NDIA Accountability Project

Submission 245 — Lifestart Disability Services — Inquiry into the Thriving Kids initiative

‹ PrevPage 1 of 31 · Source p. 1Next ›

No machine-readable text was extracted from this page.

Contents

Executive Summary

Lifestart Disability Services (Lifestart) welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the House Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability’s (Standing Committee) Inquiry into the Thriving Kids initiative. Drawing on nearly 30 years of experience supporting children with disability, developmental delay and developmental concerns, Lifestart offers insights into how supports can be strengthened to ensure all children have the opportunity to thrive.

Our submission outlines a vision for a three-tiered system of support: mainstream (all children’s services are inclusive), foundational (including general and targeted supports), and specialist (or NDIS-funded supports), that is inclusive, responsive, and community-based.

To maximise the capacity of Thriving Kids, it is vital that the program creates greater certainty around long-term funding to support service continuity for the children and their families and to enable service providers to retain their skilled and experienced workforce.

Thriving Kids must build on existing infrastructure and ensure services are accessible, equitable, inclusive, culturally-safe, connected and based on best practice.

Community-based providers have comprehensive experience in delivering best practice evidence-based supports, established relationships in local communities, and a commitment to capacity building and inclusion. They must be actively involved in design and delivery of the Thriving Kids program.

Early identification of developmental concerns or delay is critical to ensuring children receive timely and effective support. Earlier intervention has consistently led to better outcomes for children across developmental domains. To ensure equitable and timely identification of concerns, principles of accessibility, no wrong door, being parent-led and community-based should be embedded in early identification strategies.

It is vital that support for parents who have identified developmental concerns is aligned with the principles outlined in the revised national best practice framework for early childhood intervention. Doing so would ensure that families receive high-quality, inclusive, and culturally safe support that reflects best practice and promotes optimal developmental outcomes for children.

Learnings should be drawn from the historical context of funding and service delivery in early childhood supports. We have included below examples of previous programs and initiatives and their strengths and limitations. It is essential to refine future models of care and clearly communicate them to families, ensuring they are well-informed and empowered to make decisions that best support their needs.

Governments and organisations must prioritise culturally safe and responsive practice to effectively support First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) families, including having a diverse and representative workforce. For Thriving Kids to be culturally safe and effective, organisations should utilise appropriate screening tools. Moreover, to effectively address inequities, programs must enable self-determination and invest in Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs), best placed to support First Nations communities and families.

Thriving Kids will need to be delivered in partnership with community-based organisations that can provide targeted, culturally safe, and developmentally appropriate supports, leveraging the value of their connectivity and existing collaborations with mainstream service providers.

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 1

To ensure consistency and quality across each tier of support, further investment is needed in workforce development, training and support, with streamlined communication and coordination between the services that deliver each tier of support.

Each tier of the system must be equipped with adequate capacity and capability to deliver safe, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate supports. Currently, the service ecosystem remains fragmented, with limited coordination between sectors such as health, education, justice, and disability. This fragmentation contributes to inconsistent service pathways and missed opportunities for early intervention.

Best practice principles must continue to guide practitioners and service providers in delivering supports that are respectful, empowering, and tailored to the unique needs of each child and family. It is also important to learn from international best practice, while contextualising this with stakeholder input for the Australian disability ecosystem.

Thriving Kids presents a welcome and critical opportunity to reshape early childhood supports in Australia. By building on existing infrastructure, investing in community-based organisations, and embedding inclusive, evidence-informed practices, we can create a system where every child has a genuine opportunity to thrive.

Community-based providers like Lifestart are well-positioned to deliver across all tiers of support, with a proven track record in early intervention, capacity building, and inclusive practice.

Our Recommendations to the Standing Committee

Evidence-based resources to assist parents in identifying developmental delay (Page 12)

  1. Provide accessible, evidence-based tools and clear pathways to early intervention.
  2. Ensure support for parents following identification is timely, accessible, and aligned with national best practice principles.
  3. Focus supports on capacity building for parents, carers, and significant people in the child’s life.
  4. Use key worker models to deliver general and targeted foundational supports.
  5. Build on the expertise of existing community partners like NDIS Partners in the Community.

Effectiveness of current and previous programs (Page 17)

  1. Integrate and strengthen proven models by combining strengths of past and current early childhood intervention approaches.
  2. Ensure seamless access through a “no wrong door” approach, enabling mainstream services to link families directly to Thriving Kids providers.
  3. Expand and diversify the provider base to ensure timely access to general and targeted foundational supports.
  4. Promote equity by partnering with providers with strong relationships in regional, remote, CALD, and First Nations communities.
  5. Foster cross-sector collaboration between Thriving Kids providers and government agencies.

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 2

  1. Ensure providers focus on effective service delivery, acknowledging some may provide a role in assessing NDIS eligibility.
  2. Where needed, recognise and allow dual pathways for children to access both Thriving Kids and NDIS supports.

Equity and intersectional issues (Page 20)

All organisations involved in the delivery of the Thriving Kids initiative should:

  1. Adopt a First Nations-led approach to shared responsibility to closing the gap, and embedding First Nations needs and perspectives within the service and community engagement model.
  2. Embed diversity and inclusion within their service provision model.
  3. Engage directly with peak bodies and community groups representing priority populations.

Governments have key responsibilities to:

  1. Ensure timely and sufficient access to translation and interpreting services, and support these services in building capability where needed.
  2. Expand culturally safe service models such as First Nations-led playgroups and community-based allied health services.
  3. Strengthen partnerships between service providers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, CALD groups, and local sectors.
  4. Invest in recruitment and training to build a representative workforce.
  5. Monitor and publicly report on equity outcomes for priority groups.

Workforce support and training (Page 23)

The success of Thriving Kids will depend on key workforce enablers, including to:

  1. Establish clear eligibility criteria and a unified quality assurance framework for all professionals delivering Thriving Kids supports.
  2. Formally adopt the social model of disability and provide training in inclusive, rights-based practices.
  3. Strengthen strategic collaboration across health, education, and disability sectors.
  4. Create clear referral pathways to connect families with appropriate supports.
  5. Address workforce shortages through targeted strategies including university enrolments and student placements.
  6. Provide sustainable and flexible funding to recruit, train, and retain a skilled workforce.
  7. Strengthen the health sector’s understanding of best practice in early childhood intervention, including the effectiveness of key worker models and parent capacity building.

Domestic and international policy and best practice (Page 26)

  1. Embed human rights principles into policy and practice.
  2. Support implementation of the forthcoming National Best Practice Framework for Early Childhood Intervention.
  3. Promote consistent adoption of best practice guidelines and monitor their implementation.
  4. Require service providers to align with best practice principles in early childhood intervention.

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 3

Seamless transitions through mainstream systems (Page 28)

  1. Coordinate services across sectors and facilitate navigation with consistent information sharing and communities of practice.
  2. Enable and support systems for families to access and provide documentation and information, recognising families as primary and active partners in their child’s care.
  3. Enable access to support under the Thriving Kids initiative without requiring diagnoses or specialist referral.
  4. Build capacity in mainstream services through workforce training to embed inclusive and neurodiversity-affirming practices across all services.
  5. Leverage and build on the current expertise and organisational infrastructure within the sector to strengthen and expand community and family capacity.
  6. Commit to continuous improvement through monitoring and evaluation.

Lifestart would be pleased to provide further input to the Standing Committee’s Inquiry if that is helpful. Please contact Vanessa Douglas by telephone on 1800 953 390 or email: info@lifestart.org.au.

Introduction

Lifestart Disability Services is a for-purpose organisation founded in 1996 by a group of families seeking coordinated and holistic supports for their children. For nearly three decades, we have grown by working alongside children and young people with disability and developmental delay, and their families, to help them live their best lives. Our purpose is to empower children and young people with disability and developmental concerns to reach their full potential, by partnering with their families, grounded in the belief that all children have the right to full inclusion in their communities.

