Thriving Kids has started. What it means for families like ours

Eden is 13 and has very high support needs, so Thriving Kids won’t change much in our house. But plenty of parents with little ones are asking the same question: what does this actually mean for my child?

Here’s the plain version, as of early November 2026.

What it is

Thriving Kids is a $4 billion program, funded by the federal, state and territory governments, for children aged eight and under with developmental delay or autism who have “low to moderate” support needs. The idea is to support those kids in everyday places, like playgroups, preschools, schools and the GP, rather than through individual NDIS plans.

What started on 1 October

• A free autism helpline: 1300 654 789, run by Amaze.
• An online hub of child development information, run by Raising Children Network.
• From 1 November: a Medicare-funded developmental health check for three-year-olds, done by your GP.
• You don’t need a diagnosis or a referral to use the information and general supports.

What hasn’t changed

• Nobody has been moved off the NDIS.
• Children can still apply for and join the NDIS until the end of 2027.
• Children with significant, permanent disability, including autism, stay eligible for the NDIS after 2028.

What’s coming

• 2027: states and territories start rolling out targeted supports such as allied health. In NSW, allied health support is due in 2027.
• January 2028: new NDIS eligibility rules and a new assessment process begin. They’re still being designed.

What families are worried about

• What “low to moderate” means. It hasn’t been clearly defined, and advocates say that’s a problem.
• The cliff at nine. Thriving Kids stops at age nine. There’s no plan yet for older kids who don’t qualify for the NDIS.
• Queensland hasn’t signed up.
• Stretched schools and services being asked to deliver more.

My view, for what it’s worth: support in everyday places is a good idea if the people in those places are trained and resourced. The inquiry into NSW schools heard how often that isn’t the case. We need to watch closely that “everyday settings” doesn’t end up meaning “nobody’s job”.

Worth knowing

If your child is under nine

1. Call the helpline1300 654 789. Ask what’s available in your state right now, because it differs a lot.
2. Book the three-year-old checkIf your child is three, ask your GP about the new Medicare developmental check from 1 November.
3. Don’t wait on the NDISIf your child has high or permanent needs, you can still apply to the NDIS until the end of 2027. Keep reports and notes ready.

Questions people ask

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Information current at 3 November 2026. Check the NDIS and your state’s Thriving Kids pages for updates.

Sources

1. ABC News, What is and isn’t changing today as NDIS alternative Thriving Kids begins (1 October 2026).
2. Dickinson & Smith, Thriving Kids launches today. Here’s what will and won’t change, UNSW / The Conversation (October 2026).
3. NDIS, Thriving Kids.