Australian Parents Council Submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative

The Australian Parents Council (APC) thanks the Committee for the opportunity to make a submission to the Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative. APC represents the voice of parents and carers across Australia and is deeply concerned about the impact of recent policy shifts on families of children with developmental delay and autism.

Target Group Redefinition

The redefinition of eligibility for the NDIS, whereby children aged 8 and under with “mild to moderate developmental delay and autism” are no longer included, represents a profound change for families. This new categorical boundary, limiting NDIS eligibility to only those with “permanent and significant disability”, creates a critical gatekeeping mechanism that risks excluding many children who need support to thrive. Parents are concerned that this narrowing of access will leave children vulnerable during their most formative years.

For example:

Parents have raised concerns that the Thriving Kids initiative may not adequately support children with autism who experience severe anxiety and school refusal. These children often struggle to even make it to the school gate, meaning they risk being excluded from programs that are delivered through or dependent on school attendance. Families are asking how such children will be able to access the support they need and are asking for the initiative to ensure that services are inclusive, flexible, and accessible beyond the school environment.

Loss of Actual Expectations (Current NDIS Families)

Families currently receiving NDIS support for their young children are facing the loss of critical services and entitlements. The shift from:

• Individualised support packages → mainstream service integration (GPs, playgroups, maternal health),
• Specialised disability providers → generic community services, and
• Coordinated support plans → fragmented mainstream touchpoints,

is perceived by parents as a downgrade in both quality and intensity of care. Parents are also deeply concerned about the loss of direct control over funding, the reduction in provider choice, and the potential reduction in therapy intensity and frequency. Importantly, the removal of the NDIS legal entitlement framework undermines families’ confidence that their children’s rights will be upheld. The poor outcomes for those who will lose NDIS support can

be understood from pilot studies completed in 2023 by AIHW1 and a review by Dr Sue Olney 2

Loss of Anticipated Expectations (Families Seeking Support)

Families who had anticipated access to the NDIS for their child are now confronted with the reality of being diverted into a less comprehensive system. The move from the NDIS insurance model of lifetime support into mainstream services erodes parents’ expectations of wrap-around, coordinated disability support. Instead, families face fragmented systems focused on “routines and advice” rather than intensive therapeutic interventions. Parents fear that this reduced support intensity will limit their children’s opportunities for development and long-term success. 3

Critical Uncertainties and Transition Risks

The transition process raises serious uncertainties for families. Parents are facing reassessments for current NDIS participants, with the risk of being moved into the mainstream system within a 12-month implementation period. This creates service gaps and stress for families, with no guarantee of service equivalency between the NDIS and mainstream supports. Parents see this as a fundamental shift from a rights-based, individualised disability insurance model to a less robust, public health approach.

APC’s Position

APC strongly believes that every child deserves the chance to thrive, and early intervention is critical. Parents are clear that:

• Children with developmental delay and autism should not lose access to the supports they need to reach their potential.
• Families must retain agency, choice, and control in deciding what services best support their children.
• Service models must be integrated and coordinated, not fragmented across multiple providers without oversight.
• Transition plans must be carefully managed to ensure children do not experience service gaps or regression in their development.

Recommendations and Solutions

The Australian Parents Council recommends that the Thriving Kids Initiative and associated reforms:

1. Protect children’s access to early intervention supports

1 1. “Use of mainstream services and outcomes achieved for people with disability” — Chapter 5, Australia’s Welfare 2023: Data Insights, AIHW 2 Olney (2023) NDIS Review: Mainstream and Tier 2 (Summary Report) — A discussion paper on how mainstream services and “Tier 2” supports work (or don’t work), and gaps in coordination and accessibility. 3 See, for example, NDIS Changes 2025: Autism & Thriving Kids Explained, Careable -. and “Not mild at all”: One word in Butler’s NDIS plan has a mother of autistic girls worried, SBS.

• Ensure children with developmental delay and autism retain access to evidence-based therapies, regardless of whether they meet the redefined NDIS eligibility threshold.
  • Guarantee continuity of care for children already in the NDIS so no child experiences service loss or regression.

2. Maintain family choice and control
   • Preserve parental agency by allowing families to exercise choice over service providers, including access to specialised disability providers where mainstream services cannot meet needs.
   • Introduce flexible funding arrangements that enable families to tailor supports to their child’s individual circumstances.
3. Guarantee service quality and equivalence
   • Establish clear national quality benchmarks so that mainstream services provide equivalent support intensity and outcomes as current NDIS packages.
   • Create accountability and monitoring mechanisms to ensure service gaps are addressed quickly.
4. Strengthen integration and coordination
   • Fund coordinated case management, so families are not left to navigate multiple disconnected systems on their own.
   • Build strong pathways between mainstream health, education, and disability systems to reduce fragmentation.
5. Ensure a safe and fair transition
   • Implement a longer, phased transition period with dedicated support for families, including transition coordinators.
   • Provide written guarantees that no child will lose access to therapy during the shift from NDIS to mainstream supports.
6. Embed a rights-based framework
   • Uphold children’s rights to appropriate, timely, and sufficient disability supports underpinned by legislation.
   • Ensure reforms do not reduce children’s entitlements or diminish the long- term vision of the NDIS as an insurance model.
7. Prioritise equity for vulnerable families
   • Provide additional supports for rural, remote, and disadvantaged families who already face limited-service options.
   • Invest in culturally safe and accessible services for First Nations families and those from diverse backgrounds.

Conclusion

The Thriving Kids Initiative represents an opportunity to improve outcomes for children, but only if reforms do not come at the expense of reducing support intensity, removing parental choice, and downgrading the rights of children with developmental delay and autism. APC urges the Committee to ensure that reforms are child-centred, family-driven, and rights- based, with a clear commitment to equity and safety for every child.

Jenny Branch-Allen
President
Australian Parents Council M: 0417381721