Submission from:
Northcott
1 Fennel St
North Parramatta, NSW, 2226
Contact:
Liz Forsyth
Chief Executive Officer
redacted
redacted
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About Northcott
Northcott is a registered NDIS provider with close to 100 years’ experience supporting children with disability and their families to develop life skills, build confidence and actively participate in their communities. Our organisation began as the NSW Society for Crippled Children in 1929 to provide services for children with disability impacted by tuberculosis, polio and other diseases.
Today, we support over 25,000 children and their families with community-based early intervention services. We have been a trusted NDIS Early Childhood Partner in the Community since 2018. We are also a registered provider of Specialist Disability Support in Schools (SDSS) in Queensland, and have been a trusted partner with NSW Department of Communities and Justice for over 20 years, delivering Targeted Early Intervention (TEI) services in South West Sydney.
Our work today builds upon many years of experience supporting children with disability, autism and developmental delay. In the decade before the introduction of the NDIS, Northcott was a leading provider of government-funded, evidence-based programs. These included early diagnosis support, autism services, capacity building, and intensive family support for children with disability who were at risk of out-of-home placement or family breakdown. We also worked with schools and preschools to mentor educators and staff to promote inclusion of children with disability in mainstream settings.
As a proud member of Ability First Australia, the national alliance of leading disability service providers, Northcott brings both its own century of experience and the collective strength of this strategic network to contribute meaningfully to the design, implementation, and evaluation of the Thriving Kids initiative.
Our response
Thank you for the opportunity to provide this submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids initiative. As a long-standing early childhood partner and leader in inclusive service delivery, Northcott strongly supports the national ambition to strengthen supports for children with developmental concerns. Our input is grounded in over 90 years of expertise, and our current delivery of evidence-based paediatric early intervention services. In considering and addressing the Inquiries Terms of Reference, our submission focuses on the following four key areas.
- Flexible, accessible supports for children and families
- Culturally safe services and supports
- Building workforce capacity
- Learning from evidence-based success stories
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Flexible, accessible supports for children and families
Early intervention supports must be evidence-based and of high quality. These can and should be designed as a range of supports that are flexible to suit the needs of individual children, and accessible by all families needing support.
The Thriving Kids program design should incorporate learnings from current and past programs that have proven to deliver positive outcomes. These include resources and support for parents/carers, community-based support, and initiatives that reduce barriers to professional and clinical support.
Parent/carer resources and supports
Several reliable tools and resources already exist to support parents in self-assessing their child’s development and identifying potential delays in language, motor skills and social development. Examples of these include:
- the government-issued Blue Book
- Healthdirect
- Ages and Stages Questionnaire – Third Edition (ASQ-3)
- PEDS-R (Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status – Revised)
- online resources such as raisingchildren.net.au.
There are positive attributes to these tools and resources that should be considered in the design of Thriving Kids. Cultural safety and accessibility in tools and resources can be ensured by providing plain-language, visual milestone checklists in print, digital and audio formats, and by co-designing resources with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCO) and Indigenous Elders.
Community-based supports
Playgroups/supported playgroups
Mainstream settings, such as playgroups and supported playgroups, provide valuable opportunities for parents/carers to connect with other families and engage with allied health professionals. They offer a soft-entry intervention option for families regardless of their socio-economic status, education or background.
For the past two decades, Northcott has operated supported playgroups, strengthening connections between communities and families with young children (0-8 years) with disability or developmental delay by providing access to community services and support networks. Families with young children with disability or developmental delay are encouraged to access the playgroups, where experienced workers engage with them to discuss their child’s development and assist them in linking to the services and supports they need. Northcott’s Aboriginal Programs runs a weekly Indigenous Support Playgroup, an Indigenous School Readiness group, and a monthly Yarning Circle Carer Support Group. These provide a
culturally safe environment for First Nations families to access resources and information regarding appropriate services and agencies available in the community.
Northcott Supported Playgroups have a demonstrated measurable improvement in family engagement and developmental monitoring, particularly for families who had not previously accessed mainstream supports. Consolidating evidence from two decades of supported playgroups, we recommend Thriving Kids prioritise playgroups as a proven soft-entry pathway with strong outcomes in inclusion and early identification.
Education settings
Building the capacity of educators and staff is an effective way to support children with developmental delay and other needs to be included and supported at school. Developmental assessments can be conducted by educators in collaboration with parents or caregivers.
