NDIA Accountability Project

Submission 215 — Carers Tasmania — Inquiry into the Thriving Kids initiative

‹ PrevPage 1 of 22 · Source p. 1Next ›

CarersTAS

Carers Tasmania’s Submission

to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative

October 2025

About Carers Tasmania

Carers Tasmania is the Peak Body representing the more than 87,000 informal carers (hereafter carers) in the state.

Carers Tasmania’s vision is for an Australia that values and supports carers.

Our mission is to work to improve the health, wellbeing, resilience and financial security of carers and to ensure that caring is a shared responsibility of family, community, and government.

Our values drive everything we think, say, and do.

  • Carers first – we listen to what carers need, commit to their desired action plan, and deliver results that matter most to carers
  • Care in all we do – we care for our work, about each other, about Tasmania’s family and friend carers, and the bigger world we all share
  • Integrity always – we are transparent, act ethically, own when things don’t go to plan and do what we say we will
  • Quality every time – we don’t accept ‘good enough’ because carers deserve our very best every time
  • Speed that matters – we are agile and don’t put off what can be done today.

These values represent how we engage with and serve carers, how we work with each other, and our commitment to the broader community. Carers Tasmania encourages partnership with governments and health and community sectors to enhance service provision and improve conditions for family or friend carers through policy development, research and advocacy.

We acknowledge and support people of all genders, sexualities, cultural beliefs, and abilities and understand that carers in Tasmania, whilst sharing the common theme of caring for a family member or friend, are diverse individuals with varying beliefs, experiences, and identities. We value and respect the diversity of carers, their lived and living experiences, and recognise that carers are the experts in their own lives.

Carers Tasmania has offices in Moonah, Launceston and Burnie.

Please direct any enquiries about this response to:

Dr Samantha Fox
Chief Executive Officer
Phone: (03) 6144 3700
Email: redacted

Carers Tasmania’s Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative 2

Contents

Carers Tasmania’s Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative 3

1. Background

Carers Tasmania is the Peak Body representing the more than 87,000 informal carers within the state.

A carer is a person who provides unpaid care and support to a family member, or friend, with disability, mental ill health, a chronic or life-limiting condition, alcohol or other drug dependence, or who is frail or aged. Informal kinship carers who care for a child under the age of 18, because the parent is unable to, are also recognised as carers. Carers are predominantly family members, but may also be friends, neighbours, or colleagues. Informal carers are not to be confused with paid support workers who are often called ‘carers’, with the difference being that support workers are fully employed and remunerated with all the benefits of employment. On the contrary, family and friend carers perform their caring duties without remuneration, other than minimal carer payments and allowances from the Australian Government.

In addition to representing carers through the Peak Body activities, Carers Tasmania provides support to carers living in Tasmania through its service delivery arm, Care2Serve. The Australian Government Carer Gateway program is delivered through Care2Serve in Tasmania, as are other supports and services, such as the Tasmanian Government’s Home and Community Care program.

Anyone may become a carer at any time. The likelihood of this occurring in Tasmania is high, with estimates showing that one in six people living in Tasmania is a carer. This proportion is higher than the national average. The Australian Bureau of Statistics Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) revealed that there were 80,100 carers in Tasmania in 2018.1 By 2022, this figure had increased to more than 87,000.2

The Carer Gateway program provides a range of free services and supports for carers which are designed to build resilience and knowledge, increase wellbeing, improve quality of life, and sustain carers to effectively continue their caring roles. The available supports include the provision of information, advice and referrals, holistic identification of carer strengths and needs through a carer support planning process, professional counselling, peer support, and coaching which aims to support carers in achieving specific goals.

Care2Serve, through the Carer Gateway, has capacity to fund certain instances of planned, practical support services such as in-home respite, personal care, domestic assistance, and meal preparation. Care2Serve may also fund items such as laptops to assist carers who are studying or trying to enter the workforce. Care2Serve also coordinates the provision of emergency support during instances where a carer may be unable to provide the care that they usually do, resulting from unexpected illness or injury of the carer.

1 Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). 44300DO006_2018 Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Tasmania, 2018. Australian Bureau of Statistics. (abs.gov.au) 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2022). Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings, 2022. Australian Bureau of Statistics (abs.gov.au)

Carers Tasmania’s Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative 4

2. Introduction

Carers Tasmania welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative by the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability.

This response addresses the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the Committee Inquiry, as outlined below:

  • “Examine evidence-based information and resources that could assist parents identify if their child has mild to moderate development delay and support parents to provide support to these children.
  • Examine the effectiveness of current (and previous) programs and initiatives that identify children with development delay, autism or both, with mild to moderate support needs and support them and their families. This should focus on community and mainstream engagement, and include child and maternal health, primary care, allied health playgroups, early childhood education and care and schools.
  • Identify equity and intersectional issues, in particular, children who identify as First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse.
  • Identify gaps in workforce support and training required to deliver Thriving Kids.
  • Draw on domestic and international policy experience and best practice.
  • Identify mechanisms that would allow a seamless transition through mainstream systems for all children with for children with mild to moderate support needs.” 3

We also take this opportunity to highlight the significant confusion and distress reported by Tasmanian carers as a result of Minister Butler’s announcement on 20 August 2025.4 We have received a large amount of feedback from carers, including:

  • Concerns about lack of care and preparation in delivery of the announcement, causing significant distress.
  • Frustration and shock about inadequate co-design, reinforcing the importance of meaningful and authentic engagement in future reform.
  • Carers of Autistic children or children with developmental delay not being provided information about this directly from the NDIA.
  • Concern and frustration about the implication that Autism is not a permanent condition.
  • Use of inaccurate and harmful language, such as ‘mild to moderate Autism’.
  • Fears that Autistic children and those with permanent developmental delay may be removed from the NDIS and uncertainty about what will happen after they age out of the Thriving Kids Initiative. This has raised concerns about potential contraventions

3 Parliament of Australia. (2025). Terms of reference: Inquiry into the Thriving Kids initiative. House Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability. Retrieved from https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary Business/Committees/House/Health Aged Care and Disability/Thriving Kidsinitiative/Terms of Reference 4 Parliament of Australia, Department of Health. (2025). Speech from Minister Butler, National Press Club – 20 August 2025. Retrieved from https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-mark-butler-mp/media/speech-from-minister-butler-national-press-club-20-august-2025

Carers Tasmania’s Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative 5

of aspects of the current NDIS Act 20135 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (UNCRPD).6

