We are pleased to share that the Hon. Minister Mark Butler has released the report from the Thriving Kids Advisory Group today.
National Cabinet has agreed to jointly contribute up to $4 billion over 5 years to implement supports for children aged 8 and under with developmental delay and/or autism (including neurodevelopmental differences) with low to moderate support needs, and their families. The Commonwealth is providing $1.4 billion of its $2 billion contribution to support states to help their kids thrive.
Initial roll out of these supports are anticipated to commence on October 2026, with full roll out by January 2028.
The new model of supports recommended by the Thriving Kids Advisory Group places families at the centre. It prioritises universal supports for all families and focuses on prevention and early access. It embeds supports where children live, learn and play, reducing barriers to access and ensuring children receive supports that are best practice. Further, it recommends targeted supports for children and families that require early childhood intervention and/or allied health support under a model that is based on collaborative teamwork.
Koorana welcomes this model as an opportunity to fill critical gaps in our community for families. We welcome the opportunity to ensure children and families get supports early and when they need it, and without expensive costs and barriers to access that stigmatise their journey. We also welcome the opportunity to ensure families are receiving supports that are best practice.
We appreciate the recognition of the role of quality community-based providers that wrap-around families like ourselves. This year we celebrate our 50th anniversary and we will be eager to support delivery of Thriving Kids in our community.
Thank you to the Minister, Professor Frank Oberklaid and members of the Thriving Kids Advisory Group, including our dedicated CEO, Morgan Fitzpatrick, and all of our partners who have contributed to the design of this new model.