Reduce barriers to accessing professional, clinical supports
The importance of access to allied health professionals for children with developmental delay and disability cannot be overstated. Research shows that early and consistent intervention improves school readiness, supports social inclusion and enhances long-term life outcomes. It helps children develop essential communication skills, achieve developmental milestones and participate more fully in life. Delays in accessing these services doesn’t just postpone progress—they risk limiting a child’s potential altogether.
Address barriers to access in regional areas
Over 60% of people supported by Northcott are children aged 0–15, and more than half of them live outside metropolitan areas where access to therapy is limited. In some regions, there are no allied health professionals within a 50km radius, leaving families to face long waitlists—sometimes more than 20 months—often just to access a single assessment.
One way that Northcott has worked to fulfil this unmet need is through our grant-funded program, Therapy Scale Up. In the past five (5) years, the program has supported more than 650 children with disability with individual and group-based therapy services in underserved regional communities in Kempsey, Griffith, Mungindi, Gympie, and Bundaberg. Northcott therapists and allied health assistants trained in neurodevelopment, attachment and trauma-informed practice deliver support through an outreach model. Individual therapy assessment and crisis are provided to children and their families where limited or no support is available, and wait times are chronic. The program’s success is attributed to the strong, consistent relationships that have been built between the therapists and the community. The ‘fly-in-fly-out’ model adopted by Northcott allows therapists to regularly visit the regions to assess children and create therapy plans. Local-based allied health assistants implement these plans through weekly sessions at the preschools, ensuring that children receive continuous and regular support.
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Thriving Kids should consider innovative service models to ensure that children in regional communities receive the continuous support they need, without relying on a market-driven approach.
Group therapy
Group therapy is a cost-effective and evidence-based model. Evaluations consistently show that group-based interventions improve children’s peer interaction, language acquisition, and social confidence. At Northcott, examples such as our beach-based therapy groups highlight how natural, engaging environments where children develop water safety, movement, sensory regulation and social skills accelerate development, all in a natural and engaging environment. Thriving Kids should incorporate group therapy as a means of reaching more children in a resource-efficient and cost-effective way. This is proven to deliver positive outcomes.
Family community hubs
Creating dedicated family community hubs are an opportunity to provide assessment and screening in a non-threatening environment. Combining therapy, family support, navigation and inclusion in a hub setting will support a more seamless experience for families. Support can focus on empowering families, building their capacity and providing opportunities for peer support and networking.
Recommendations
- Thriving kids should include access to evidence-based, quality resources for parents/carers that allow them to self-assess their child’s development. Resources should be culturally safe and presented in a range of accessible formats.
- Thriving Kids should include community-based, culturally appropriate supported playgroups as a soft entry point for families needing support.
- Thriving Kids should include programs to build the capacity of educators and staff in schools to promote greater inclusion and provide opportunities to identify developmental delays early.
- Thriving Kids should incorporate innovative ways to reduce barriers to accessing professional, clinical supports, particularly for children and families in regional and remote communities.
- Thriving Kids should consider group therapy and family community hubs as opportunities for efficient delivery of supports at scale.
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Culturally safe services and supports
First Nations and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) families have unique needs and face specific barriers to accessing support. Cultural safety needs to be embedded across all services and systems, with consideration around workforce, community-based programs and the importance of partnering with locally-based groups and organisations.
Workforce representation
The creation of a First Nations Team within Northcott’s Early Childhood services has measurably increased engagement among Indigenous families and been an effective way to build networks and pathways that promote inclusion opportunities for First Nations children and families. These learnings should be considered in the design of Thriving Kids. Through sharing their knowledge and experience, our First Nations team also supports non-Indigenous staff to effectively engage with First Nations families in culturally appropriate and safe ways.
The team works with First Nations children and families to recommend the best supports for improved independence, social participation and quality of life. The team is dedicated to establishing and maintaining effective relationships with local and regional stakeholders, including Early Childhood Education settings, mainstream and community services. Thriving Kids should look for ways to grow the First Nations early childhood workforce through locally based scholarships, traineeships and career pathways.
Understanding and overcoming the challenges and barriers that can exist when working with children who speak multiple languages, or have parents/carers with limited English, is important for workforces delivering supports.
Cultural safety and anti-racism training should be implemented across health, education and allied health. Thriving Kids should also consider the use of translators and culturally appropriate resources, as well as broader collaboration with groups such as refugee support organisations and Multicultural Australia, to reach and support CALD populations.
