request your clinicians attend meetings, and access a disability advocate who can support you through the process. An incorrect assessment is not final.
- What happens to my child's NDIS funding while we wait for a review? Your current plan remains active during any review process. You continue to access funded supports while the review is underway.
- If my child is directed to Thriving Kids, what will they actually get? State governments are committing to therapy: OT, speech pathology, physiotherapy, psychology, and developmental supports through the Thriving Kids gateway. The concern, particularly for regional and rural families, is readiness. Monitor what is available in your state as October approaches.
Education
A note on accuracy:While every effort has been made to ensure the information in this article is accurate at the time of writing, facts, policies and research can change. We're human, and sometimes we get things wrong. If you spot something that needs updating, we'd genuinely love to hear from you.
Newsletter
Worth reading. Not often.
Practical guides on neurodiversity, NDIS navigation, and Australian schools. Sent when there's something worth saying, not on a schedule for the sake of it.
No spam. Unsubscribe any time.
Dave Harrison
ESW · Neurodiversity Advocate · Podcast Host
Dave Harrison is currently working in Australian schools as an Education Support Worker. He's the founder of THRVHUB, host of the Different Is Normal podcast, and a parent of a neurodivergent teenager, writing from both sides of the classroom.
More about DaveMore to read
Comments
Sign in with GitHub to leave a comment. All comments are moderated through GitHub Discussions: respectful and on-topic only.