  • Concerns about the safety and lack of evidence for at least one proposed Thriving Kids program, highlighting a need for independent, neuro-affirming safety evaluations of programs ensuring alignment with the UNCRPD, and concerns about the independence of the appointed Committee.
  • Concerns that this change will restrict participant choice and control and reduce access to required supports.
  • Potentially increased burden placed on parents and carers, as suggested by commentary in the speech and as a result of the proposed changes.
  • The singling out of particular disability groups due to their representation within the NDIS.
  • Lack of clarity about how people with co-occurring disabilities will be supported.
  • Follow-up media reports suggesting that state and territory hospital funding is contingent on alignment with the Thriving Kids Program.
  • Questions on whether the model will ‘move’ with families if they move from their location of residence.
  • Concerns that the original intent of Foundational Supports has shifted and this will create another ‘silo’ of support.
  • Calls for certainty and clarity, requesting that no future changes be made to NDIS eligibility for Autistic people and those with permanent developmental delay.
  • Unclear intentions and outcomes of the Thriving Kids Initiative, including whether a proposed ‘exit pathway’ is being contemplated despite Autism being permanent.
  • Although it has been stated that current NDIS participants will remain on the scheme, this has been stated as subject to usual processes, including reassessment.
  • Widespread concern that these changes will represent a substantial reduction in support that will ultimately increase long-term costs and lead to poorer outcomes for Autistic people, those with permanent developmental delay, their families, and carers.

5 Australian Government. (2013). National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (Cth) (No. 20 of 2013). Retrieved from https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2013A00020/latest/text 6 United Nations. (2006). Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-rights-persons-disabilities

Carers Tasmania’s Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative 6

Data from consecutive Carer Wellbeing Survey Reports has shown that carers of Autistic people (2021,7 2022,8 20239 and 202410) and carers of people with developmental delay (202311 and 202412), were amongst the groups of carers with lower-than-average wellbeing. Carers consistently report lower wellbeing in comparison to the general Australian population, making the wellbeing of carers of Autistic children and children with developmental delay a critical consideration in the context of this proposed reform. Caring has profound impacts on physical and psychological health, social connection, participation in education and employment, and financial and future security.

Carers report that respite is difficult to access, and the NDIS does not always provide what is needed. At the same time, NDIS Family and Participant Outcomes Reports13 and direct carer feedback14 indicate that NDIS support has delivered some positive benefits for carers of children. The Thriving Kids Initiative must therefore be designed to improve outcomes for both children and their carers. It is essential that support is not inadvertently delayed until later in life or that lack of support intensifies the challenges already being experienced.

In future service and policy changes, the impact on carers must be actively considered. In light of the evidence on carer wellbeing and the findings of the Royal Commissions into Disability and Aged Care, decision makers must uphold a clear positive duty to ensure that reforms are developed in a trauma-informed, collaborative way that recognises and responds to the needs of carers as well as children with disability and additional needs.

3. Feedback from Tasmanian carers

The following is a collation of feedback from several Tasmanian carers on the impacts of this this announcement, as well as their concerns and fears about the future. Carers Tasmania sincerely thanks the carers who have chosen to share their feedback to help inform this response.

7 2021 Carer Wellbeing Survey (Full Report). University of Canberra (Regional Wellbeing Survey team) & Carers Australia. (2021). Caring for others and yourself: The 2021 Carer Wellbeing Survey (Full report). Carers Australia. Retrieved from https://www.carersaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/211011Carer-Wellbeing-Survey_Final.pdf 8 2022 Carer Wellbeing Survey (Full Data Report) University of Canberra (WellRes) & Carers Australia. (2022). Caring for others and yourself: The 2022 Carer Wellbeing Survey (Full data report). Carers Australia. Retrieved from https://www.carersaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/2022-CWS-Full-Report_221010_FINAL.pdf 9 Mylek, M. R., & Schirmer, J. (2023). Caring for others and yourself: The 2023 Carer Wellbeing Survey (Full data report). University of Canberra. Retrieved from https://www.carersaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2023-CWS-Report.pdf 10 Mylek, M. and Schirmer, J. 2024. Caring for others and yourself: Carer Wellbeing Survey 2024 report. Prepared by the WellRes Unit, Health Research Institute, University of Canberra for Carers Australia. Carers Australia, Canberra. https://www.carersaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Final-CWS-2024-Report-compressed.pdf 11 Mylek, M. R., & Schirmer, J. (2023). Caring for others and yourself: The 2023 Carer Wellbeing Survey (Full data report). University of Canberra. Retrieved from https://www.carersaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2023-CWS-Report.pdf 12 Mylek, M. and Schirmer, J. 2024. Caring for others and yourself: Carer Wellbeing Survey 2024 report. Prepared by the WellRes Unit, Health Research Institute, University of Canberra for Carers Australia. Carers Australia, Canberra. https://www.carersaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Final-CWS-2024-Report-compressed.pdf 13 National Disability Insurance Agency. (2024). Participant Outcomes: Summary Report at 30 June 2024. Retrieved from https://dataresearch.ndis.gov.au/media/4191/download?attachment 14 Carers Tasmania. (2023). https://carerstas.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Carers-Tasmania-submission-to-the-22-23-NDIS-Review-2.pdf

Carers Tasmania’s Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative 7

“I wanted to reach out because I’m really concerned about the recent NDIS changes and how they’re impacting autistic children and their families. As you know, I have 3 children 2 of whom are Autistic, and from my lived experience across three different schools, it’s already clear that schools do not have the resources or capacity to adequately support neurodivergent children. Adding cuts or restrictions to NDIS supports only increases this gap.

I understand that budget savings need to be made somewhere, but the way these changes are being implemented feels like they treat being Autistic as something a child can “grow out of.” That idea is not only inaccurate but harmful, and it risks leaving children and families without the critical early supports they need.

I was also very disappointed to hear Minister Butler’s recent comments referring to “minor autism” and implying that Neurodivergence is not always a lifelong disability. Beyond being incorrect, this language is non-affirming, dismissive, and harmful to the Autistic community. It undermines the lived experiences of so many families and autistic people themselves, and it adds to the stigma and misunderstanding we already fight against every day.

Another huge concern is the way these announcements have been made to the community without clear detail. This lack of transparency creates uncertainty and fear, leaving carers and families stressed and anxious about what supports may be taken away. For carers who are already stretched to their limits, the added emotional toll of not knowing what the future holds is incredibly damaging.

These changes also directly affect carers. When children lose access to vital supports, the responsibility falls back onto carers who are already stretched beyond capacity. This not only increases stress and burnout, but also limits carers’ ability to work, maintain their own health, and sustain family life. Cutting back supports for autistic children is, in effect, cutting back supports for the carers who hold everything together.