Today, Lifestart operates from eight locations across Greater Sydney and beyond, delivering services both in-person and via telehealth across Australia. Each year, we support more than 13,000 children and young people, between 0 and 25 years of age, and their families. We are the NDIS Partner in the Community (PiTC) for five regions across Sydney, South-East Sydney, the Central Coast, Nepean Blue Mountains and Illawarra Shoalhaven, a population catchment area of 2.6 million people.1 In addition to our PiTC role, we provide individual and group therapy as well as inclusion and behaviour support services across metropolitan Sydney and nationally via telehealth. Our telehealth service offering to children and families in regional and rural areas partners with local early intervention services to bridge gaps in regional access due to allied health workforce shortages.

Alongside our individual supports, Lifestart also has extensive experience in providing group supports and capacity building for parents and mainstream services (such as schools).

  • We offer a range of parent training and group skill building programs in areas such as toilet training, early communication and alternative communication, positive behaviour support, support for life transitions, emotional regulation and

1 Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Data by Region, https://dbr.abs.gov.au/, access date 19 September 2025

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 4

social connections, fitness (including gym and dance programs), kids sensory music playtime, life skills and self-advocacy. In the past seven years we have had more than 1000 children, young people and/or their families attend one of these group programs.

  • We partner with numerous mainstream playgroups and Early Childhood Education and Care Centres (ECEC) services, including long daycare centres, preschools and family day care, to support them to offer accessible and inclusive environments to all children.
  • We partner with numerous schools, including mainstream primary and high schools, support units and schools for specific purposes within the State, Catholic and Independent School systems. We strive to deliver services within schools using a whole school approach embedding universal strategies into classrooms and building the capacity of teachers and staff to support all children.
  • We are an approved member of the Specialist Allied Health Provider Scheme supporting NSW Department of Education schools.
  • We partner with and build the capacity of community organisations – including sporting associations, aquatic centres, music and performing arts centres, universities and local councils – to offer more inclusive and accessible programs.
  • We are involved in initiatives to provide integrated care to children and families partnering with primary health care, social and education systems to support vulnerable families.2
  • We have previously run supported playgroups in eight locations across Sydney supporting children under 5 years, providing early diagnosis support, capacity building and connecting parents with peers.

After receiving support from Lifestart, 86% of our families report an increase in skills and 71% of our families report an increase in confidence.

Over the past 30 years, we have consistently delivered high-quality services by tapping into a range of funding sources, including federal, state and local government grants, as well as philanthropic contributions. Our service offerings have continually adapted and evolved to reflect emerging research, evidence-based best practice, and the changing landscape of disability service models and funding frameworks.

The ever-changing nature of funding for group supports and capacity building programs has had a profound impact on the individuals and families we support, with valued services being withdrawn, often without any comparable alternatives available. One such example is our SpeakUp program, an online initiative designed to build self-advocacy and confidence in children aged 7-16 years, particularly in relation to school participation. Originally funded through an Information Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) grant from October 2020 until June 2024, SpeakUp reached 266 children and young people with disability across NSW, Queensland, Victoria and the ACT, including 70 children who were not eligible for individual NDIS funding.

The program delivered strong outcomes, with 93% of participants reporting increased confidence at school and greater engagement in their communities. One parent shared:

“I hope this program receives more funding! As we are not able to meet the criteria for NDIS, affordable targeted interventions are almost non-existent. Sadly, service costs are outrageous for non-NDIS participants and completely not accessible. We were very grateful for this service.”

2 WentWest Kids Early Years Network, About the KEYS Network, https://wskeys.com.au/about-the-keys/, Access date 26 September 2025

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 5

Despite its success, the program was discontinued when funding ended.

These disruptions have also created significant challenges for organisations like ours. In response to funding shortfalls and uncertainty around future allocations, we have been forced to redeploy staff and, regrettably, make some positions redundant.

To maximise the capacity of Thriving Kids it is vital that the program creates greater certainty around long-term funding to support service continuity for the children and their families and to enable services providers to retain their skilled and experienced workforce.

Context for Thriving Kids Initiative

Australia’s current disability support ecosystem is complex, encompassing a range of government departments, services, providers, and funding mechanisms. At its core is the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) which has transformed how supports are accessed and delivered nationally through federal funding. Alongside the NDIS are local and state services including community organisations, health and education systems, child protection, early childhood services and informal supports all contributing to the wellbeing of children and young people with disability, developmental delay and developmental concerns. While the NDIS has transformed the lives of many people with disability, other programs and funding sources have been pared back or ceased as a result of NDIS funding.

The NDIS Review, published in December 2023, recommended the development of foundational supports for children, located in mainstream and community settings and delivered in everyday settings such as homes, schools and communities.3 The National Cabinet agreed that the Federal Government and State and Territory Governments would jointly fund and design these services.4

In January 2024, the relevant Ministers (Hon Amanda Rishworth MP and Hon Bill Shorten MP) announced the Foundational Supports Strategy to establish and strengthen supports outside the NDIS, including the design of a system of best practice early childhood supports.5 Initial consultations began, facilitated by the Australian Government Department of Social Services, with the release of the Foundational Supports for children with developmental concern, delay and or disability and their families, carers and kin: Consultation Paper in October 2024.6

More recently, The Hon Mark Butler SP announced the Thriving Kids program, which will provide a national system of support for parents and children aged 0-9 years with developmental delay and mild to moderate support needs, outside of the NDIS.7

3 National Disability Insurance Scheme Review Secretariat, NDIS Review, https://www.ndisreview.gov.au/news/improving-approach-early-childhood, Access date 26 September 2025

4 Prime Minister and Cabinet, Meeting of National Cabinet – the Federation working for Australia, https://www.pm.gov.au/media/meeting-national-cabinet-federation-working-australia, Access date 26 September 2025

5 Department of Social Services, Building a strong ecosystem of disability supports, https://ministers.dss.gov.au/media-releases/13711, Access date 26 September 2025

6 Department of Social Services, Foundational Supports Consultation Paper, https://engage.dss.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Foundational-Supports-Consultation-Paper.pdf, Access date 26 September 2025

7 Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, Thriving Kids, https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-08/thriving-kids-fact-sheet.pdf, Access date 26 September 2025

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 6

Vision for Foundational Supports

The NDIS Review Report outlined a vision for children with developmental delay and disability to access support under three tiers based on need. Lifestart envisions this support will be delivered by improving and linking existing systems and creating earlier, easier access to practical help, embedded in local communities and informed by evidence-based, family-centred practice.

It is essential that the Thriving Kids program builds on existing infrastructure and ensures services are accessible, equitable, inclusive, culturally-safe, connected and based on best practice.

The diagram above illustrates Lifestart’s vision for Foundational Supports alongside mainstream and specialist supports.

Base tier: Mainstream Supports

We believe that accessible and inclusive services should be available for all children, with clear pathways to support and information for parents. This includes equipping mainstream services, such as GPs, child and family health services, playgroups, community groups, early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings, and schools, with the skills, knowledge and confidence to identify developmental concerns early and to support inclusion. These services should be supported to implement inclusive practices and refer families to foundational supports as needed.

To achieve this, investment is needed in training, tools, and partnerships that enable better developmental screening in settings like maternal and child health centres, preschools, and kindergartens. Community organisations should also be supported to become more inclusive and accessible, ensuring that all families can engage meaningfully with mainstream supports.8

8 The National Disability Insurance Scheme Review Secretariat, NDIS Review, https://www.ndisreview.gov.au/resources/fact-sheet/new-connected-system-support-and-new-early-intervention-ndis-pathway, Access date 26 September 2025

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 7

Middle tier: Thriving Kids (Foundational Supports for children aged 0-9 years)

We believe that foundational supports should encompass general and targeted supports outside the NDIS in addition to services offered by mainstream systems such as education and health.9,10

General Foundational Supports — Supports for all children with developmental concerns, delay and/or disability. Supports for parents and families, including timely information and advice, peer and community connection, and supports to help them build their confidence, knowledge and skills in supporting their child.

