Thriving Kids Programme: A New Approach to Early Childhood Support
The Albanese government has officially revealed the operational model for its innovative Thriving Kids programme, designed to transition children under nine years old with mild developmental delays and autism away from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). This new initiative, set to launch in October this year, represents a significant shift in how Australia delivers support to young children with additional needs.
What Exactly is the Thriving Kids Programme?
Thriving Kids will function as an early intervention service specifically tailored for children with low to moderate support requirements. Developed by a dedicated advisory group, the programme will deliver services in familiar environments such as schools and childcare centres, aiming to address developmental challenges at their earliest stages.
Unlike the NDIS, which requires formal diagnosis for participation, Thriving Kids will operate without this prerequisite, potentially accelerating access to services and reducing financial burdens on families. The programme's fundamental philosophy centres on proactive intervention, with the expectation that addressing issues promptly will facilitate more complete developmental progress.
Funding for Thriving Kids has been secured through a landmark agreement between the federal government and state and territory administrations, totalling $4 billion with equal cost-sharing arrangements. Approximately $1.4 billion of the federal contribution will be allocated directly to service delivery.
Operational Framework and Core Principles
Health Minister Mark Butler and advisory panel chair Professor Frank Oberklaid from the Murdoch Children's Research Institute have outlined four foundational pillars for the programme's implementation.
- Early Identification: Enhancing awareness and improving early detection of developmental concerns in children.
- Parental Support: Providing readily accessible information, advice, and navigation assistance for parents and caregivers.
- Skill Development: Building parental capabilities to support their child's development effectively.
- Targeted Intervention: Ensuring swift access to specialised support from trained allied health professionals including speech pathologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, audiologists, and psychologists.
The programme is specifically designed to help families cultivate their child's strengths and successfully navigate critical transition periods, such as starting school. While the NDIS operates through annual funding packages that participants allocate to services, Thriving Kids will adopt a goal-oriented approach linked to developmental milestones, with services being time-limited rather than open-ended.
Addressing Systemic Challenges
The introduction of Thriving Kids comes as the Labor government seeks to manage the escalating costs associated with the NDIS. Recent figures indicate that cost growth has moderated from approximately 22% in 2022 to about 10% last year, with national cabinet committing to further reductions to 8% this year, eventually targeting 5-6% growth rates.
With nearly 750,000 participants and annual costs approaching $50 billion, the NDIS represents a substantial component of Australia's social services landscape. Statistics reveal that approximately 11% of all five to seven-year-olds received NDIS services last year, with autism representing the primary diagnosis for 40% of all participants and developmental delays accounting for 11%.
Experts have consistently warned that surging demand within the NDIS has created workforce pressures across the broader health sector, affecting hospitals, aged care facilities, and other essential services. Professor Oberklaid has noted that the current NDIS model tends to emphasise children's weaknesses in clinical practice, whereas Thriving Kids aims to better recognise individual differences and specific needs.
Implementation Timeline and Eligibility Considerations
Originally announced in August last year, Thriving Kids is scheduled to commence operations on 1 October, following a three-month delay agreed upon by national cabinet last week. The programme will undergo a phased implementation, with full operational capacity expected by January 2028.
Children currently enrolled in the NDIS will retain their existing arrangements and are not required to transition to the new programme. Until 2028, children under nine will continue to have access to NDIS enrolment pathways, while those with permanent and significant disabilities will maintain permanent eligibility for NDIS support, subject to standard assessment criteria.
Reactions and Responses
Shadow Minister for Disability and the NDIS Anne Ruston has criticised the government's communication regarding Thriving Kids, stating that Labor has been "too slow to explain" how the programme will function practically. She has raised concerns about operational details, ground-level service delivery mechanisms, and the programme's impact on budgetary commitments and NDIS growth management.
Conversely, the Independent Education Union, representing staff in independent and religious schools along with early childhood education centres, has welcomed the initiative. The union anticipates that Thriving Kids will alleviate workload pressures on teaching professionals while providing enhanced support for children and families navigating developmental challenges.
As Australia prepares for this substantial reform in early childhood support services, the Thriving Kids programme represents both an opportunity to improve outcomes for young children and a strategic response to the sustainability challenges facing the broader disability support system.
