- We offer occupational therapy sessions for both NDIS participants and private clients. Book a time that suits you.
The Thriving Kids model is one of the most significant changes to come out of the NDIS reforms, and for families of children with autism or developmental delay, it raises a lot of questions.
Announced by the Australian Government in August 2025, the program would move children aged 0 to 8 with lower-to-moderate support needs out of the NDIS and into a new community-based early childhood support system. The changes to NDIS eligibility do not take effect until 1 January 2028, but the decisions being made right now will shape what options families have when that date arrives.
This post explains what the Thriving Kids model is, who it affects, what we still do not know, and what families can do in the meantime.
One thing worth saying upfront: the NDIS eligibility changes tied to Thriving Kids do not take effect until 1 January 2028. There is still time to understand what is ahead and take action where it matters.
At Zenzability, we provide NDIS occupational therapy and speech therapy for children and families across the Macarthur region. We are watching these changes closely and want to make sure the families we work with feel informed and supported through whatever comes next.
The Thriving Kids model is a new $4 billion national program announced by the Australian Government in August 2025. It sits outside the NDIS and is jointly funded by the Commonwealth and state and territory governments.
The program grew out of the 2023 Independent NDIS Review, which found that the NDIS had grown well beyond what it was originally designed for. The review recommended building a new layer of community-based early childhood supports so that families could get help without needing to navigate the full NDIS system.
In practical terms, the Thriving Kids model would create a new pathway for children aged 0 to 8 with developmental delay or autism who are assessed as having lower-to-moderate support needs. Instead of entering the NDIS, those children would access a community-based support system that includes allied health services like occupational therapy, speech therapy, and psychology, as well as parent coaching programs and group-based early intervention.
One of the most talked-about features of the model is that it would not require a formal diagnosis to access support. A child showing signs of developmental delay could be referred through a GP without needing an autism diagnosis first.
The Thriving Kids Advisory Group Final Report, published in February 2026, set out the recommended design of the program in detail. It is worth reading if you want to understand the full picture, though we will cover the key points here.
As of now, Thriving Kids services are scheduled to begin rolling out from October 2026. The changes to NDIS eligibility do not take effect until 1 January 2028.
To understand why Thriving Kids exists, it helps to understand what has happened to the NDIS over the past decade.
The scheme was originally designed to support around 411,000 Australians with permanent and significant disability, at a projected cost of around $13.6 billion per year. By 2025, it was serving over 740,000 participants at a cost of approximately $52 billion annually, with forecasts suggesting that figure could reach $64 billion by 2029.
Almost half of all NDIS participants are children under 15. Remarkably, 1 in 10 Australian six-year-olds is currently on the NDIS.
The government’s argument is that many of these children entered the NDIS not because they needed a lifelong disability scheme, but because there was simply no other adequate early childhood support system available. Families had nowhere else to turn, so the NDIS became the default option.
The intent behind Thriving Kids is to create that alternative. The idea is that children with mild-to-moderate developmental concerns could access good quality allied health support earlier, in community settings, without the administrative weight of a full NDIS plan.
It is also, honestly, about cost. The government has committed to slowing NDIS growth from 22% annually down to around 5 to 6%, and Thriving Kids is central to that strategy.
Whether or not you agree with the policy direction, understanding the reasoning behind it helps you make sense of what is coming and plan accordingly.
This is the question most parents want answered first, so let us be as specific as the current information allows.
Children aged 0 to 8 with autism or developmental delay who are assessed as having “low to moderate” support needs would be directed to Thriving Kids rather than the NDIS.
Children with permanent and significant disability will continue to access the NDIS regardless of these changes. Children with autism or developmental delay who are assessed as having high support needs will also stay on the scheme. And children aged 9 and over are not affected by any of this.
The government has not yet formally defined what “low to moderate” support needs actually means. This is the central unknown in the entire reform.
What we do know is that it will not be based on DSM-5 autism levels. So the idea that Level 1 autism stays on Thriving Kids and Level 2 or 3 stays on the NDIS is not how it works. According to the Thriving Kids Advisory Group, the threshold will be based on a functional assessment of what support a child actually needs day to day, not their diagnostic category.
This matters enormously, because the definition of “low to moderate” will determine how many families are affected and what their options are.
If your child is currently on the NDIS, the existing eligibility rules apply at their next reassessment for as long as they are on the scheme before 1 January 2028. Children who gain NDIS access before that date are assessed under the current rules at review, not the new ones.