Targeted Foundational Supports — Designed for children who need more assistance than what is available through mainstream services and general foundational supports, but whose needs can still be met outside the NDIS. These supports focus on helping parents and carers understand their child’s specific developmental needs and provide tailored early intervention to address areas of delay. Ideally, they are delivered using a key worker approach, where an Allied Health or Education professional acts as the lead practitioner. Working in everyday settings, the key worker builds the family’s capacity to support their child, coordinates services, and delivers responsive, goal-oriented support. Key workers also provide emotional guidance, practical strategies, and help families develop advocacy skills and navigate systems to ensure their child’s needs are met holistically.11

Top tier: Specialised Supports (NDIS)

We believe there is an enduring need for individualised early intervention supports for children with permanent and significant disability, delivered through the NDIS. These supports should be accessed through clear, prioritised referral pathways, with timely assessments to determine eligibility. Seamless information sharing and warm referrals from foundational and mainstream systems are essential to ensure continuity of care and avoid duplication.

Navigators will play a central role in the new connected system of support, helping all people with disability, including those not eligible for the NDIS, find and access the right supports at the right time. Positioned across mainstream services, foundational supports, and the NDIS, navigators will provide tailored guidance, connect families to local services, and support coordination of care. Different types of navigators will be available, including general navigators, specialist navigators for people with complex needs, and lead practitioners for children and families.12 Their role is to ensure no one falls through the cracks by bridging service systems and supporting early, inclusive, and community-based responses. Navigation supports should also be provided digitally, which are more scalable, streamlined and accessible for families and people with a disability or developmental concern.

9 Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, Foundational supports for people with disability, https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/foundational-supports-for-people-with-disability#:~:text=Foundational%20Supports%20are%20specific%20supports,their%20families%2C%20carers%20and%20kin., Access date 26 September 2025

10 Commonwealth of Australia, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Working together to deliver the NDIS - Independent Review into the National Disability Insurance Scheme: Final Report, 2023, https://www.ndisreview.gov.au/sites/default/files/resource/download/working-together-ndis-review-final-report.pdf

11 Noah’s Ark, What does it mean to be a key worker? https://noahsarkinc.org.au/professional/blog/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-key-worker, Access date 27 September 2025

12 NDIS Review, Finding your way around with help from a navigator, https://www.ndisreview.gov.au/resources/fact-sheet/finding-your-way-around-help-navigator, Access date 1 October 2025

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 8

Call to Action

It is vital that existing community-based providers, with comprehensive experience in delivering best practice evidence-based supports, established relationships in local communities, and a commitment to capacity building and inclusion, are actively involved in design and delivery of the Thriving Kids program.

Lifestart has responded to each component of the Terms of Reference below.

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

Importance of Early Identification

Early identification of developmental concerns or delay is critical to ensuring children receive timely and effective support. Research consistently shows that earlier intervention leads to better outcomes for children across developmental domains.13,14 To enable this, parents/carers, early childhood educators, teachers, GPs, and child and family health nurses must have access to accurate, up-to-date information and practical tools that support early identification and signpost parents or carers to available supports.

Parent-Led Tools and Resources

Parents are often the first to notice when their child may be experiencing developmental difficulties.15 It is essential that they are empowered with reliable resources about typical development and signs of delay. Parent-led identification tools, along with accessible support when concerns arise, must be integral components of the Thriving Kids framework. These resources should be designed to build parent confidence and ensure they are supported throughout the process of seeking help and accessing appropriate services.

There are existing tools and platforms that provide a well-established foundation of high-quality, evidence-informed resources for parents. These resources offer a valuable starting point that can be leveraged and expanded upon to meet emerging needs, rather than developing entirely new tools in isolation. The following examples illustrate current parent-led tools and resources that align with this approach.

  • My Personal Health Record:16 The Personal Health Record (the ‘Blue Book’ in NSW) provides a reference point for parents to record and find information about their child’s health, growth and development. It could serve as a central place to document developmental concerns, and to note who to contact for further support.

13 Whitehouse AJO, Varcin KJ, Pillar S, et al. Effect of Preemptive Intervention on Developmental Outcomes Among Infants Showing Early Signs of Autism: A Randomized Clinical Trial of Outcomes to Diagnosis. JAMA Pediatr. 2021;175(11):e213298. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.3298

14 Commonwealth of Australia (Department of Social Services) 2024, Australian Government, The Early Years Strategy 2024-2034, https://www.dss.gov.au/system/files/resources/early-years-strategy-2024-2034.pdf

15 Oberklaid, F., & Drever, K. (2011). Is my child normal? Milestones and red flags for referral. Australian Family Physician, 40(9), pp668–672. Reprinted in Royal Australian College of General Practitioners https://www.racgp.org.au/getattachment/cbd88cc8-4203-4205-a1e8-f1e8c6e6441c/Is-my-child-normal.aspx

16 NSW Health, My Personal Health Record, https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/kidsfamilies/MCFhealth/Pages/child-blue-book.aspx, Access date 26 September 2025

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 9

Complementing this, family-held profiles, developed and maintained by families, can help ensure consistent support across services by allowing parents to share relevant information with providers, reducing the need to retell their story.

  • Raising Children Network:17 A free, government-funded website offering independent, reliable, and up-to-date information on parenting, child development, and disability. Funded by the Department of Social Services, this resource should be actively promoted and accessible to all parents and carers.
  • Milestone Checklists: Resources such as the Red Flags Early Identification Guide (Birth to 5 years)18 provide practical guidance on typical milestones and developmental concerns. While further validation may be required to confirm the evidence base, tools like this should be integrated into trusted platforms such as the Raising Children Network or similar national resources.
  • Innovative Approaches to Developmental Screening: Free, research-informed approaches can be useful tools for parents, such as the ASDetect19 mobile application designed to support early identification of autism spectrum conditions. Developed using evidence-based methods, ASDetect has demonstrated an 83% accuracy rate through video-led assessments and parent questionnaires. It is a valuable tool for empowering parents in the early detection process.
  • Community-Based Provider and Partner in the Community (PiTC) Websites: Organisations such as Lifestart with experience in the NDIS Early Childhood Approach,20 have established service models and trusted relationships in the community, offering accessible information and support. Their websites should be recognised as credible local sources for families seeking guidance and early intervention pathways.

Professionally Administered Screening Tools

To support effective early identification of developmental concerns, we recommend the use of validated tools and resources. These tools are designed to be administered and interpreted by trained health or education professionals. Examples of recommended tools include:

  • Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) and ASQ-Trak:21,22 A widely used developmental screening tool that supports early identification across multiple domains of child development. The ASQ-TRAK is a developmental screening tool for observing and monitoring the developmental progress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
  • PEDS-R (Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status – Revised):23 An evidence-based screening tool available in over 30 languages. It supports parent-led identification and is licensed for distribution in Australia and New Zealand by the Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Community Child Health.

17 https://raisingchildren.net.au/

18 Children’s Health Queensland, Red Flags Early Identification Guide (Birth to 5 years), https://www.childrens.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/167093/red-flags.pdf, Access date 26 September 2025

19 https://asdetect.org/

20 NDIS, The early childhood approach for children younger than 9, https://www.ndis.gov.au/understanding/families-and-carers/early-childhood-approach-children-younger-9, Access date 1 October 2025

21 https://agesandstages.com/

22 Strong kids, Strong future, What is the ASQ-Trak, https://www.strongkidsstrongfuture.com.au/asqtrak/, Access date 1 October 2025

23 https://www.rch.org.au/ccch/peds/About_PEDS-R/

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 10

Moreover, other tools are under development that will support early identification of developmental delay or disability:

  • Early Moves Project:24 A research initiative exploring the link between infant movement patterns and later developmental outcomes. Early findings indicate over 90% accuracy in detecting motor issues such as cerebral palsy, highlighting its potential as a predictive tool for early intervention.

Principles for Equitable Access

To ensure equitable access and effective use of these tools, the following principles should be embedded in early identification strategies.

  • Accessibility: Resources must be available in multiple formats, including digital, print, easy-read versions, and in various languages, with support for interpretation where needed.
  • No Wrong Door: Families should be able to access support through any entry point, whether via health, education, early childhood education and care (ECEC), community services, or NDIS partners.
  • Parent-Led and Community-Based: Identification should not be contingent on access to a paediatrician or formal diagnosis. Parents, educators, and community professionals must be empowered to initiate support pathways.

Pathways to Support Following Identification

When a parent or carer identifies a developmental concern, it is essential that they can easily access guidance and support from a community or mainstream professional. This should occur through services that are commonly used by families, such as general practitioners, child and family health services, playgroups, early childhood educators, schools or community health hubs, without requiring a formal medical referral.

