THRIVING Kids is a proposed national program for children aged eight and under with developmental delay or autism who are assessed as having low to moderate support needs.
From July, these children are expected to transition out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and into the new program, which will receive $2 billion in Commonwealth funding over five years.
While the final design is still being negotiated with states and territories, the announcement has sparked strong reactions from families and the disability community.
Many parents fear that moving children out of the NDIS at a critical stage of development could mean losing essential supports.
A new national survey suggests families are not opposed to reform – but they are clear about what Thriving Kids must deliver if it is to succeed.
One week after Thriving Kids was announced in August 2025, Children and Young People with Disability Australia conducted an online survey asking families what supports they currently use, what they would need under Thriving Kids, and how they felt about the proposed changes.
There were 1535 responses, with this analysis focusing on the 1235 responses from children, parents and carers.
Most respondents were parents or carers of children aged nine or under. Among those who identified disability type, 81 per cent reported autism and 60 per cent attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, often occurring together.
A dominant message from families was the need for continuity and certainty. Parents want written guarantees that no child will be worse off under Thriving Kids.
They asked for a single point of access, minimal red tape, and the ability to retain trusted clinicians when transitioning between programs.
For many children, building trust with therapists takes years, and families fear losing those relationships.
Parents also want clarity about what happens after age nine. Families were equally clear that Thriving Kids must be designed with lived experience at its core.
Many questioned how a program could succeed without genuine co-design grounded in evidence and real-world experience.
Taken together, the survey results paint a clear picture of what families want: continuity, co-design, neuro-affirming supports, flexibility across settings and genuine equity of access. Parents are not asking for more complexity they are asking for a system that works with them, not around them.
The challenge is whether policymakers are willing to design Thriving Kids with them – and to guarantee that no child is left worse off.
The Conversation