Accessible, community-based programs
Ensuring First Nations and CALD families can easily access low intensity supports, such as playgroups, parent coaching, outreach and allied health, is an effective way to facilitate early identification of developmental delays. Service design and delivery for Thriving Kids must consider safe and “soft-entry” points across all cohorts. Programs embedded in community settings, including maternal health and schools, increase engagement.
Partnerships with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCO)
Northcott has achieved successful outcomes by partnering with local Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCO). These partnerships are grounded in mutual respect, cultural humility and a shared commitment to improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait
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Islander children and their families. With guidance and support from the Yarrabee Network, Northcott’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff advisory body, we ensure that our engagement with ACCOs is culturally safe, respectful and community-led.
By recognising and respecting the expertise and autonomy of ACCOs, we are better able to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families in ways that honour cultural identity, community connection and self-determination. This culturally-responsive approach has led to more accessible and appropriate supports for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with developmental delay or disability, as well as stronger engagement from families who may have otherwise felt unsafe or unsupported in mainstream systems. Through these partnerships, we are actively contributing to improved developmental, educational and social outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.
By funding and partnering with local cultural navigators, Thriving Kids can help bridge the gaps in mainstream systems. This can help address the barriers to support, including siloed services and limited cultural safety. Programs co-delivered with ACCOs are proven to be the most successful.
Recommendations
- Assessment protocols and provisions within Thriving Kids must be culturally safe and co-designed.
- Thriving Kids should create a single family-facing gateway with a local First Nations navigator and provide families with a portable child support plan that travels across health, early childhood and school settings.
- Thriving Kids should include programs to strengthen inclusive training for professionals.
- Thriving Kids should provide language services, interpreters and bilingual staff to support families and workers. Data collection across the Thriving Kids program must respect Indigenous data sovereignty and disaggregate outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
Building workforce capacity
The State of the Disability Sector Report 2024 sounded the alarm on significant workforce challenges within the sector. In short, service providers are turning away people with disability due to insufficient staffing numbers. Furthermore, a shortage of insufficiently trained staff is impacting outcomes for people with disability.
For Thriving Kids to be successful, there needs to be sufficient sector capacity building plans in place to ensure adequate support can be provided to this cohort.
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Effective utilisation of existing resources
The design of Thriving Kids should consider how to effectively utilise resources already existing within the disability sector.
Through proper consultation with disability organisations, the federal and state governments can lead the way in ensuring existing organisations and staff are adequately supported to pivot to meet the needs of the new disability support ecosystem. For example, Northcott has over 200 highly qualified and trained early childhood staff members supporting more than 20,000 children at any given time. This team has a geographic footprint spanning large parts of NSW, with a long-term community presence and established relationships. Through proper consultation, Northcott is well-positioned to pivot into the foundational support market and ensure continuity of service for children, families, and communities.
Robust strategy to embed the keyworker model
Within the current NDIS-driven market, shortages are primarily related to allied health professionals (speech pathologists, occupational therapists, etc). Whilst these professionals will always play a significant role in early intervention, the NDIS review highlighted the value of the keyworker model, which increases the population group from which to recruit. In addition to supporting the workforce challenges present in the market, an effectively implemented keyworker model presents a cost-effective solution to ensure the delivery of best practice early intervention, which is another challenge further discussed in this response.
Recommendations
- Engage with the disability sector and use existing expertise and experience to support the Thriving Kids program.
- Embed the keyworker model within early childhood intervention and the Thriving Kids initiative.
Learning from evidence-based program success stories
National / Northcott examples
Early Supports
Northcott has been a trusted Early Childhood Partner in The Community since 2018. Responsible for delivering the NDIS’s Early Childhood Approach, Northcott, in partnership with the NDIA, supports over 20,000 children and families. With over 200 staff, Northcott is the largest Early Childhood Approach provider in NSW.
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Early Supports are tailored interventions for young children (0-9) and their families, ensuring timely assistance without requiring a formal diagnosis. This approach directly addresses Terms of Reference 1 and 3 improving equity of access and demonstrating evidence-based practice in action. Supports focus on capacity building, timely developmental skill-building, and preventing long-term functional impacts. Supports offered include:
- developmental assessments (ASQ-Trak and RBI)
- strength based, trauma informed and evidenced-based support
- individualised Early Supports Plans
- parent coaching and education
- connection to mainstream services
- short-term, targeted interventions
- support applying for NDIS access (if needed).