Given that families often rely on guidance from GPs and paediatricians, it is vital that these professionals are equipped with current best practice knowledge. Their recommendations should reflect contemporary family-centric approaches to early childhood intervention, such as the use of key worker models and parent capacity building, rather than defaulting to multiple discipline-specific therapies. This alignment will help ensure families are directed to supports that are both effective and sustainable.

Additionally, the proposed Navigator role within the NDIS Review presents a valuable opportunity to strengthen these pathways. Navigators, or equivalent community-based professionals, can assist families in exploring more comprehensive tools and resources, and guide them toward appropriate levels of support. This includes linking families to:

  • Mainstream supports
  • Thriving Kids General Supports,
  • Thriving Kids Targeted Supports, or
  • Specialist supports available through the NDIS.

24 Government of Western Australia Child and Adolescent Health Service, Early Moves, https://cahs.health.wa.gov.au/Research/Explore-our-research/Early-Moves. Access date 26 September 2025

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 11

The support offered would depend on the child’s needs. Ensuring timely, equitable access to these supports is critical to improve developmental outcomes and reduce long-term service reliance.25,26

Best Practice Frameworks in Early Childhood Intervention

Early childhood intervention in Australia is currently guided by the National Guidelines: Best Practice in Early Childhood Intervention (2016) developed by Early Childhood Intervention Australia (ECIA).27 These guidelines remain endorsed by the Department of Social Services (DSS) and are supported for use by the NDIA’s Early Childhood Partners.

A revised national best practice framework is currently in development, led by researchers from the University of Melbourne in partnership with a consortium of organisations including Professionals and Researchers in Early Childhood Intervention (PRECI), Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC), and Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA), among others. This work has been commissioned and funded by DSS as part of the Early Childhood Targeted Action Plan under Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031.28

The revised framework is informed by extensive literature reviews and national consultations with families, professionals, and community organisations. It aims to provide nationally consistent, evidence-based guidance for supporting children with developmental concerns, delay, or disability. The framework will be accompanied by practical tools and resources tailored for both professionals and families, including easy-read formats and translations.

It is vital that support for parents who have identified developmental concerns is aligned with the principles outlined in this national framework. Doing so ensures that families receive high-quality, inclusive, and culturally safe support that reflects best practice and promotes optimal developmental outcomes for children.

Recommendations

  1. To improve outcomes for children with developmental delay and mild to moderate support needs, it is essential that parents are supported with accessible, evidence-based tools and clear pathways to early intervention.
  2. Support for parents following identification of a developmental concern, delay or disability must be timely, accessible and aligned with the principles outlined in the national best practice framework.
  3. Supports should focus on capacity building of the parents, carers and significant people in the child’s life. They must be client- and family-centred, strengths-based and oriented towards functional outcomes.

25 Wise, S., da Silva, L., Webster, E., & Sanson, A., (2005) Australian Institute of Family Studies, The efficacy of childhood interventions, https://aifs.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/aifsreport14_0.pdf. Access date 27 September 2025

26 Commonwealth of Australia (Department of Social Services), Early Years Strategy 2024-2034, https://www.dss.gov.au/system/files/resources/early-years-strategy-2024-2034.pdf, Access date 27 September 2025

27 Early Childhood Intervention Australia (2016), National Guidelines: Best practice in early childhood intervention, https://www.dss.gov.au/system/files/documents/2024-11/ecia-national-guidelines-best-practice-early-childhood-intervention-2016.pdf, Access date 27 September 2025

28 Disability Gateway, Australia’s Disability Strategy hub, https://www.disabilitygateway.gov.au/ads, Access date 27 September 2025

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 12

  1. Allied Health and Education professionals, working within a key worker model, are well-positioned to deliver both general and targeted foundational supports under the Thriving Kids program.
  2. We recommend that Thriving Kids supports build on the expertise of existing community partners and service providers already operating under this model, such as NDIS Partners in the Community and other experienced organisations delivering evidence-based early supports.

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

Historical Context and Evolution of Disability Support Funding in NSW

Historically, support for children with disability in Australia was primarily provided through charitable organisations. Significant legislative milestones, namely the Commonwealth Disability Services Act 1986 and the Disability Services Act (1993) NSW, marked a shift toward government responsibility, establishing a formal commitment to uphold the rights and inclusion of people with disability.

In 2001, the NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care (DADHC) was established and introduced a new Disability Action Plan. Through this framework, government block funding, administered by DADHC (later known as Ageing, Disability and HomeCare, ADHC), enabled early childhood intervention services to deliver supports to children and their families.

The Stronger Together, A New Direction for Disability Services in NSW: 2006-2016 initiative further expanded funding, with approximately one third of resources managed directly by government agencies and the remaining two thirds allocated to non-government disability service providers, such as Lifestart.29

Evolution of Service Provision and Impact of Funding Changes

Over time, service delivery models have evolved in response to changes in funding structures and the needs of people with disability. Providers such as Lifestart have had to adapt their offerings, with some previously successful programs discontinued due to the absence of sustained government or philanthropic support.

29 NSW Government, Stronger Together and the birth of the NDIS, https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/nsw-treasury/about-us/nsw-treasury-bicentenary/walking-a-tightrope/moments/stronger-together-and-birth-of-ndis, Access date 27 September 2025

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 13

One such example is Lifestart’s supported playgroups, which operated across eight locations from 2000 to 2020. These playgroups provided vital early intervention and peer connection opportunities for families of children with developmental concerns, delay or disability, many of whom continue to reflect positively on the long-term benefits of that support. Despite their success and community impact, ongoing funding for the playgroups could not be secured under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) or other available funding streams. As a result, Lifestart had to make the difficult decision to cease the program until alternative funding avenues become available.

This example highlights the importance of flexible and sustainable funding models that can support community-based, preventative programs which fall outside the scope of current schemes.

Stronger Together funded Early Childhood Intervention Programs

In the non-government disability sector, early childhood intervention services utilised state government block funding, under the Stronger Together initiative, to provide supports to children with developmental delay and disability.

Lifestart was funded under this model from 2006 to 2016 to provide early childhood intervention supports including:

  • Supported playgroups staffed by allied health and education professionals
  • Peer support for parents/carers
  • Information and advice
  • Capacity building for significant people in the child’s life
  • Skill building for the child utilising a key worker approach
  • Disability and inclusion training and capacity building for mainstream and community services
  • Group programs
  • Transition to early childhood settings and school programs
  • Prescription of Assistive Technology funded through NSW Program of Appliances for Disabled People (PADP) or later EnableNSW
  • Wrap-around supports for the family such as siblings programs, and parent support.

This previous model demonstrated clear benefits that could be successfully reintroduced if implemented effectively. Key strengths of this model included:

  • A parent self-referral pathway, removing reliance on medical referral or formal diagnosis
  • Alignment with best practice evidence available at the time
  • Delivery of capacity-building and functional supports with meaningful outcomes
  • Opportunities for peer connection and support among parents and carers
  • Support for early diagnosis
  • Wraparound services for the whole family
  • A foundation in the social model of disability
  • Collaborative service delivery amongst providers that avoided duplication and ensured families could not ‘double dip’.

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 14

While the previous model offered several valuable features, it also faced significant limitations that impacted accessibility, inclusivity, and sustainability. These challenges included:

  • Long waitlists for services
  • Supports not consistently delivered in natural environments (e.g. centre-based rather than community-based)
  • Restricted funding to providers, resulting in capped service numbers
  • Minimal funding and long delays in accessing assistive technology
  • No access to core supports beyond limited respite and Home Care options
  • Eligibility cut-offs based on age rather than individual need
  • Lack of specialist supports outside of state-funded services
  • Extended wait times for government-run services (e.g. ADHC), especially outside of NGO-delivered programs
  • Absence of lifelong support pathways.

Helping Children with Autism and Better Start funding

In 2008, the Federal Government launched the Helping Children with Autism (HCWA) program, which provided individualised funding for children diagnosed with autism before the age of six years. Eligible families were given access to $12,000 over two years to access early intervention services from a range of providers.30 The program also included Medicare rebates for diagnosis, allied health consultations and access to autism-specific playgroups.