I have also emailed Jo Palmer, Mark Butler, and sent our concerns through to the Carers Advisory Council via their Action Plan email. I believe it’s important that all decision-makers and advisory groups hear just how significant these changes are for both Autistic children and their carers.

I’m reaching out because I value the way you advocate for carers, and I know you have a strong voice in these conversations. Families like mine need allies to help highlight that:

Schools cannot and should not be expected to fill the gap left by reduced NDIS supports.

Removing or limiting therapies takes away opportunities for children to thrive and places more pressure on already exhausted families and carers.

Autistic children are among the most vulnerable groups, and they deserve investment, not further cuts.

Government language and framing around Neurodivergence must be affirming, accurate, and respectful of the autistic community.

Carers need recognition and protection, not more responsibility placed on their shoulders as services are stripped away.

Announcing policy shifts without detail creates unnecessary stress, anxiety, and harm for carers.

If there’s any way I can support your advocacy—by sharing my family’s story, joining a carers’ voice campaign, or contributing in another way—please let me know. I really believe that together we can push back against these changes and make sure our kids aren’t left behind.

Thank you so much for everything you do for carers and families.”

Carers Tasmania’s Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative 8

“Hi there,

I have completed the carer surveys. I’m also attaching this email sent directly to Minister Butler so that your organisation can also capture the impact that Thriving Kids will have on my children and family.

Thanks,

redacted

Dear Minister,

I am writing to you on behalf of two of my children who you have suggested have a ‘mild’ form of autism which they will grow out of.

Firstly, I am saddened and deeply concerned as Minister for Disability and the NDIA, about your lack of understanding of disability, its impacts on disabled people and their informal support systems. I am disgusted by your comments that show your ableism, suggesting that autism is ‘mild’ or is not a ‘permanent’ disability is uninformed. The Australian Government Institute of Health and Welfare website defines “autism spectrum disorder (also simply termed autism) is a persistent developmental disorder.” By the government’s own definition autism is a permanent and lifelong disability.

Yes, the NDIS budget has increased and of course there are increasing numbers of children being diagnosed as autistic. However, to blame parents for seeking a diagnosis because they do it ‘out of love’ is absurd. As you rightly mentioned, parents are seeking a diagnosis, for the reason that their child is disabled, their child is autistic and has a permanent lifelong challenge. Parents are not engaging with multitudes of professionals, allied health services, teachers and completing endless paperwork for their enjoyment. Parents are doing so because they have a disabled child who needs support. More children are being diagnosed as autism is becoming more widely known about, stigma is reducing and parenting standards are changing. These are all good things.

Secondly, I refer back to your quote regarding increased diagnoses in schools;

“That’s 1 in every 6 boys in a grade 2 classroom.

In some regions it’s even higher.

In the mid-north of New South Wales, it’s 1 in 4 boys.

In the Hunter Region, it’s 1 in every 5 boys.”

Yes, there are this many children who are autistic in classrooms. As well as being an advocate for my own children I am also a teacher. And these autistic children need support. They need more support than the current model of inclusion can possibly ever provide. They need individualised support because, guess what, they are all individuals! A teacher cannot possibly be expected to support, educate and regulate this many students’ day to day without the ‘over service’ from the NDIS of these children. If schools and educators are not welcoming these allied health professionals into their classrooms then we have a bigger problem with education in Australia than first thought.

My children’s needs are NOT being ‘over serviced’ they are receiving expert support from highly qualified professionals who can support them to: eat a varied diet due to sensory challenges, who need support communicating their needs, who need support to participate in a classroom, who need support to not elope when they become dysregulated and most importantly to support their mental health when politicians tell them that their challenges are ‘mild’ and they will grow out of it. They need ongoing support from the comments they will receive from people, your speech has inspired to tell them that they are not disabled enough.

My children, and all children in Australia, deserve better than this. Providing intensive early intervention helps keep costs down in the health system. Cutting these services for current and future ‘mildly autistic’ people will simply create a further cost in the future in the health

Carers Tasmania’s Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative 9

system. These children will need support with eating disorders, injuries from elopement as well as an increasing mental health crisis.

Thirdly, you have suggested that the new initiative, Thriving Kids using a model similar to existing community-based supports could replace the NDIS for these children. I can’t speak for the rest of Australia, but the Tasmanian Child and Family Centres serve a very small minority of each community. They are established in low SES areas but fail to reach the needs of those very communities. In my experience (fortnightly visits to our local CFC) they are either empty, have one or two other middle-class families in attendance and I have yet to speak with a single parent in attendance that has come with their neurodiverse child.

Finally, my children are lucky that they have an informed advocate to speak up for their disability and can recognise their needs and identify areas in which they need support. Your main concern seems to be in overspending, fraud and comparing spending between budgets. To save money within the NDIA it would be more beneficial to recognise the ridiculous hurdles and bureaucracy that the scheme has created. This is where the overspending has happened. For example, each year my children’s budget needs to accommodate approximately $4,000-$6,000 for annual reporting that no-one reads. My children remain autistic each year. However, wasting my children’s time, therapists time and taxpayer money to continually prove their disability is more detrimental to the longevity and success of this system than 20 1:1 psychologist appointments ever will be.

Perhaps it is time to audit the services and expectations the NDIA imposes on the disabled community and their informal support before destroying one of the best things to come from the Labor government?

I would suggest that you take the time to inform yourself on disability, autism and the community led supports personally before suggesting any more reforms. Your speech demonstrated how clearly unfit for the role you are and listening to those with lived experience should be your first priority.

I sincerely hope that you reconsider your position to minimise support for the disabled community before you push this agenda any further.”

“It’s already having an impact. You’re seeing, lots of carers saying this and that online. Amongst myself and my friends, our stress levels are up, because we’re you know, sorry to get emotional. The NDIS has been like a lifesaver for so many people with disabilities and families, and the idea that a 2 billion dollars is going to replace 42 billion dollars of support. It’s quite scary. We’ve already got a burden, I read something this morning, about for us as women. I’m a home school mum, not by choice, but the impact that has on my ability to work and my mental health. My daughter has NDIS, I’m so grateful that she now has a support worker, for example now the support worker has taken her out and I get a tiny bit of a break. Now all I can think of is that’s going to go. I’m mentally you know, stressed. I’m stressed as it is having NDIS and having all of this, because I’ve also got some health issues, but now, knowing there is a potential that she is going to lose all of this, and thinking about her future, the classification of something that you can see, although you can see it with her and her mannerisms and the way she is. I feel like they are using Autism as a way of ‘othering’ us from others with disability. It’s such a worry…

It’s just the whole thing, like every year we have to jump over hoops in order to fight for funding, and every year we do that.