Early Supports Plans at Northcott are strengths-based and family-centred, developed collaboratively with families by their Early Childhood Coordinator. These plans are usually created face-to-face in the child’s natural environment, unless the family prefers another setting. They are culturally responsive, with efforts to match CALD families to language-appropriate coordinators or interpreting services when needed. Our First Nations coordinators support First Nations families. Plans are written in simple English if required, with follow-up communication to ensure understanding. Goal setting is guided by the Routines-Based Interview (RBI) to develop functional, SMART goals that reflect the child’s and family’s voice.
Coordinators use a parent-coaching approach and involve important people in the child’s life, such as siblings and grandparents. The planning process also includes holistic assessments based on ARACY’s Common Approach and the development of an Ecomap to understand and build upon the family’s support networks. Coordinators assist with referrals to mainstream and community services as needed. Plans are reviewed at 3 and 6 months, with all activities documented, including individual supports and parent workshop participation. Support is tailored to each family’s needs and routines, with frequency varying from fortnightly to monthly, and duration typically ranging from 3 to 6 months, or up to 12 months for complex needs. As families prepare to transition out of Early Supports, the frequency of meetings may decrease to promote independence. Exit planning includes goal reviews, strengthened community linkages, and a formal exit letter summarising support received, future steps and how to re-engage with services if needed.
This approach ensures a seamless, consistent experience for families, focusing on early intervention, capacity building and strong community linkages throughout the journey.
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Impact Story
Five-year-old Chloe was referred to Early Supports with her mum, Sarah, due to concerns about her ability to manage her emotions and transition through tasks. This was particularly evident when Chloe was at daycare and in the car. During the initial assessment, it was determined that Chloe would benefit from the Early Supports pathway. Early Supports is a short-term program that supports parents to implement simple strategies into their everyday routines that can make a big difference for their child.
Early Childhood Coordinator, Ruth, worked with Chloe and Sarah for four (4) months to implement strategies that could support Chloe as she prepared to transition to school. Together with the family, it was identified that heavy work activities (e.g. pushing things, pulling things, lifting things) were very calming for Chloe and helped her to manage big emotions more effectively. Ruth and the family worked on implementing language to support Chloe’s understanding and expression of her emotions. They also implemented social stories to support Chloe’s understanding of routines and transitions at school, so that she felt more prepared for these.
On exiting Early Supports, Sarah was provided with additional community linkages. Chloe is now thriving at school. She was able to enjoy a positive day at a school excursion and often speaks about the friends that she is making. Sarah feels confident when saying goodbye to Chloe each day at school.
Northcott EarlyStart Diagnosis Support (NEDS)
This program operated before the introduction of the NDIS, and provided short-term support to families who had a concern about their child’s development. Family Support Workers provided information and assisted families to access mainstream and specialised services within their local area, using a strengths-based approach to promote empowerment and positive developmental outcomes for the child. The program enabled parents and carers to connect with both specialist and mainstream services, enhancing their community participation while developing their own skills in self-advocacy and service engagement.
Services were flexible and tailored to each individual family’s practical and emotional needs by:
- supporting them to build and maintain formal and informal support networks
- encouraging their participation in community life
- enhancing communication skills to build positive relationships, supporting the child’s development
- linking them to supports for their child from community and mainstream services and specialist support services in a positive and informed manner
- promoting sustainable care arrangements for the child within his or her family.
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Speech Pathology and Occupational Therapy (SPOT) in Schools project
The SPOT in Schools pilot project ran from 2013 to 2014, involving schools from Western Sydney. The project aimed to enhance teachers’ skills in developing a curriculum more tailored to the unique communication and fine motor needs of the students and to promote inclusion within schools. SPOT was funded by WentWest Medicare Local and the NSW Department of Education and Communities (DEC). Quantitative and qualitative measures were employed to evaluate the project’s effectiveness, yielding overwhelmingly positive feedback.
Partnerships in Inclusive Learning Project (PILP)
PILP was a multi-disciplinary project developed by Northcott in partnership with eight (8) school communities in the Hunter and Central Coast regions of NSW. Schools were nominated for participation by the NSW Department of Education and Communities, with funding provided by Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC). PILP aimed to build the capacity of teachers to include students with varying needs in mainstream classroom learning by sharing strategies from the disciplines of speech pathology, occupational therapy and person-centred behaviour support. An evaluation framework was developed to measure the project’s impact, demonstrating positive outcomes.