This was followed in 2011 by the Better Start for Children with Disability initiative, which extended individualised funding to children with a broader range of disabilities. Like HCWA, Better Start supported access to intensive early intervention therapies and included Medicare items for diagnosis, allied health services, and the development of management plans.31

These programs introduced several important benefits. Individualised funding enabled children to receive tailored supports based on their specific needs, while families gained greater choice and control over the services they accessed. The initiatives also prioritised timely access to diagnosis, and early intervention, helping to reduce delays in support.

However, these reforms also brought limitations. The shift away from coordinated, state-funded models reduced support for providers who had been delivering best practice, evidence-based care. In many cases, families began to favour direct therapy with children over approaches focused on building parent capacity or using transdisciplinary approaches, despite strong evidence supporting the latter. Approaches embedded in a medical model of care can constrain service providers from delivering best practice early intervention, particularly when families, empowered by individualised funding, choose services that do not align with evidence-based principles due to limited understanding or awareness.32

30 Parliament of NSW, Autism Spectrum Disorder Research Paper, 2013, https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/research-papers/Pages/autism-spectrum-disorder.aspx#:~:text=In%202008%2C%20the%20Federal%20Government,one%20in%20South%2DWest%20Sydney., Access date 1 October 2025

31 The Department of Health and Aged Care, 2012, Frequently asked questions — Better Start for Children with Disability, https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/children-disability-faq#:~:text=and%20Further%20Information-,Part%201%20%E2%80%93%20General%20Information,syndrome%20and%20Fragile%20X%20syndrome., Access date 1 October 2025

32 Gividia-Payne, S., Rossell, R., Bull, K., & Forster, J. (2024). The changing narrative of early childhood intervention in Australia: Service providers’ perspectives on the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Children and Youth Services Review, 157, Article 107375 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107375, Access date 25 September 2025

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 15

Start Strong Pathways Program (2018 to present)

The Start Strong Pathways Program, funded by the NSW Department of Education, is a good example of a targeted initiative delivering meaningful outcomes for children with medical complexities, developmental delay and disability. Designed to support children aged 0 to 3 years, the program encourages early engagement with and smooth transition into early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings.

Lifestart is currently funded to deliver the Start Strong Pathways program throughout the Sydney metropolitan area and has successfully delivered supports to over 800 children since 2018.

Key strengths of the program include:

  • Evidence-informed best practice approaches that promote developmental outcomes
  • A capacity-building focus, supporting both children and their families
  • Family-centred delivery, ensuring supports are responsive to individual needs
  • A strong emphasis on upskilling mainstream ECEC services, fostering inclusive environments and sustainable change
  • Strong links to priority groups with referrals to Lifestart currently sitting at:
    • 12.5% of referrals are for children who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
    • 50% of referrals are for children from CALD backgrounds
    • 53% of referrals are for children from families from a low socio-economic background.

Start Strong Pathways has delivered positive outcomes with 80% of families reporting that they ‘strongly agreed’ that they felt more confident in supporting their child to learn new things, had more knowledge and understanding of services available and felt more confident in preparing their child for transition to childcare and school.

However, the program also has limitations that constrain its broader impact:

  • The scope is limited to ECEC inclusion, without extending into broader community, education or health settings
  • Being state-funded, it may lack integration with federal or cross-sector initiatives
  • Supports are time-limited, ending after the child transitions into ECEC
  • The program has a small footprint, limiting reach and intensity of support for families with higher or ongoing needs

Current NDIS Model of Supports through NDIS Plans and Partners in the Community (PiTC)

As a current contracted Partner in the Community, we are not in a position to publicly comment on the effectiveness of the existing program. However, we recommend that the Standing Committee engage with the NDIA to review the strengths and challenges of the current model, and consider insights from published literature evaluating its implementation.33

33 Gividia-Payne, S., Rossell, R., Bull, K., & Forster, J. (2024). The changing narrative of early childhood intervention in Australia: Service providers’ perspectives on the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Children and Youth Services Review, 157, Article 107375 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107375, Access date 25 September 2025

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 16

Given the historical context, it is essential to refine future models of care and clearly communicate them to families. This ensures that families are well-informed and empowered to make decisions that best support their needs and are embedded in best practice.

Recommendations

  1. Integrate and refine proven models combining the strengths of previous and current early childhood intervention models by building on what’s working, such as accessible services, local collaboration and strong networks of support. This includes leveraging service providers with demonstrated experience in delivering inclusive, community-based approaches.
  2. Ensure seamless access through a ‘no wrong door’ approach ensuring parents and mainstream services, including GPs, child and maternal health, community health, community organisations, playgroups, ECEC, and schools, are able to link families directly to a Thriving Kids provider. Mainstream services should continue to support the child and family while they access Thriving Kids supports. In turn, early childhood intervention providers can offer capacity building and disability inclusion training to mainstream staff, fostering reciprocal partnerships.
  3. Expand and diversify provider base to ensure timely access by funding multiple services providers to deliver both general and targeted foundational supports. Thriving Kids providers should offer a full range of supports for children and families, including information and advice, navigation, capacity building, group programs, peer connection, supported playgroups, individual supports through a key worker model, and assistance with aids and equipment.
  4. Promote equity across geographical, cultural and socio-economic groups by partnering with providers who have established relationships in regional and remote areas, and with CALD and First Nation communities.
  5. Foster cross-sector collaboration by strengthening partnerships between Thriving Kids providers and government agencies across health, education, disability, and community sectors.
  6. Ensure providers focus on effective service delivery, acknowledging some may provide a role in assessing NDIS eligibility.
  7. Where needed, recognise and allow dual pathways that enable children with disability diagnoses to access both Thriving Kids and specialist supports through the NDIS, as needed.

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

Access to early childhood intervention services is not experienced equally across all communities. First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) families and those living in regional, rural and remote communities, continue to face systemic and structural barriers that limit their ability to engage with supports in a timely and meaningful way. Equity and intersectionality must be central to any approach aimed at improving child development, especially for children who identify as First Nations and

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 17

those from CALD. Everyone has a role to play in closing the gap, fostering trust, and reducing stigma between communities and government.

First Nations children face a range of systemic inequities stemming from the enduring impacts of colonisation, intergenerational trauma, and exclusion from culturally safe services. Key challenges include:

  • Limited access to culturally responsive services, especially in rural and remote areas.
  • Barriers to early identification and support, often driven by mistrust of mainstream systems, cultural misunderstanding, and the absence of culturally appropriate screening tools.34
  • Under-representation in universal services alongside over-representation in child protection and specialist systems.35
  • A shortage of First Nations-led services that are grounded in community strengths, values, and ways of knowing.

Children from CALD backgrounds often encounter multiple, intersecting barriers that affect access to and experience of developmental supports. These challenges include:

  • Language barriers and limited access to interpreting services, which can hinder effective communication and erode trust.
  • Cultural stigma or differing understandings of developmental delay and disability, which may lead to delays in seeking supports.
  • Experiences of discrimination and exclusion within mainstream services, resulting in lower engagement and poorer outcomes.
  • A lack of culturally appropriate resources, workforce diversity, and cultural competence training across services.

CALD families frequently navigate complex systems without sufficient support, increasing the risk of delayed access to early intervention. Addressing these inequities requires investment in multicultural services, bicultural workers, and inclusive practices that respect diverse cultural parenting norms and communication styles.

Children may also face multiple, compounding forms of disadvantage, for example, a First Nations child with a disability in out-of-home care, or a newly arrived immigrant child experiencing housing insecurity. Effective responses must recognise these overlapping identities and vulnerabilities, moving beyond one-size-fits-all approaches.

Inclusive practice must also extend to other marginalised communities, including LGBTQIA+ children and families. While data on LGBTQIA+ children in early childhood settings is limited, it is essential that services foster environments where diverse identities are respected and affirmed. This includes ensuring staff are trained in inclusive language and practice, and that organisational policies explicitly support LGBTQIA+ inclusion. Recognising the intersectionality between cultural identity, disability, and gender or sexual diversity is key to delivering truly equitable early childhood intervention.