We need to have safeguards in place. The idea that some people are rorting the system, people rort the system with welfare, you just don’t cut the welfare system for groups of people just for the budget. You try and figure out ways to make the system operate.”

Carers Tasmania’s Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative 10

“I’ve had one child where they just rolled it [NDIS funding] over. Realistically now I look at what’s happening, and I think, well he’s not going to be eligible. His plan is only like $20K, he gets OT, Speech, very basic. With my daughter, hers is more complex. She has support work, and behavioural support in there. But with my daughter, we’ve just done a functional capacity assessment, because even though her original diagnosis was level 2, it’s obvious that her support needs are more significant. Because we’ve done that, it’s like a 20-page report and the Speechy is doing the report and then I think, should we have just left it? It just makes me really sad, because I think with my son, he started it with the early intervention due to a delay in speech. They picked that up at school and I got him onto the NDIS and with all of that, he was able to overcome that. That helped him so much now that he’s actually doing well at school with reading. But since then, he’s also been diagnosed with ADHD and Autism. He goes to a speech therapy group, even though he can speak ok, but it helps with the social skills and all of that stuff.

I was talking yesterday with my son’s speech therapist. Homeschooling parents, most of us are not doing that by choice, we’re often in a situation where financially, we end up losing an income, we are reliant on a single income family if we are lucky to not be a single parent family. Then we don’t have the resources to go privately, where if they were in the school system, the school would be doing an assessment for speech and cognitive and learning. The lady from the Department who came to do my registration said they don’t do anything for home-schooling kids.

And then I said to her, ok, it is the DOE, the fact of the matter is, when you pull your child out of school, the department is saving dollars. You move that child out of the school system, it doesn’t cost you [department] anything. Why can’t they put resources to at least support these families. The numbers are growing with homeschooling. Are these kids going to be ready one day, are they going to be educated enough, some are obviously going to have learning and cognitive disorders that haven’t been addressed. All of a sudden, they are adults, and they can’t function. I can see a crisis going on. I’ve been very fortunate because for my daughter and son we have been able to access these support through the NDIS. With my son, I can see the NDIS has done wonders for my son.”

“For me it’s just the anxiety, realising the drop in funding down to $2 billion and then trying to get everyone to fit. There’s questions about some of the things they are proposing and the evidence, like ABA… That’s going to come at a cost to people.”

“One of the massive things I am noticing is the misinformation that is consistently occurring. I find this very concerning, particularly given the current narrative. I feel the concerns I mostly notice for myself and within my community are a direct result of misinformation, bias, outdated thinking and also, most concerning, the dehumanisation and cure culture that seeks to remove not only me and my community’s support, but also cures and prevents us from existing. All of which goes directly against the intention of the UNCRPD and UNDHR, which Australians agreed on as fundamental principles for our society. As a carer, this seeks to devalue my and my family’s needs for support and access to services. I think it has very quickly become a systemic and social issue. Our community, as well as the carers with lived experience in the community, have very directly said we do not accept any of what is going on as appropriate and will not accept Thriving Kids, as it will not meet the needs of the community. We have previously tried block funding and still have it in areas. It didn’t and doesn’t work.”

Carers Tasmania’s Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative 11

4. Feedback on the Terms of Reference

Examine evidence-based information and resources that could assist parents identify if their child has mild to moderate development delay and support parents to provide support to these children.

Consultations held for the development of the National Carer Strategy found that carers experienced difficulties such as:

  • “The emotional and mental depletion arising from their caring role,
  • Employment challenges,
  • Financial challenges and stress,
  • Struggling to find about the services available to themselves and care recipients; be they aged care services, the NDIS, medical services, basic income support and assistance with particular expenses,
  • Service information and system navigation challenges,
  • Better training in caring for people with particular conditions, and
  • A need for peer support and respite.” 15

It must also be acknowledged that more than half of Tasmanian carers have some form of disability or long-term health condition themselves.16

These findings are consistent with data from National Carer Surveys and Carer Wellbeing Surveys. Carers experience multiple challenges engaging with services and accessing and understanding relevant information, with carers of children with additional needs facing additional barriers to support.

As reported in Carers Tasmania’s submission into the development of the National Autism Strategy, carers reported they often face stigma and judgement from professionals, teachers, parents, and other community members.17 This can hinder identification and reaching out for support.

A targeted, positive communication and awareness campaign is needed. A communication campaign could align with the National Autism Strategy but must also be broad enough to support understanding and identification of developmental delay. Part of this communication strategy could be targeted for health professionals to support them in increased carer identification and referral, aligning with the actions in the National Carer Strategy.

Awareness raising, identification, and stigma reduction, are actions and recommendations central to other relevant strategies, reports, and their corresponding action plans. Examples include Australia’s Disability Strategy,18 the Early Years Strategy,19 and the findings of the

15 Carers Australia. (2024). carersaustralia.com.au/national-carer-strategy/ 16 Carers Tasmania. (2025). https://carerstas.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2024-National-Carer-Survey-Tasmanian-Results-.pdf 17 Carers-Tasmanias-Submission-on-the-National-Autism-Strategy.pdf 18 Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Social Services. (2024). Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031: 2024 update – Building a more inclusive Australia. Retrieved from https://www.disabilitygateway.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2025-01/5831-dss3513-ads-strategy-2021.pdf 19 Department of Social Services. (2024). Early Years Strategy 2024–2034. Australian Government. Retrieved from https://www.dss.gov.au/system/files/resources/early-years-strategy-2024-2034.pdf

Carers Tasmania’s Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative 12

Assessment and Support Services for People with ADHD Report,20 following the Inquiry by the Senate Community Affairs References Committee.

These recommendations and actions should support one another, to influence cohesive and effective outcomes. For example, as professionals are upskilled in identifying children with developmental delay or Autism, carers must also be identified and referred for support earlier in their caring journey:

The National Autism Strategy First Action Plan outlines:

“Commitment 11 - Action 1: In collaboration with Autistic professionals, the Government will consider opportunities in current training and professional development programs to better support the identification (including developmental monitoring and screening) and diagnosis of autism. This should include consideration of known biases such as gender and race and cultural influences in these processes and how to align training and professional development programs with the Strategy’s vision, goal and guiding principles to improve the experience and quality of these processes for Autistic people and their families and carers.” 21

The National Carer Strategy Action Plan One states:

“2.2 Work across the Commonwealth and with states and territories to support carers to be identified and provided with information relevant to their caring role and available supports through those working in medical/health systems and education systems such as GPs, pharmacists, hospital liaison officers, educators and school counsellors.