That makes the next 12 to 18 months an important window. A clearly documented Functional Capacity Assessment is one of the most useful things you can have in place right now, whether your child is already on the NDIS or you are in the process of applying.
Here is the practical part. Regardless of where the policy lands, there are things you can do now that put your family in the best possible position.
The changes do not take effect until 1 January 2028, but that does not mean there is nothing to do. The decisions made over the next 12 to 18 months will matter.
Children who gain NDIS access before 1 January 2028 will be assessed under the current eligibility rules at their next review. A well-supported access request, backed by strong evidence of your child’s support needs, gives you the best chance of a successful outcome.
A Functional Capacity Assessment conducted by an occupational therapist provides the kind of detailed, functional evidence the NDIS needs. It documents not just what your child has been diagnosed with, but what they can and cannot do independently in everyday life, which is exactly what access decisions are based on.
Now is a good time to check that your child’s therapy reports are current, detailed, and clearly written in functional terms. Reports that describe real-world impact, such as what your child struggles to do at home or school, carry more weight than those that simply list a diagnosis.
If it has been a while since your child had a thorough OT or speech therapy assessment, it is worth revisiting.
They can help you understand your child’s reassessment timeline and flag whether anything needs attention before the rules change. If you do not have a support coordinator, your therapy provider should be able to point you in the right direction.
A lot of the specifics are still being worked out. The eligibility threshold, the Medicare item numbers for the new GP pathway, and the state-by-state rollout plans have not been finalised. Keep an eye on updates from the NDIS website and organisations like Amaze and CYDA who are tracking developments closely.
Your occupational therapist and speech therapist are not just there for sessions. They can help you understand what supports your child needs, make sure the documentation reflects your child’s real needs, and help you prepare for any reviews or access requests ahead.
Policy changes come and go, but the evidence behind early intervention has been consistent for decades. The earlier a child receives the right support, the better their long-term outcomes across communication, learning, independence, and emotional wellbeing.
That does not change under Thriving Kids. What changes is the funding pathway and potentially the model of delivery, not the value of the therapy itself.
NDIS early childhood intervention through an occupational therapist typically covers things like daily living skills, sensory processing, fine motor development, emotional regulation, and school readiness. These are not small things. They are the building blocks of a child’s ability to participate fully in family life, school, and the community.
Speech therapy for autism and developmental delay builds communication skills, supports language development, introduces AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) where needed, and helps children develop the social interaction skills that underpin friendships and learning.
At Zenzability, we provide both, and our approach is built around practical, real-world support for the whole family, not just the child sitting in a therapy room. You can learn more about our autism support services and our NDIS speech therapy on our website.
Big policy changes are always unsettling, especially when they involve your child’s care. The Thriving Kids model is still being shaped and many of the most important details are yet to be confirmed. There will be more clarity in the months ahead as rollout plans are published and eligibility criteria are defined.
What we do know is that early occupational therapy and speech therapy makes a genuine difference to children’s lives, and that is not going to change.
Zenzability provides NDIS occupational therapy and speech therapy for families across the Macarthur region. If you have questions about your child’s current NDIS supports, are thinking about starting the access process, or simply want to understand what therapy might help your child right now, we would love to hear from you.
Get in touch with our team today or call us on 1300 927 104.
Thriving Kids services are scheduled to begin rolling out from October 2026. The changes to NDIS eligibility for children aged 0 to 8 take effect from 1 January 2028.
Not automatically. Children who are on the NDIS before 1 January 2028 will be assessed under the current eligibility rules at their next scheduled review. No child should lose access before the new system is operational.
No. One of the design principles of the Thriving Kids model is that children can access support without a formal autism or developmental delay diagnosis. A GP referral through a proposed Medicare Child Development Plan pathway would be the entry point.
This is one of the unresolved details. Unlike the NDIS, Thriving Kids would operate as a state-commissioned service model, which may limit provider choice compared to what families currently have. The details of how provider access works have not yet been confirmed.
Children with permanent and significant disability, including those with high support needs, will continue to access the NDIS regardless of the Thriving Kids changes. These reforms are specifically aimed at children assessed as having lower-to-moderate support needs.
This is a concern shared by many families and advocacy groups. CYDA and others have called for guarantees that no child loses NDIS access before adequate alternative supports are in place. The Parliamentary Inquiry recommended staged implementation with safeguards for this exact reason.