34 SNAICC: National Voice for our Children, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Early Childhood Strategy Consultation Report, https://www.snaicc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/211207_9_National-Early-Childhood-Strategy-Report.pdf Access date 27 September 2025

35 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Closing the Gap targets: key findings and implications (2025), https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/indigenous-australians/closing-the-gap-targets-key-findings-implications/contents/children-thriving, Access date 27 September 2025

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 18

Many organisations, such as Lifestart demonstrate a strong commitment to equity and inclusion. Currently, 13% of children accessing Lifestart services identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, while 21% come from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Additionally, 6% of families require interpreters to access supports, highlighting the importance of culturally responsive and accessible service delivery.

Governments and organisations must prioritise culturally safe and responsive practice to effectively support First Nations and CALD families. Lifestart is actively addressing this need by offering families the option to be matched with early childhood coordinators who share their cultural or linguistic background.

To support clear communication and goal-setting, Lifestart regularly engages TIS National, Auslan interpreters and local multi-cultural services to provide translation during meetings. These community-based services often have established, trusted relationships, and their involvement helps ensure Lifestart remains accessible and welcoming to diverse communities.

As a result of these initiatives, Lifestart has seen an increased demand for First Nations and CALD staff members and is now exploring targeted recruitment strategies in line with Human Rights Commission guidelines.

To uphold the integrity of practice, organisations should embed First Nation needs and perspectives within their service and be actively encouraged to implement a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which supports efforts to close the gap and ensure a First Nations-locked approach to providers’ everyday practice.

It is imperative that organisations and services prioritise having a diverse and representative workforce. Currently, Lifestart’s workforce reflects the diversity of the communities it serves, with 3% of staff identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, 28% as CALD, 4% as LGBTQIA+, 15% as being a carer (of a person with a disability), and 17% as having a disability or neurodivergence. Among service delivery staff, 23 languages are spoken, including Auslan, enhancing the organisation’s capacity to deliver culturally and linguistically responsive services.

Lifestart continues to demonstrate its role as an ally to Aboriginal communities through meaningful initiatives that foster cultural connection and inclusion. These include offering cultural days for staff to connect with community and celebrate significant events, as well as providing alternative public holiday options in response to January 26th. Such actions support staff in maintaining cultural connections and being active members of their communities, while also reinforcing Lifestart’s commitment to relationship-building with First Nations people.

Lifestart is well-positioned to deliver the Thriving Kids initiative, drawing on its proven experience and strong partnerships with Aboriginal organisations. These collaborations have enabled the delivery of culturally safe playgroups and short-term allied health interventions for children who are not eligible for, or not accessing, the NDIS. Delivered in community settings, these supports help bridge service gaps and build trust with families.

For Thriving Kids to be culturally safe and effective, organisations should utilise appropriate screening tools. For example, Lifestart is currently using the ASQ-Trak. The ASQ-Trak is a culturally safe screener which can guide conversations with First Nations families around developmental milestones. This tool uses visuals, flipcharts, and simple

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 19

language, which is more accessible for families, and ensures they are supported to clearly identify where their child may need support.

Lifestart further strengthens its inclusive practice through collaborative work with partners such as the Department of Education and the First Nations committee, Gudjagang Gulgul. These partnerships aim to improve cross-sector coordination and embed evidence-based approaches in early childhood education and care (ECEC), helping to address systemic inequities and ensure all children have access to high-quality, culturally affirming early intervention.

To effectively address inequities, programs must prioritise cultural safety, self-determination, and investment in Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs), which are best placed to support First Nations communities and families. Strong partnerships between local networks, community organisations, and ACCOs are essential to overcoming intergenerational barriers and fostering trust.

Recommendations

All organisations involved in the delivery of the Thriving Kids initiative should:

  1. Adopt a First Nations-led approach to shared responsibility to closing the gap, recognising that all organisations play a role in reducing vulnerability and embedding First Nations needs and perspectives within service and community engagement model.
  2. Embed diversity and inclusion for minority and marginalised communities, including LGBTQIA+, within their service provision model.
  3. Engage directly with peak bodies and community groups representing priority populations when designing and delivering early childhood intervention services.

Governments have key responsibilities to:

  1. Ensure timely and sufficient access to translation and interpreting services to enable meaningful engagement with culturally and linguistically diverse families, and support these services in building capability where needed.
  2. Expand culturally safe service models such as First Nations-led playgroups and community-based allied health services, to build trust and engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families.
  3. Strengthen partnerships between service providers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, CALD community groups, and local health and education sectors to co-design and deliver inclusive early supports.
  4. Invest in recruitment, training and career pathways to build a representative workforce that includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, CALD and neurodivergent staff, reflecting the communities served.
  5. Monitor and publicly report on equity outcomes for priority groups to identify gaps, measure progress and inform continuous improvement.

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

The successful implementation of the Thriving Kids initiative will rely heavily on a well-supported, well-trained, and appropriately coordinated workforce. This workforce must

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 20

be grounded in evidence-based early childhood intervention practices, culturally safe approaches, and a commitment to equity and inclusion.

Mainstream services such as GPs, child and family services, early childhood education and care (ECEC) providers, and schools play a critical role in identifying and referring children, as well as continuing to provide accessible and inclusive services to all children and families, however they often lack the capacity, training, and specialised knowledge required to deliver early childhood intervention independently. Thriving Kids will need to be delivered in partnership with community-based organisations that provide targeted, culturally safe, and developmentally appropriate supports, leveraging the value of greater connection and collaboration with mainstream service providers.

To ensure consistency and quality across the initiative, further investment is needed in workforce development, training, and support. It is also vital that there is streamlined communication and coordination between services delivering each tier of support.

Workforce Gaps and Concerns

While there is strong potential to leverage existing workforce capabilities, several critical gaps must be addressed to ensure Thriving Kids is delivered safely, equitably, and effectively.

A key concern is the inconsistency between registered and unregistered providers. Registered providers are required to adhere to the NDIS Practice Standards and are subject to oversight by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. In contrast, unregistered providers are not held to the same standards, creating variability in service quality and safety. For Thriving Kids to be a trusted and effective initiative, clear guidelines around workforce registration and external quality assurance are essential. All providers delivering services under Thriving Kids should be subject to a unified quality framework, regardless of their professional background, whether in allied health, education, or disability services.

Another significant challenge is the national shortage of allied health professionals, which is placing pressure on both public and private sectors. This shortage limits the capacity of services to deliver timely, evidence-based supports and highlights the urgent need for investment in training and workforce development. Professionals must be equipped not only with clinical skills but also with the ability to work in transdisciplinary teams, apply key worker models, and deliver supports grounded in social and human rights-based approaches.

While medical care for individuals with developmental concerns, developmental delay or disability is important, Thriving Kids must be delivered through a social model of disability – one that recognises the environmental and systemic factors shaping children’s development and access to support. This shift is essential to move beyond the medical model and ensure holistic, inclusive service delivery.

Parents are often guided by the advice of GPs and paediatricians, who are typically their first point of contact. It is essential that these professionals apply the principles of best practice in early childhood intervention. Currently, it is not uncommon for families to be referred to multiple discipline-specific therapies, such as occupational therapy, speech pathology, physiotherapy, and behaviour support, based on medical advice, despite strong evidence supporting key worker models and parent capacity building. Strengthening the knowledge and practice of medical professionals is critical

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 21

to ensuring families receive consistent, evidence-informed guidance that aligns with the social model of disability.

Each tier of the system must be equipped with adequate capacity and capability to deliver safe, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate supports. Currently, the service system remains fragmented, with limited coordination between sectors such as health, education, justice, and disability. This fragmentation contributes to inconsistent service pathways and missed opportunities for early intervention.

Community organisations such as Lifestart, and other Partners in the Community, are well-positioned to deliver Thriving Kids. Lifestart’s generalist model ensures that frontline staff provide a full range of supports, including early intervention, key worker functions, and family-centred planning, rather than siloed services. This model:

  • Aligns with best practice principles in early childhood intervention
  • Provides families with a single, consistent point of contact
  • Enables responsiveness to system changes, such as NDIA reforms.