2.3 Explore ways to improve professional training and resources for health sector professionals to better identify unpaid carers, recognise their expertise, and refer them to appropriate supports.” 22

Easily accessible and free resources such as brochures, apps, short and long form videos, and online developmental checkers could be useful guides to help parents and carers understand what they may expect at certain stages of their child’s development. These must be designed in a way that is supportive, not critical, that is evidence-based, neuro-affirming, culturally safe and translatable as required. Collaboration with parents and carers will be an essential aspect of development.

Developmental discussions could also form part of the topics covered in the established parent and baby groups that are often facilitated through Child and Family Learning Centres, Community Health Centres, Aboriginal-led services, and Playgroups. Carers Tasmania suggests looking to evaluations of other effective models that support parents to identify developmental delay or concerns in infants and young children.

20 Senate Community Affairs References Committee. (2023). Assessment and support services for people with ADHD. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved from https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary Business/Committees/Senate/Community Affairs/ADHD/Report 21 Department of Health and Aged Care. (2025). National Autism Strategy – First Action Plan 2025–2026. Australian Government. Retrieved from https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/national-autism-strategy-first-action-plan-2025-2026 22 Department of Social Services. (2024). National Carer Strategy First Action Plan 2024–2027. Australian Government. Retrieved from https://www.dss.gov.au/system/files/resources/d23-1021308-first-action-plan-accessible-pdf.pdf

Carers Tasmania’s Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative 13

Examine the effectiveness of current (and previous) programs and initiatives that identify children with development delay, autism or both, with mild to moderate support needs and support them and their families. This should focus on community and mainstream engagement, and include child and maternal health, primary care, allied health playgroups, early childhood education and care and schools.

Carers Tasmania supports in principle, the need to better integrate accessible and safe supports for Autistic children and those with developmental delay into community, education, childcare, primary care, and health settings more broadly. It is our understanding that this was the initial intention of the Foundational Support System for all people with disability, regardless of whether they were receiving NDIS support or not. It appears that this intention has shifted, with moves to restrict people with certain diagnoses from accessing the NDIS.

The Autism CRC provides free resources to support professional and community capacity in Autism diagnosis, assessment, and service provision. Central to this is the National Guideline for the Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism in Australia,23 which outlines guiding principles, good practice points, and consensus-based recommendations. Importantly, the Guideline is framed taking a neuro-affirming approach.

We strongly advocate for a transparent and truly independent evaluation of initiatives designed to support Autistic children and those with developmental delay. While Minister Butler has highlighted programs such as Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS) and the Raising Children’s Network, both of which may indeed deliver effective, safe, and neuro-affirming support to children and families, they must be transparently and independently evaluated.

Carers Tasmania supports the introduction of a new Medicare line item for bulk-billed child developmental assessments, as well as a separate Medicare line item for allied health supports for children, including those delivered via telehealth. However, we urge for both of these functions to be bulk-billed to ensure equitable access to diagnosis and support for all children, regardless of family circumstances.

We support increased investment in community-led, place-based approaches to identifying and supporting children and families. For these initiatives to be effective and sustainable, they must be appropriately resourced, and the outcomes of these approaches evaluated.

Carers Tasmania strongly advocates for the Thriving Kids Initiative to be focused on early identification, support and information provision, and for it to form part of a clear pathway for those diagnosed with Autism and permanent developmental delay into accessing the NDIS for supports that are required outside of Thriving Kids or when they age out of the program. It must be clarified whether Thriving Kids is intended to be the new early childhood intervention pathway.

It is essential that the NDIS eligibility process, including assessments and re-assessments for Autistic children and adults and those with permanent developmental delay, remain unchanged and consistent with the current NDIS Act 2013 (amended February 2025). Removing specific disability types from the eligibility criteria would contravene the Objects and General Principles of the Act, which require that people with disability and their families, and carers, have certainty of lifetime support, access to reasonable and necessary supports

23 Autism CRC. (2023). National Guideline for the assessment and diagnosis of autism in Australia (2nd ed.). Retrieved from https://www.autismcrc.com.au/best-practice/assessment-and-diagnosis

Carers Tasmania’s Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative 14

(including early intervention) that support their independence, social and economic participation, and that people with disability have the ability to exercise choice and control over support to assist them achieve their goals.24

Furthermore, permanently excluding Autistic people and those with permanent developmental delay from the NDIS once they age out of the Thriving Kids Initiative risks breaching Australia’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). The UNCRPD affirms that people with disability must not face discrimination in accessing health, education, community inclusion, or reasonable accommodation.25 Denying these groups ongoing eligibility to NDIS support would effectively exclude them from supports that other people with disability can access, undermining Australia’s commitments to upholding the UNCRPD.

Carers Tasmania supports a robust evaluation of existing programs, including Positive Partnerships, in addition to other suggested programs. In addition, we note that in South Australia, Autism Inclusion Teachers have been introduced across all public schools as a dedicated measure of support.26 This program would be worth evaluating with an aim to embed Autism inclusion and support in all early learning centres, kindergarten, schools and outside school hours care. In addition to the initiative noted in South Australian schools, some state and territory governments have already embedded other programs, such as the Victorian Government who have a specific program for intensive outside school hours care support for children with disability,27 which is over and above typical inclusion support.

Carers Tasmania supports an increased focus on embedding Autism inclusion and support in early learning centres, kindergarten, play groups, schools and outside school hours care. Some state and territory governments have already embedded programs such as the South Australian Government.