International examples
Effective universal principles seen abroad:
- Family-centred and strength-based: Services shaped by and with families.
- Integration and coordination: Prevent fragmentation and create clear pathways.
- Prevention and early intervention: Continuous, proactive supports.
- Universality with flexibility: Broad entitlements, tailored delivery.
- Sustainable funding and workforce: Long-term viability depends on resourcing and capability.
Indigenous-led models in Aotearoa New Zealand (Whānau Ora) and Canada show better continuity and trust when governance is community-controlled.
Whānau Ora (Aotearoa New Zealand)
- Whānau Ora is a kaupapa Māori, whānau-centred system that supports whānau (families) rather than individuals. Services are flexible, delivered by Māori providers, and span health, social services, education and employment. The model emphasises whānau self-determination, culturally-embedded service delivery and integration across government agencies.
- Commissioning Agencies (community / iwi / Māori) design services, match providers, and are accountable for whānau outcomes using outcomes frameworks.
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Indigenous-led Child & Family Models in Canada
- Services led by First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, often under cultural frameworks (language, customary care, elders, ceremonies) that emphasise cultural connectedness as central to wellbeing.
- The Canadian An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families (2019) aims to shift decision-making power to Indigenous communities for child welfare, reduce overrepresentation of Indigenous children in care, affirm cultural identity and use customary care practices.
Germany – Prevention Chains
- Approach: Local, inter-sectoral networks linking health, child protection, education, and social services from pregnancy through adolescence.
- Evidence: Evaluations show improved service coordination, early identification of risks and reduced escalation into statutory child protection where implementation quality is high (NZFH reports).
- Lesson: Invest in local coordination roles and sustainable funding to achieve systemic prevention gains.
(Source: NZFH; academic reviews on Präventionsketten)
Flanders (Belgium) – Houses of the Child
- Approach: One-stop hubs co-designed with parents, integrating preventive health, parenting support and early learning signposting.
- Evidence: Evaluations show increased accessibility, improved uptake among vulnerable families and higher user satisfaction when parents shape services.
- Lesson: Guarantee a baseline offer, embed co-design and invest in outreach to ensure equitable access.
(Source: Flemish Ministry / Opgroeien; COFACE dossier)
Italy – Integrated 0–6 Reform
- Approach: National reforms integrate early childhood education and care (ECEC) for 0–6 years, emphasising universal access and partnership with parents.
- Evidence: Improved national coverage, stronger links between childcare and education policy, though regional disparities persist.
- Lesson: System integration reduces fragmentation; sustained investment and workforce development are critical.
(Source: ESPN/Eurydice country reviews)
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EU Research – “Childcare Gap”
- Issue: Mismatch between end of parental leave and guaranteed ECEC access; limited provision for non-standard hours.
- Evidence: Research highlights inequities in uptake and unmet needs for families with atypical working patterns.
- Lesson: Expand flexible childcare options (after-hours, part-time, seasonal) and align leave with guaranteed ECEC places.
(Source: COFACE factsheet; European Observatory reports)
US Models
Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework
- Approach: Nationally adopted model that embeds protective factors (parental resilience, social connections, knowledge of parenting, concrete support and child social-emotional competence) into programs and policy.
- Evidence: Widely used in child welfare and early childhood systems; research shows it reduces child maltreatment risk and strengthens family wellbeing (CSSP, 2018).
- Strength-Based Features: Focus on building family capabilities rather than deficits, adaptable across diverse service systems.
Family Resource Centers (FRCs)
- Approach: Community-based hubs offering parenting education, child development programs and connection to health, housing and social services.
- Evidence: Evaluations in states such as California and Massachusetts demonstrate improved parenting confidence, reduced child maltreatment risk and stronger social connectedness (Daro & Cohn-Donnelly, 2019).
- Strength-Based Features: Non-stigmatising, voluntary and designed around family voice and choice.
Head Start & Early Head Start
- Approach: Comprehensive early childhood education, health, nutrition and family engagement programs targeting low-income families.
- Evidence: Studies show Head Start improves school readiness, family stability and parental engagement in education and health services (Puma et al., 2012; ACF, 2020).
- Strength-Based Features: Programs engage parents as partners, integrate wraparound supports and tailor services to family needs.
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