However, a careful assessment is needed to determine which providers and professionals are best placed to deliver on the aims of Thriving Kids. This includes understanding what has worked previously, identifying current gaps in capacity and funding, and ensuring that all providers are equipped to deliver integrated, culturally safe, and family-centred supports.

Our Workforce

Lifestart comprises a highly skilled and diverse group of professionals including:

  • Allied Health including Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Psychology, and Social Work (47%)
  • Education / Teaching (48%)
  • Other professionals, such as Counsellors (5%).

Most staff have worked within early childhood intervention services for many years and possess in-depth knowledge of child development, disability, parent / carer capacity building, NDIA legislation and best practice principles. This approach enables Lifestart to remain flexible and responsive to evolving service delivery requirements, particularly those arising from NDIA reforms. Lifestart places a strong emphasis on the ongoing professional development of its team members including key worker training (with 95% of frontline staff currently trained in the key worker approach),36 Hanen37 and other best practice delivery models.

Within Lifestart’s structure, there is a dedicated Change and Practice Improvement Team, which along with Change Specialists and Early Supports Specialists in each region, drive strategic quality and workforce development initiatives.

36 Noah’s Ark, The Key Worker: Working as a Lead Practitioner, https://noahsarkinc.org.au/course/key-worker-online, Access date 30 September 2025

37 The Hanen Centre, Helping You Help Children Communicate, https://www.hanen.org/home, Access date 30 September 2025

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 22

Recommendations

The success of Thriving Kids will depend on the following key workforce enablers, including to:

  1. Establish clear eligibility criteria and a unified quality assurance framework for all professionals delivering Thriving Kids supports, regardless of discipline or registration status, to ensure consistent, evidence-based and accountable practice across providers.
  2. Formally adopt the social model of disability, recognizing the impact of environmental and systemic barriers, and provide training that promotes inclusive, rights-based practices.
  3. Strengthen strategic collaboration between health, education, and disability sectors, supported by local networks and community-based organisations, to address service fragmentation, improve coordination, and ensure families receive integrated supports.
  4. Clear referral pathways that enable skilled professionals to connect families with foundational, mainstream or NDIS-funded supports as needed.
  5. Targeted strategies to address workforce shortages in allied health, including initiatives to increase university enrolments, support student placements and attract professionals into early childhood intervention roles.
  6. Sustainable and flexible funding to enable providers to recruit, train, and retain a skilled workforce, and to plan for long-term, responsive service delivery.
  7. Strengthen the health sector’s understanding of best practice in early childhood intervention, including the effectiveness of key worker models and parent capacity building.

Draw on domestic and international policy experience and best practice

Australia ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2008 affirming its commitment to a human rights-based approach.38 The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), ratified by Australia in 1990, recognises the right of children with disabilities to enjoy a full and decent life in conditions that uphold dignity, promote self-reliance and support active participation.39 Both conventions are grounded in principles of dignity, autonomy, inclusion, accessibility, equality, and participation for all individuals.

Within the context of early childhood intervention, a human rights-based approach acknowledges that children with disabilities hold the same rights as all children, along with additional protections and supports required to address the barriers they may face due to their disability.

38 Australian Human Rights Commission, About Disability Rights, https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/disability-rights/about-disability-rights, Access date 26 September 2025

39 United Nations, Convention on the Rights of the Child, https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-rights-child, Access date 26 September 2025

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 23

Best practice in early intervention in Australia

In Australia, the National Guidelines: Best Practice in Early Childhood Intervention (1st edition) were released in 2016.40 These guidelines articulate a vision for young children of all abilities to fully participate in family and community life. The guidelines provide a foundational framework for the delivery of early childhood intervention and disability services under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). They are built around key principles that promote high-quality, inclusive and effective practice:

  • family-centred and strengths-based practice
  • culturally responsive practice
  • inclusive and participatory practice
  • engaging the child in natural environments
  • collaborative teamwork practice
  • capacity-building practice
  • evidence base, standards, accountability and practice
  • outcome-based approach.

These principles guide practitioners and service providers in delivering supports that are respectful, empowering, and tailored to the unique needs of each child and family.

In July 2024, the Australian Department of Social Services announced a review of best practice in early childhood intervention and the development of a nationally consistent framework to guide early childhood intervention across the country.41,42 This new framework will go beyond principles and guidelines to include practical resources and tools to support implementation. This review is being led by the University of Melbourne, in collaboration with a consortium of partners including PRECI, MCRI, SNAICC, and CYDA.

Although the final framework has not yet been released, several reports and desktop reviews have been published.43,44,45 These indicate that the forthcoming National Best Practice Framework for Early Childhood Intervention, shaped through extensive consultation with professionals and families of children with disabilities, will be grounded in both international and national evidence. It will define the key principles

40 Australian Department of Social Services, National Guidelines: Best Practice in Early Childhood Intervention, 2016, https://www.dss.gov.au/system/files/documents/2024-11/ecia-national-guidelines-best-practice-early-childhood-intervention-2016.pdf, Access date 26 September 2025

41 Australian Department of Social Services, Early Childhood Targeted Action Plan, https://www.dss.gov.au/early-childhood/early-childhood-targeted-action-plan/early-childhood-targeted-action-plan-action-24-developing-framework-early-childhood-intervention#:~:text=The%20review%20includes%20stakeholder%20consultations and%20families%20use%20the%20framework., Access date 26 September 2025

42 Disability Gateway, Have your say: Review of best practice in early childhood intervention, https://www.disabilitygateway.gov.au/news/have-your-say-2#:~:text=Intervention%20%7C%20Disability%20Gateway-,Have%20your%20say%3A%20Review%20of%20Best%20Practice%20in%20Early%20Childhood,developmental%20concerns%2C%20delay%20or%20disability, Access date 29 September 2025

43 Healthy Trajectories. Review of Best Practice in Early Childhood Intervention: Findings from the ACD consultation (2025), https://healthy-trajectories.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Review-of-Best-Practice-in-ECI_Findings-from-ACD-Consultation_April-2025.pdf, Access date 27 September 2025

44 Imms, C., Moore T., Bull, K., Gavidia-Payne, S., Lami, F., Wilson, M., Allen, L. & Knight S. (2024). Review of best practice in early childhood intervention: Desktop review executive summary report. The University of Melbourne, funded by and provided to the Commonwealth of Australia’s Department of Social Services. https://www.preci.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ECI-Desktop-Review-Executive-Summary_V1.0_Nov2024.pdf

45 Imms, C., Moore T., Luscombe, D., SNAICC authors, Wilson, M., Knight, S. (2024). Review of best practice in early childhood intervention: Review Report. The University of Melbourne, funded by and provided to the Commonwealth of Australia’s Department of Social Services. https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2F-healthy-trajectories.com.au%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F02%2FReview-of-best-practice-in-early-childhood-intervention-review-report-January-2025.docx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 24

underpinning service delivery, describe how these principles are applied in practice, include mechanisms for implementation and evaluation, and provide accessible tools and resources for professionals and families.

A list of key principles has recently been released and are as follows:

  • Rights-based
  • Relationship-based
  • Strengths-based
  • Ecologically-based
  • Child-centred
  • Family-centred
  • Cultural safety
  • Diversity-affirming
  • Participation
  • Everyday settings
  • Teamwork
  • Community-focused
  • Outcome-focused
  • Evidence-informed.46

International best practice in early intervention

The development of the National Best Practice Framework for Early Childhood Intervention has included rigorous analysis of international policy and best practice guidelines, including those from Europe,47 New Zealand,48 the United Kingdom,49,50 and the United States of America.51 Common elements across these jurisdictions comprised inclusion in natural environments, family-centred practice and strengths-based approaches. The differences highlighted were the extent to which capacity building for children and/or families was emphasised and the inconsistent adoption of evidence-informed models of support. It is important to learn from international best practice, while contextualising it with stakeholder input for the Australian disability ecosystem.