In our Response to the Draft National Autism Strategy, Carers Tasmania stated:

“Support at school varies greatly in Tasmania, and whilst there are departmental policies on support and inclusion of children with disability through the DECYP, there are no targeted and clear policies or supports provided for Autistic children, nor standardised training for teachers and education staff. Given the growing prevalence of Autism, it would be highly beneficial for the [National Autism] Strategy to promote the introduction of specific policies to support better inclusion of Autistic or other neurodivergent children across all State and Territory government schools.” 28

The National Autism Strategy Consultation Report stated:

“Participants suggested that introducing Autism education from a young age is one of the most impactful ways governments can improve society’s understanding and

24 Federal Register of Legislation. (2013). National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (Cth). https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2013A00020 25 United Nations. (2006). Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-rights-persons-disabilities 26 Department for Education. (2024, October 14). Autism Inclusion in Secondary Schools initiative provides more support for children with autism. Government of South Australia. Retrieved from https://www.education.sa.gov.au/department/media-centre/our-news/autism-inclusion-in-secondary-schools-initiative-provides-more-support-for-children-with-autism 27 Victorian Government. (n.d.). High Intensity Outside School Hours Care Initiative for students with disabilities. Department of Education and Training. Retrieved September 22, 2025, from https://www.vic.gov.au/high-intensity-outside-school-hours-care-initiative-for-students-with-disabilities 28 Carers Tasmania. (2024). https://carerstas.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Carers-Tasmania-Feedback-on-the-draft-National-Autism-Strategy-1.pdf

Carers Tasmania’s Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative 15

awareness. Some suggested that schools introduce Autism education modules or programs to normalise neurodiversity from a young age. Educating students before they reach the middle years or high school will help with the bullying and abuse that are experienced at school and in adolescent years.”

“At least 3.8% of Australian school aged children are Autistic, and autism is a lifelong condition.4 68.9% of Autistic 5-20 year olds attending school or an education institution experienced difficulty at their place of learning. Only 5.2% of Autistic people had a bachelor degree or higher, compared with 19.7% of people with a disability and 35.3% of people without a disability.” 7°

In addition to these suggestions, it is essential that respite for carers is addressed and enabled, regardless of whether the Autistic child, or child with developmental delay has an NDIS plan or not. Carers must be supported with appropriate opportunities to rest, recharge, maintain their wellbeing, participate in social and recreational activities, and in employment or education. These are essential human rights as per the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 24 states that “everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay,” and Article 27 states “everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community.” °° Any program or support that forms part of the Thriving Kids Initiative must support increased identification and recognition of carers and referral to support. They must uphold their responsibilities under the Commonwealth Carer Recognition Act 2010,*’ and/or state and territory-based carer recognition legislation dependent on their funding arrangement.

Carers Tasmania highlights the importance of sustainable funding to peer support and peer-led groups. Care2Serve facilitates several peer support groups for carers across Tasmania, including for parents of children with additional needs. In addition, the Association for Children with Disability Tasmania facilitates My Time Groups,°? Playgroup Tasmania run numerous statewide groups,** and the Regional Autistic Engagement Network Tasmania (RAEN) also facilitate support groups.4

Carers Tasmania highlights the feedback received from carers around the Inklings Program, as noted in Minister Butler’s Speech, which is based upon applied behavioural analysis (ABA) focused therapy. From an individual, human rights perspective and through the lens of the social model of disability, we share our significant concerns about this program. There are views that this program may be harmful, promote masking, and cause delayed and exacerbated mental health and psychological challenges for Autistic people, increasing the distress also experienced by their carers.

ABA therapy stems from historically unsafe practices, including physical punishment.°° Furthermore, evaluation of the iBASIS-VIPP Program (the clinical trial of Inklings) found that

29 The Social Deck. (2024). Developing a National Autism Strategy: Consultation report. Department of Social Services. Retrieved from https://engage.dss.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/NAS_Consultation-Report_full-report_v3-final.pdf

30 UN General Assembly. (1948). Universal declaration of human rights (217 [Ill] A). Paris. Universal Declaration of Human Rights | United Nations

31 Commonwealth of Australia. (2010) Commonwealth Carer Recognition Act 2010. Federal Register of Legislation - Carer Recognition Act 2010. https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2010A00123/asmade/text

52 Association for Children with Disability (Tasmania) Inc. (ACD Tas). (2025). ACD Tas facilitates MyTime in Tasmania. Retrieved from https://acdtas.com.au/services/thepnh/maketimeforyou/

33 Playgroup Tasmania. (n.d.). Find the playgroup that’s right for you. Retrieved from https://playgrouptas.org.au/playgroup-types

34 Regional Autistic Engagement Network (RAEN). (n.d.). Events. Retrieved from https://www.raentasmania.com.au/events-1

35 Leaf, J. B., Cihon, J. H., Leaf, R., McEachin, J., Liu, N., Russell, N., Unumb, L., Shapiro, S., & Khosrowshahi, D. (2022). Concerns About ABA-Based Intervention: An Evaluation and Recommendations. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 52(6), 2838-2853. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05137-y

Carers Tasmania’s Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative 16

there was no data on the long-term impacts of this program and stated that “follow-up of these children in later childhood, when the behaviours for ASD and other neuro-developmental conditions may be more apparent and distinguishable, will be important to determining the longer-term clinical significance of the intervention effects observed in the current study.” 36

Identify equity and intersectional issues, in particular, children who identify as First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse.

As previously highlighted, removing access to the NDIS for Autistic people and those with permanent developmental delay proves as a significant equity issue, essentially taking a group of children based on their disability type and moving them onto an alternative scheme with reduced funding.

It may prove difficult for parents and carers to know where to go for information and support, especially for children of different ages. As an example, Child and Family Learning Centres (CFLC), who regularly provide Child Health and Parenting (CHaPs) services, are only accessible to children aged 0 to 5 years, and access in Tasmania is determined by the local government area that the family lives within, removing choice and control over where to access services. There may be reasons as to why a person does not want to access support from their local CFLC, including privacy concerns, and perceived or actual stigma.

The initiative also poses challenges in terms of continuity of care, especially if children are seeing a particular therapist or other professional via a CFLC but then turn six and are no longer eligible to access the centre. Carers repeatedly report they are tired of having to re-tell their stories or that of the person they support, which can be traumatising, frustrating and time consuming.

There can also be long waitlists to access CHaPS appointments through Community Health Centres.

“During the COVID-19 period in Tasmania, there were significant delays for access to Child Health and Parenting Service (CHaPS) appointments due to some CHaPS employees being temporarily reassigned to assist with the rollout of COVID vaccinations. Whilst this was a measure put in place by the Tasmanian Government to assist with the pandemic, strategies to prevent disruptions to important services such as this in the future must be discussed and implemented at a federal level.” 37

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, caution must be taken when selecting certain providers for the delivery of service. For example, in Tasmania, health assessment and support services are available through the Tasmanian Aboriginal Health Centre, but to access this service, you must be able to prove that you or your children are of Tasmanian Aboriginal descent. This is a sensitive issue as some people may be deemed as not Tasmanian Aboriginal if they are not from specific Tasmanian Aboriginal family lines, meaning that they are ineligible to access support specifically through the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre and associated services. Although Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children can access mainstream health services, it is important to recognise that this may not be the preference of the family. Therefore, it is essential that services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders must be First Nations led and authentically co-designed.

