Thriving Kids and the ACT Government
What Thriving Kids is, who it is for, why the ACT Government is introducing it, and when it starts.
Thriving Kids is designed to help young children and their families get the right support early.
From 1 October 2026, the ACT Government began providing new Thriving Kids services and supports for children and their families and carers. The supports are for children aged 0 to 8, with developmental delay and/or autism and with low to moderate support needs.
We are working closely with the Australian Government and community partners to plan and deliver Thriving Kids as it is progressively rolled out through til 2028.
What Thriving Kids is
Thriving Kids will help give children the best start in life. Children with additional developmental needs will get the right help early, when it can have the biggest impact.
Children do not need a diagnosis to get support through Thriving Kids.
Thriving Kids will offer:
- services for children from birth to 8
- supports for their families.
Thriving Kids will strengthen existing services and introduce new ones where gaps exist.
Read about what Thriving Kids will offer and how the program was designed.
Why the ACT Government is introducing Thriving Kids
As part of national reforms, Thriving Kids is an opportunity to improve our approach to early intervention. Thriving Kids will strengthen supports available to children and families in their communities, alongside existing services and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Some children with low to moderate support needs will get support through Thriving Kids instead of the NDIS. Children with high needs will continue to access supports through the NDIS.
Reviews of the current approach under the NDIS found that:
- many children do not get help early enough
- support is often based on a diagnosis instead of what a child needs
- many children who are not in the NDIS cannot get support at all.
Research shows that early support helps children:
- learn new skills
- reduce delays in their development
- take part in everyday activities like school and play.
Community feedback has told the government that services should be:
- culturally safe
- easy to understand
- easy to access
- well connected to other services
- welcoming to families
- supportive of parent and carer connections.
When it starts, and what changes
Thriving Kids in the ACT will be rolled out in stages. Some services will be available from 1 October 2026. All services are expected to be fully available by 1 January 2028.
Changes to NDIS access are expected to begin from 1 January 2028 and will be limited to children aged 0 to 8 with developmental delay or autism, and with low to moderate support needs.
Children who already access NDIS will remain on NDIS supports until they turn 9.
Get help with your child's development
If you are worried about your child's development, you do not need to wait for new Thriving Kids services to start. Support is available now.
Read how to get help with your child's development.
Thriving Kids in Easy Read
Contact us
For questions about the Thriving Kids program, email disabilityreform@act.gov.au.
This inbox is for questions about the program. If you want help with your child's development, read Worried about your Child’s Development or Getting Help with your Child’s Development.