The University of Melbourne consortium’s desktop review highlighted that inconsistent adoption of evidence-informed practices in Australia is partly due to legislative frameworks undermining best practice and the absence of a nationally endorsed set of resources, tools, and practice standards.52

46 PRECI, PRECI Connect Newsletter, September 2025, https://mailchi.mp/924771b49901/preci-connect-newsletter-november-8334811?e=08f12c3621, Access date 29 September 2025

47 Eurlyaid: The European Association on Early Childhood Intervention, Recommended Practices in Early Childhood Intervention, https://www.eurlyaid.eu/eciguidebook-englishversion/, Access date 27 September 2025

48 New Zealand Government Ministry of Education, He Pikorua: Our Practice Framework, https://hepikorua.education.govt.nz/ Access date 27 September 2025

49 Her Majesty’s Government, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (SP) Improvement Plan; Right Support, Right Place, Right Time, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/63ff39d-28fa8f527fb67cb06/SEND_and_alternative_provision_improvement_plan.pdf, Access date 27 September 2025

50 Department for Education, Early years foundation stage statutory framework, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68c024cb8c6d992f23edd79c/Early_years_foundation_stage_statutory_framework_-_for_group_and_school-based_providers.pdf.pdf, Access date 27 September 2025

51 Division for Early Childhood (DEC), DEC Recommended Practices, https://www.dec-sped.org/dec-recommended-practices, Access date 27 September 2025

52 Imms, C., Moore T., Bull, K., Gavidia-Payne, S., Lami, F., Wilson, M., Allen, L. & Knight S. (2024). Review of best practice in early childhood intervention: Desktop review executive summary report. The University of Melbourne, funded by and provided to the Commonwealth of Australia’s Department of Social Services. https://www.preci.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ECI-Desktop-Review-Executive-Summary_V1.0_Nov2024.pdf

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 25

Recommendations

  1. Embed human rights principles in policy and practice recognising the rights of children with disability to thrive in supportive, inclusive environments.
  2. Support the implementation of the forthcoming National Best Practice Framework for Early Childhood Intervention including the rollout of practical tools, resources and training for professionals and families.
  3. Promote consistent adoption of best practice guidelines and monitor and evaluate implementation of the new framework.
  4. Require (or at least incentivise) service providers to adhere to best practice guidelines and ensure that Thriving Kids funding and partnerships prioritise providers who align with best practice principles in early childhood intervention.

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

A seamless transition through mainstream systems for children with mild to moderate support needs requires a coordinated, inclusive, and flexible ecosystem of support, one that recognises the diversity of children’s cultural backgrounds, experiences and needs, and supports them across multiple environments, including health, education, and community settings.

What Thriving Kids should look like

At its core, Thriving Kids should represent a system where all children are supported to thrive, regardless of the level of support they require. This means ensuring that mainstream services are capable, confident, and connected, and that children with mild to moderate needs are not dependent on accessing a plan from the NDIS to fund the support they need.

Key enablers for the success of the Thriving Kids initiative include:

  • Integrated and flexible services that are easy for families to access and navigate
  • Consistent information sharing across sectors, ideally through secure digital channels and communities of practice, to ensure alignment
  • Family-held documentation that can be shared with providers to avoid families having to repeat their story
  • Genuine family partnership in planning and decision-making
  • Flexible, family-centred support pathways that do not require a formal diagnosis or specialist access to begin
  • Mainstream services that are confident and capable of supporting all children, including those with developmental concerns
  • Cross-sector workforce training in education, health, and community services to build inclusive practices and reduce unnecessary referrals to specialist services
  • Neurodiversity-affirming and inclusive practices embedded across early childhood education, health, and family services
  • Ongoing monitoring and evaluation to ensure the program is effective and equitable across diverse communities

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 26

  • Recognition and support for community-based organisations like Lifestart, which already deliver early supports, build family capacity, and foster local partnerships
  • Alignment with inclusive frameworks, such as the social model of disability.

To achieve this, supports should be coordinated and aligned across three tiers:

Base tier: Mainstream Supports

Mainstream services must be equipped to identify, understand, and support children with developmental concerns.

  • Educators, health professionals, and other frontline staff must be trained to identify children who require support and respond early with appropriate support, including developmental screening in early childhood settings.
  • Strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming, and culturally safe practices must be embedded across all services.
  • Accessible information for families and consistent support strategies, such as family-held profiles, can help create continuity across different settings.
  • Soft-entry pathways such as community hubs that co-locate health, housing, education, playgroups, and family services, can reduce barriers to access.
  • Community organisations should be supported to become more inclusive and accessible, enabling meaningful engagement with families.
  • Clear referral pathways from mainstream services to foundational supports should be established to ensure families receive timely and appropriate help.

Middle tier: Thriving Kids (Foundational Supports for children aged 0-9 years)

At both the general and targeted levels, foundational supports should work together to deliver tailored early intervention and reduce duplication or fragmentation. Key elements include:

  • Trans-disciplinary, community-based teams that deliver capacity build support in everyday settings, without requiring a formal diagnosis.
  • Use of a key worker model, where s lead practitioner (e.g. Allied Health of Education professional) coordinates care, builds family capacity, and provides practical support.
  • Flexible service delivery tailored to local community needs, including rural, remote, and culturally and linguistically diverse populations.
  • Clear referral pathways to publicly funded allied health services under Medicare (e.g., Occupational Therapy, speech therapy, physiotherapy).
  • A centralised database of available supports and services, enabling professionals and families to easily navigate local options.
  • Investment in evidence-informed programs like Start Strong, KEYS (Kids Early Years Network), Envisage, and Inklings, which offer early support and connection to services.
  • Support for families to build advocacy skills, understand their child’s developmental needs, and access consistent, strengths-based strategies across settings.

Top tier: Specialised Supports (NDIS)

While many children with mild to moderate needs can be supported in mainstream and foundational support systems, some children with more complex or significant needs may require specialised support. At this level:

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 27

  • Timely access to assessments and formal services, such as the NDIS, must be available for children who require more intensive and individualised support.
  • Clear and prioritised referral pathways should guide families to the NDIS or other specialist systems when appropriate.
  • Seamless information sharing and warm referrals between mainstream, foundational, and specialist services are essential to ensure continuity of care and avoid duplication.

Disability providers like Lifestart are well-positioned to lead the delivery of general, targeted and specialist supports, drawing on its strong community connections and established practices, including:

  • Facilitating Early Connections meetings with families to identify early support needs.
  • Providing accessible information to help families navigate their options and pathways.
  • Delivering Early Supports aligned with best practice, including key worker and transdisciplinary models, ensuring the right support is provided at the right time.
  • Connecting families with local organisations, such as disability advocacy groups, adult mental health services and culturally appropriate supports, to strengthen informal and community supports.
  • Offering Allied Health assessment, Therapy and Behaviour Support through qualified professionals.

Recommendations

  1. Coordinate services across sectors and facilitate navigation with consistent information sharing, ideally through secure digital channels, and collaboration through communities of practice.
  2. Enable and support systems for families to access and provide documentation and information, recognising families as primary and active partners in planning and decision-making for their child’s care, and reducing the need to re-tell their story.
  3. Enable early and flexible access to support that allow children to access support without needing a formal diagnosis or referral to specialist services.
  4. Build capacity in mainstream services through workforce training across education, health, and community services to ensure staff embed inclusive and neurodiverse-affirming practices.
  5. Leverage and build on the current expertise and organisational infrastructure with the sector to strengthen and expand community and family capacity.
  6. Commit to continuous improvement and equity: Implement ongoing monitoring and evaluation to ensure programs are effective, equitable, and responsive to the diverse needs of children and families.

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 28

Conclusion

The Thriving Kids initiative presents a welcome and critical opportunity to reshape early childhood supports in Australia. By building on existing infrastructure, investing in community-based organisations, and embedding inclusive, evidence-informed practices, we can create a system where every child has a genuine opportunity to thrive.

Community-based providers like Lifestart are ready to contribute to the design and delivery of Thriving Kids, drawing on their deep community connections, skilled workforce, and commitment to equity and inclusion. We urge the Standing Committee to ensure that foundational supports are sustainably funded, culturally safe, and accessible to all families — regardless of where they live, their background, or the level of support they need.

As noted above, Lifestart is available to provide further information to the Standing Committee as required. Please contact Vanessa Douglas by telephone on 1800 953 390 or email: info@lifestart.org.au.

Inquiry into the Thriving Kids – Lifestart Submission – Page 29