36 Whitehouse, A. J. O., Varcin, K. J., Pillar, S., Billingham, W., Alvares, G. A., Barbaro, J., … Hudry, K. (2021). Effect of preemptive intervention on developmental outcomes among infants showing early signs of autism: A randomized clinical trial of outcomes to diagnosis. JAMA Pediatrics, 175(11), e213298. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.3298 37 Carers Tasmania. (2023). Carers-Tasmania-Submission-on-the-Early-Years-Strategy.pdf

Carers Tasmania’s Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative 17

In terms of those families who identify as culturally and linguistically diverse, there are limitations to access under the current NDIS service eligibility which mean that children cannot access the scheme if they are not yet an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident. Families in this situation are also not eligible to access government childcare subsidies, leaving them less likely to attend childcare. These barriers to support must be addressed through the Thriving Kids Initiative.

It is also important that no matter where a child moves to, they must be able to access their support with as little disruptions as possible.

Identify gaps in workforce support and training required to deliver Thriving Kids.

Minister Butler, in his speech, stated:

“Early Childhood Education and Care is also a crucial touchpoint for families. And that will become even more important as we move towards more universal provision, including through the abolition of the activity test. Early Childhood Education and Care workers see more children under 5 than anyone else in our community. They can pick up when something needs attention. Centres are also highly convenient places for families to access support.” 38

Carers Tasmania is concerned about a reliance on early childhood employees as a formal aspect of the Thriving Kids Initiative, as the early childhood sector is currently undergoing significant regulatory reform to improve child safety. These are incredibly important changes, and the sector is under pressure to meet and uphold these requirements. This is without further commitment to additional responsibility in identifying infants and children with developmental delay and Autism.

Workers in the early childhood sector are not required to have qualifications or training in developmental psychology, paediatrics, speech or occupational therapy. In our response to the Early Years Strategy and the National Child Safety Review, we advocated for the need to introduce minimum standards in safety and training as part of onboarding process.39,40 The Building Early Education Fund was mentioned in Minister Butler’s speech, implying that this could be associated with building education employee capacity, however, there is a dire need to increase the number of childcare spaces available, especially in rural and remote areas, to support parents to be able to return to work or obtain employment.

There are significant shortages for therapists and allied health professionals. Places like the Child and Family Learning Centres, and Child Health and Parenting Centres, could provide good opportunities to deliver support, but differ depending on location. As stated in our response to the Foundational Supports Consultation, Child and Family Learning Centres, and Child Health and Parenting Centres could help identify significant areas of need and be supported to take a place-based, targeted approach, bringing in paediatricians, occupational therapists and other allied health professionals to their centre for a short, intensive, period of time to provide support to children in that location who are requiring diagnosis or support.41

38 Parliament of Australia, Department of Health. (2025). Speech from Minister Butler, National Press Club – 20 August 2025. Retrieved from https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-mark-butler-mp/media/speech-from-minister-butler-national-press-club-20-august-2025 39 Carers Tasmania. (2023). Carers-Tasmania-Submission-on-the-Early-Years-Strategy.pdf 40 Carers Tasmania. (2025). https://carerstas.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Carers-Tasmanias-Submission-to-the-National-Child-Safety-Review-2025-2.pdf 41 Carers Tasmania. (2024). https://carerstas.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Carers-Tasmanias-Submission-on-the-NDIS-General-Foundational-Supports-.pdf

Carers Tasmania’s Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative 18

In Tasmania currently, there is significant uncertainty across public school settings, with recent industrial action regarding insufficient funding and support. Fair, adequate, and sustainable funding models across all Australian schools must take a strong focus alongside the Thriving Kids Initiative. Although children with disability can access individual learning plans across Tasmanian public schools, as well as other support through the Educational Adjustments Disability Funding Model,42 based on feedback from Tasmanian carers, this process does not appear to be rolled out routinely across all Tasmanian schools, with the funding allocation sometimes inadequate to support the level of student need.

Carers Tasmania advocates for increased investment in incentivising and supporting the training for more professionals such as psychologists, psychiatrists, general practitioners, paediatricians, as well as occupational, speech and physiotherapists. Increasing the workforce capacity is essential, especially in rural and remote areas, with research showing that small rural towns considered as a Modified Monash Model (MM5) town, have 55% fewer health professionals in comparison to metropolitan areas (MM1).43

Training should be provided to health and medical professionals such as general practitioners, emergency department and community health employees, allied health professionals, maternal and child health nurses, as well as early childhood educators and education and school staff, to help them assist parents and carers in identifying and supporting Autistic children or those with developmental delays. The Access and Affordability: Mental Health Services in Tasmania Report by the Mental Health Council of Tasmania highlighted the challenges for Tasmanians in accessing timely, affordable and appropriate mental health services.44

Draw on domestic and international policy experience and best practice.

In terms of domestic policy, Carers Tasmania recommends that the Thriving Kids Initiative should align with strategies such as the National Autism Strategy,45 the Eary Years Strategy,46 The National Carer Strategy,47 Australia’s Disability Strategy48 and the UNRCPD.49

Best practice includes authentic collaboration, development, and monitoring with and by Autistic individuals and those with developmental delay, as well as their carers. A thorough and robust evaluation framework must be developed and utilised to assess the effectiveness of the Thriving Kids Initiative. It must deliver continuity of care, neuro-affirming support, and ensure that this change facilitates significantly more good than harm.

42 Department for Education, Children and Young People. (n.d.). Frequently asked questions about educational adjustments. Retrieved from https://www.decyp.tas.gov.au/learning/supporting-student-need/educational-adjustments/frequently-asked-questions/ 43 National Rural Health Alliance. (2025). Rural health in Australia: Snapshot 2025. https://www.ruralhealth.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/NRHA-Rural-Health-in-Australia-Snapshot-2025.pdf 44 Mental Health Council of Tasmania. (2023). Access and Affordability: Mental Health Services in Tasmania (Report 2). https://mhct.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/MHCT-Access-and-Affordability-Report-2.pdf 45 Department of Social Services. (2025). National Autism Strategy 2025–2031. Australian Government. Retrieved from https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-07/national-autism-strategy-2025-2031.pdf 46 Department of Social Services. (2024). Early Years Strategy 2024–2034. Australian Government. Retrieved from https://www.dss.gov.au/system/files/resources/early-years-strategy-2024-2034.pdf 47 Department of Social Services. (2024, December 10). National Carer Strategy 2024–2034. Australian Government. Retrieved from https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-07/national-carer-strategy-2024-2034.pdf 48 Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Social Services. (2024). Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031: 2024 update – Building a more inclusive Australia. Retrieved from https://www.disabilitygateway.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2025-01/5831-dss3513-ads-strategy-2021.pdf 49 United Nations. (2006). Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-rights-persons-disabilities

Carers Tasmania’s Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative 19

As previously stated, the Autism CRC has a range of national guidelines and frameworks available in their Best Practice Portal. Carers Tasmania also recommends a thorough examination of international policy and best practice based on safe and effective outcomes.

