Show Notes
A major shift in early childhood supports
The long-anticipated Thriving Kids rollout is beginning to take shape in New South Wales, offering the clearest indication yet of how early childhood supports may operate from October 2026.
Children already on the NDIS are not expected to be removed immediately. However, children aged eight and under who may previously have entered the NDIS under mild to moderate autism categories are expected to be redirected into Thriving Kids instead.
This marks a significant shift for OTs, families and private providers.
While the program includes many evidence-based early intervention ideas, it is also arriving alongside tighter NDIS eligibility. For many clinicians, the concern is not the existence of Thriving Kids itself, but what families may lose access to in the process.
What the Thriving Kids model includes
The current draft specifications outline a system focused on short-term, early intervention supports for children, families and carers.
Proposed services include supported playgroups, parenting programs, peer support and allied health intervention delivered individually or in groups. There is also a strong focus on family navigation and coordination.
Importantly, the model appears focused on functional support rather than diagnosis.
General supports and early intervention
The general supports stream includes playgroups, parenting programs, peer support and referral services.
The draft also includes allied health “in-reach” within these programs, allowing clinicians to observe children in play-based settings, provide developmental guidance and support referrals into targeted services.
For many OTs, this resembles community outreach models already operating within some health services.
Targeted allied health supports
The targeted support stream includes time-limited, goal-focused allied health intervention.
Services may be delivered individually, in groups or through multidisciplinary collaboration across clinics, homes and community settings.
Although exact limits have not yet been released, the wording strongly suggests therapy caps around intensity and duration.
Group intervention also appears likely to play a larger role. While groups can work well for some children, clinicians are concerned they may become the primary pathway for children who require more individualised support.
Why providers are concerned
One of the biggest challenges for providers is the proposed commissioning structure.
The New South Wales expression of interest documentation strongly prioritises not-for-profit organisations as preferred providers. This has created widespread concern across private practice, particularly for regional and rural clinicians who are already filling workforce gaps.
However, the draft specifications also reference a pre-qualified allied health panel that may allow private practitioners, sole traders and small businesses to deliver fee-for-service supports where service gaps exist.
This pathway appears especially relevant in thin-market and regional locations where NGOs or public services may not have enough workforce capacity.
The practical reality in regional areas
For many regional communities, private practitioners are already the only available providers.
Long waitlists, recruitment difficulties and workforce shortages remain significant issues. As a result, practices operating in these locations may have stronger opportunities to demonstrate why private allied health involvement remains essential.
The expression of interest process allows providers to outline:
Existing early childhood experience
Regional or multicultural service delivery
Telehealth and in-person capacity
Partnership arrangements
Workforce capability and organisational structure
There is also a strong emphasis on collaboration between providers, including partnerships with Aboriginal community-controlled organisations and allied health services.
For some smaller practices, consortium-s
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