Thriving Kids

Tasmania has entered into a bilateral agreement with the Australian Government to implement Thriving Kids, a national system of foundational supports for children aged 8 and under with developmental delay or autism with low to moderate support needs and their families.

The program aims to identify developmental concerns earlier and connect children and families with timely and appropriate supports. Children with permanent and significant disability will continue to access the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), subject to usual NDIS arrangements.

Under Thriving Kids, Tasmania will provide general parenting supports, local information, advice, navigation and targeted supports. Thriving Kids will be provided in environments where children live, learn and play. The Thriving Kids program will be implemented with a staged rollout starting in October 2026 and full implementation is expected by 1 January 2028.

Community Engagement Sessions

The Tasmanian State Government is conducting a series of consultation and engagement sessions across the State and online.

The sessions will provide information about Thriving Kids and the staged approach to rollout.

Representatives from the Department of Premier and Cabinet, together with Nous Group consultants will be in:

• Burnie on Monday, 18 May
• Launceston on Tuesday, 19 May
• Hobart on Wednesday, 20 May

Families and community members are invited to participate in an information and community drop-in session to hear about and share your perspectives on Thriving Kids.

Service providers and State Government service delivery agencies are also invited to participate in engagement sessions to explore what Thriving Kids means for services.

Session details and a link to registration are detailed below.

Face-to-face engagement sessions

North-West

Date: Monday, 18 May

Location: Burnie Arts Centre, 77-79 Wilmot St Burnie

• 10:00 am - 12:00 noon* for families and community members
• 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm for service providers

North

Date: Tuesday, 19 May

Location: Launceston Conference, 50 Glen Dhu Street, Launceston

• 10:00 am - 12:00 noon* for families and community members
• 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm for service providers

South

Date: Wednesday, 20 May

Location: The Old Woolstore, 1 Macquarie Street, Hobart

• 10:00 am - 12:00 noon* for families and community members
• 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm for service providers

* Please note that this session will include a presentation between 10:00 am – 11:00 am and a more informal drop-in session from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon.

To register please use the following link:  Thriving  Kids Community Engagement

Online engagement

Two online engagement sessions have been arranged to provide options for people who are unable to participate in face-to-face sessions.

• Wednesday, 27 May - 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm for families and community members
• Thursday, 28 May - 11:00 am – 12:00 noon for service providers

To register please use the following link:

Please note: Following registration for online events a meeting link will be sent to your registration email address.

For further information: Thriving  Kids Community Engagement

Email: thriving.kids@dpac.tas.gov.au

Public consultation

The Tasmanian Government is committed to building a disability service system that uses evidence-based approaches and best practice to improve outcomes for children, families, and the broader community.

Key Tasmanian Government agencies have collaborated to develop an initial service delivery model. The next phase focuses on engaging with the community to refine and finalise the Thriving Kids service design.

Consultation is a central part of shaping how Thriving Kids will be delivered. Tasmanians with disability, their families, service providers and advocates can now have their say on how the Thriving Kids program will be delivered across the state.

The consultation process is a critical step in ensuring Thriving Kids is responsive, effective, and designed with the people it aims to support.

Frequently asked questions

What is Thriving Kids?

Thriving Kids will focus on identifying developmental delay earlier and offering supports that assist children with developmental delay or autism with low to moderate support needs, and their families, carers and kin.

It will form a key part of an improved, strengthened disability ecosystem, filling service gaps for people with disability not eligible for NDIS supports but who cannot receive all the support they need through the mainstream service system.

Who will have access to Thriving Kids supports?

Thriving Kids is being designed and implemented for children aged 8 and under with developmental delay or autism with low to moderate support needs, and their families, carers and kin.

What supports will be available through Thriving Kids?

Thriving Kids supports will include a mix of scaled existing services and new services. Supports are being designed and implemented in the service categories of:

• navigation, information and advice
• group family support and capacity building
• facilitated playgroups
• facilitated after-school and holiday groups
• key worker or more intensive capacity building
• group therapeutic supports
• individual therapeutic supports.

Where will I go to get Thriving Kids supports?

Thriving Kids will be provided in environments where children live, learn and play. Potential locations in Tasmania may include:

• child health and parenting services
• community health centres
• child and family learning centres
• Neighbourhood Houses
• schools.

When will Thriving Kids supports be available?

The staged rollout of Thriving Kids supports in Tasmania will begin from October 2026, with the rollout to be completed by January 2028. It is a matter for each state and territory to determine where and how Thriving Kids supports are best designed and implemented in their region.

What will Thriving Kids mean for my child on the NDIS?

Children who are currently receiving NDIS supports will retain access to those supports once Thriving Kids is operational. Children with permanent and significant disability, including children with developmental delay or autism and significant support needs, will continue to be eligible for NDIS supports subject to usual arrangements.

How can I have my say on Thriving Kids service design?

Tasmanians with disability, their families, service providers and advocates can have their say on how Thriving Kids will be delivered across the state during public consultations from April to June 2026. Consultations will include both online and in-person engagement options to ensure they are effective, accessible and appropriate for stakeholders.

How will Thriving Kids be funded?

The Australian Government will commit $2 billion to the design and implementation of Thriving Kids over the five years from 2026-27 to 2030 31, with states to collectively contribute an additional $2 billion towards a total budget of $4 billion.

Where can I find out more about Thriving Kids?

Find out more about Thriving Kids at the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website.