Identify mechanisms that would allow a seamless transition through mainstream systems for all children with for children with mild to moderate support needs.

At present, the mainstream service system in Tasmania is not adequately resourced to support Autistic children, children with permanent or ongoing developmental delay and their carers. As previously highlighted, schools and outside school hours care, as they currently operate are not equitably and sufficiently resourced. Public and private health and mental health settings are not always neuro-affirming, and there are significant workforce shortages. For Autistic children and children with permanent developmental delay, there must be a process that allows for a seamless transition into NDIS services, whereby children and their families have continued access to the therapies and supports that are required.

Investment into schooling, outside school hours care, health (including allied health), and mental health is needed. The Disability Standards for Education should also be expanded to include outside school hours care, and funding and programs should have some national consistency to increase equity.

An example of an action could be to ensure all states and territories invest and commit to Autism Strategies, as well as those for developmental delay. In our response to the National Autism Strategy and the Inquiry into ADHD supports and services, we highlighted the previous commitments to develop an Autism Strategy in Tasmania have not occurred. The closure of Autism Tasmania, which was impacted by a non-renewal of funding, also left Tasmania without a funded Peak Body for Autism. The Regional Autistic Engagement Network Tasmania (RAEN) is aiming to fill some of these gaps; however, they remain unfunded. There must be equitably supported initiatives available across Australia, so children and their families can access the support they need, no matter where a person lives.

It is also essential that the Thriving Kids Initiative supports and allows for seamless access into mental health services, underpinned by the National Roadmap to Improve the Health and Mental Health of Autistic People.50

5. Recommendations

Carers Tasmania suggests thoughtful consideration of the following recommendations:

  • Develop a national, evidence-based communication and awareness campaign that aligns across government policy, to reduce stigma, support early identification of developmental delay and Autism, and promote carer recognition.
  • Co-design accessible resources (e.g. brochures, apps, videos, developmental checkers) with parents, carers, Autistic people, and people with lived experience of developmental delay.

50 Department of Health and Aged Care. (2025). National Roadmap to Improve the Health and Mental Health of Autistic People 2025–2035. Australian Government. Retrieved from https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/national-roadmap-to-improve-the-health-and-mental-health-of-autistic-people-2025-2035

Carers Tasmania’s Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative 20

  • Provide training for health and education professionals to recognise both developmental differences and carers, aligned with the National Autism Strategy and National Carer Strategy.
  • Ensure all Thriving Kids programs are independently and transparently evaluated for safety, neuro-affirming practice, and alignment with the UNCRPD.
  • Expand access to bulk-billed Medicare items for child developmental assessments and allied health supports, including those accessed via telehealth.
  • Embed Autism inclusion policies and training across all Australian schools, early learning, and outside school hours care, drawing and expanding on examples such as South Australia’s Autism Inclusion Teachers.
  • Guarantee continued eligibility and a clear pathway for access NDIS for Autistic children and children with permanent developmental delay, to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability type. Thriving Kids must complement, not replace NDIS access for these children.
  • Build processes that support continuity of care across age brackets, locations, and service transitions, minimising re-traumatisation for carers and children who must repeatedly re-tell their stories.
  • Ensure reforms are developed in a trauma-informed, collaborative way, with carers and Autistic people included in authentic co-design.
  • Ensure First Nations-led, culturally safe services are funded and available across all states and territories.
  • Address barriers for culturally and linguistically diverse families, including eligibility restrictions for non-citizen children.
  • Introduce minimum training and qualifications for early childhood staff, including awareness of child development, Autism, and disability inclusion and expand the Disability Standards for Education to cover early childhood education and outside school hours care.
  • Invest in workforce expansion across allied health, paediatrics, and psychology, particularly in rural and regional areas. This may include incentives and scholarships to attract professionals into shortage areas.
  • Resource teachers and school staff with mandatory neuro-affirming inclusion training.
  • Strengthen integration across education, health, mental health, and disability services, avoiding siloed systems.
  • Align the Thriving Kids Initiative with existing frameworks such as the National Autism Strategy, National Carer Strategy, Australia’s Disability Strategy, and the UNCRPD.
  • Draw on Autism CRC’s best practice guidelines and international models of inclusive education and developmental support.
  • Establish a robust evaluation framework with measurable outcomes for children and carers, including independent oversight.
  • Assess policy impacts on carers’ wellbeing, workforce participation, financial security, and future planning, with outcomes reported publicly.

Carers Tasmania’s Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative 21

  • Uphold obligations under the Carer Recognition Act 2010, ensuring carers are recognised and referred to supports through all Thriving Kids touchpoints.
  • Guarantee access and fund appropriate forms of respite and peer support for carers, regardless of their child’s NDIS eligibility.

6. Conclusion

Carers Tasmania thanks the Australian Government for the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed Thriving Kids Initiative. We acknowledge the intent to improve outcomes for Autistic children and those with developmental delay, and the need to ensure the sustainability of the NDIS. However, the current approach raises significant risks of confusion, inequity, and harm for children, families, and carers if not designed and implemented with care, transparency, and in alignment with existing legislative and human rights frameworks.

Autism and permanent developmental delay are lifelong conditions. Any program that seeks to support children and families must acknowledge this and ensure that support is continuous, neuro-affirming, and accessible throughout a person’s life. Thriving Kids should complement, not replace, the National Disability Insurance Scheme or other foundational supports.

Carers are central to the success of the Thriving Kids Initiative. They provide essential care, advocacy, and support, often at great personal cost to their health, wellbeing, financial security, and social participation. Government and service systems have a duty to recognise carers, reduce barriers, and ensure that any reforms improve rather than intensify the challenges they face.

We urge the Standing Committee to ensure that the Thriving Kids Initiative is co-designed with Autistic people, people with developmental delay, and their carers, and that it is delivered through a trauma-informed, collaborative, and sustainable approach.

Carers Tasmania’s Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative 22