Thriving Kids in Victoria
What the new program means for your family
Thriving Kids is a new national program for children with developmental delay and/or autism. It begins rolling out in Victoria from 1 October 2026 and will be fully in place by 1 January 2028.
If your family currently receives NDIS supports, or you are thinking about applying, this page explains what is changing and what is not.
Who Thriving Kids is for
Thriving Kids is designed for:
- Children aged 8 and under
- With developmental delay and/or autism
- With low to moderate support needs
- And their families, carers and kin
A formal diagnosis is not required. Access is based on your child's functional needs — what they can do, and where they need support.
Who continues on the NDIS
Children with permanent and significant disability, including children autism who have higher support needs, will continue to be eligible for the NDIS under existing arrangements. Some children will be eligible for both.
What is actually changing, and when
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 October 2026 | First Thriving Kids services become available in Victoria. Nothing changes for existing NDIS participants. |
| Through 2027 | Services scale up progressively across Victoria. Referral pathways and access points become clearer. |
| 1 January 2028 | Full implementation. From this date, children aged 8 and under with low-to-moderate support needs will be supported through Thriving Kids rather than the NDIS. |
Right now, nothing changes. If your child has an NDIS plan, that plan continues. If you are in the middle of an NDIS application, keep going.
How Thriving Kids will be delivered in Victoria
Thriving Kids is jointly funded by the Australian Government and the states and territories. Victoria signed its agreement in April 2026, committing $874.3 million over five years jointly with the Commonwealth.
Victoria is delivering Thriving Kids through services families already use, rather than through a separate system:
- Maternal and Child Health services
- Early childhood education and care — kindergartens and childcare
- Primary care — GPs and community health
- Schools
The emphasis is on supporting children in their everyday environments — at home, at kinder, at school and in the community — rather than only in a clinic room. This is very close to how we already work.
Supports are expected to include developmental screening, family guidance and capacity building, assistive technology, and targeted allied health. Speech pathology and occupational therapy are expected to play a central role.
What this means for speech pathology and occupational therapy
As the Victorian rollout continues, further detail will become available about referral pathways, eligibility assessment, service delivery models, and how speech pathology and occupational therapy will be accessed through Thriving Kids.
We do not yet know exactly how providers like Kids Connect Therapy will participate, and we would rather tell you that plainly than guess.
What we can tell you:
- The team at Kids Connect is monitoring the Victorian rollout closely and is in contact with our professional bodies.
- We will update this page as concrete details are confirmed.
- We will contact current families directly if anything changes for your child.
- If you are unsure what to do while the transition happens, call us. A conversation costs nothing.
Where to get official information
- Thriving Kids Victoria — vic.gov.au
- Victorian family enquiries: thriving.kids@education.vic.gov.au
- Thriving Kids — Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- Thriving Kids — NDIS
Frequently asked questions
My child is 5 and has an NDIS plan. Will they lose it?
Not now. From 1 January 2028, children aged 8 and under with low-to-moderate support needs will move to Thriving Kids. Children with higher or more permanent support needs remain NDIS-eligible. Your child's needs will be assessed against the eligibility criteria at the time.
Do I need an autism diagnosis to access Thriving Kids?
No. Thriving Kids is designed to be accessed on the basis of functional need rather than diagnosis.
Should I still apply for the NDIS?
Yes, if you believe your child is eligible. Nothing about the current NDIS access process has changed. Speak to Link Health and Community if your child is under 6. More about the NDIS →
Will Kids Connect Therapy be a Thriving Kids provider?
We intend to support families however the program allows, but the provider arrangements have not yet been published. We will update this page as soon as they are.
My child is 9. Does Thriving Kids apply to us?
No. Thriving Kids is for children aged 8 and under. Children 9 and over continue under existing NDIS arrangements.
Last reviewed August 2026. Thriving Kids is a new program and details are still being confirmed by government. We update this page as information is released.
