Nearly 80,000 Queensland children face an uncertain future as the first phase of the national Thriving Kids rollout began today despite the state government’s continued refusal to sign on.
Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA) welcomed the launch of the supports program but called on all governments to work together to ensure no child falls through the cracks.
“Thriving Kids is an important step towards building a new system of supports outside of the NDIS for eligible autistic children and those with developmental delay aged eight and under,” Acting CEO Liz Hudson said.
“But the supports and services it will eventually offer must be consistent, equitable, safe, transparent and based on best practice across every state or territory.
“By treating children with disability as bargaining chips in a political debate, Queensland risks entrenching a postcode lottery in which a child’s access to vital supports depends on where they live.
“What we need is not only for every jurisdiction to come to the table, but for an independent oversight body to guide fair implementation across the board from the beginning.”
Last year, 78,272 children aged zero to eight accessed the NDIS in Queensland.
Many of these could lose support entirely if appropriate alternatives are not in place by the time NDIS access changes come into effect countrywide in January 2028.
While the Federal Government says children in the Thriving Kids cohort will remain eligible for the NDIS until that date, some families across Australia are already facing eligibility reassessments resulting in reduced or cut funding.
“We are still waiting on a clear guarantee that no child or young person will be removed from the Scheme until tested, high-quality and accessible alternatives are widely available,” Ms Hudson added.
The first phase of the Thriving Kids rollout focuses on information-sharing ‘general supports’ like online parenting courses and phone helplines.
CYDA Board Chair Ebe Ganon-Davey said it was a good start, but that children and families would need to have ongoing input in how the program is implemented.
“We know what works best, and we deserve a meaningful say in the decisions that are still to be made,” they said.
“The government must stick to its word and make space for genuine co-design, consultation, user testing and evidence-based evaluation as the Thriving Kids rollout progresses.
CYDA will be watching closely to ensure the supports, services, and resources established between today and 2028 are accessible, reliable, equitable, and informed by lived experience.
In its submission to the Thriving Kids inquiry in 2025, it called on the Federal Government to:
1. Guarantee no child will fall through the cracks in the support ecosystem
2. Provide adequate time for co-design and evidence-based supports
3. Build on and strengthen existing supports that work
4. Listen to what the community says is effective
5. Ensure independent oversight of new supports
The following individuals are available for interviews:
- CYDA Board Chair Ebe Ganon-Davey
- CYDA Acting CEO Liz Hudson (for written comment)
- Children and young people with disability and family case studies, upon request
For more information or further comment, please contact CYDA:
Email: media@cyda.org.au
Phone: 03 9417 1025