Thriving Kids update April 2026
The Commonwealth's Thriving Kids program continues to take shape, and we're sharing the latest developments to keep our community informed.
What's new on the Thriving Kids website
The government has updated its Thriving Kids website, and there are some encouraging signs. We're pleased to see a continued commitment to consultation and engagement with the sector.
The updated site outlines plans for scaling existing supports alongside the development of new ones, and references a range of supports across the continuum, including routine child development checks, general parenting supports, local navigation supports, and targeted supports.
Measures to ensure workforce capability and readiness are also mentioned, which is an area we'll be watching closely.
NDIS access arrangements remain unchanged, an important reminder
We want to be very clear on this point: current arrangements to access the NDIS remain in place. The Thriving Kids website reiterates that children aged 8 and under who were enrolled in the NDIS prior to 1 January 2028, with developmental delay and/or autism with low to moderate support needs, will be subject to reassessment under the eligibility criteria in place on 31 December 2027.
We are aware of a small number of cases where families have been told their child is eligible for Thriving Kids and advised to wait for that program before accessing supports. This is not correct. If you or a family you are supporting has been told this, please contact us. Addressing misinformation like this is a core part of our advocacy work on your behalf, and we want to hear about every instance.
New Easy English and Auslan resources
A new resource on setting up Thriving Kids is now available in Easy English and Auslan video format. This an important step toward accessibility. Access these here >>
National Agreement and Bilateral Agreements on Foundational Supports now published
The National Agreement on Foundational Supports 2026–2031 has been published. A number of states and territories have now also signed bilateral agreements.
The following states and territories have signed bilateral agreements and you can read them here:
Victoria has not yet signed a bilateral agreement, and we will continue to monitor and report on developments as they emerge.
We encourage everyone to read the Thriving Kids agreements for your state to understand what has been committed to.
Looking ahead: May Federal Budget 2026
We will be watching the May 2026 Federal Budget closely for any further announcements related to Thriving Kids, foundational supports, and early childhood intervention funding. We'll share any relevant updates with our community as soon as they become available.
To take a look at our members-only Thriving Kids hub to find the latest info on TK including resources and video presentations from our pop-ups, please consider joining us (your ECI peak body) as a member today!