NDIA Accountability Project

Submission 77 — Easy Access Psychology — Inquiry into the Thriving Kids initiative

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Submission to the Thriving Kids Inquiry

From: Easy Access Psychology, Lismore NSW

Introduction

Easy Access Psychology is a multidisciplinary allied health practice based in Lismore, NSW. We provide neuro-affirming, evidence-based therapy for children with developmental delays, autism, ADHD, and related conditions. Our team of psychologists, occupational therapists, and speech pathologists work collaboratively to support children and families in both clinic and community settings across the Northern Rivers and regional New South Wales.

We wish to raise significant concerns regarding the proposed shift of children with developmental delays and mild to moderate autism away from NDIS Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) funding and onto the proposed Thriving Kids initiative. While the stated aim of this new model is to improve access and outcomes, the reality is that it risks stripping children of essential, evidence-based, neuro-affirming therapy at the most critical stage of their development.

Background: Current Therapy Model

Our therapy team provides supports across a wide range of developmental areas, including:

  • Emotional regulation
  • Sensory processing differences
  • Feeding difficulties and aversions
  • Handwriting support
  • Social and emotional skills
  • Toileting challenges
  • Sleep and daily routines
  • School participation and transitions
  • Assessments that inform diagnosis and assist schools, paediatricians, and other professionals

We work closely with families to ensure school readiness at age 5. Without these interventions, many children would be held back - especially as specialist schools are at capacity and not available in every town. The absence of therapy means schools and teachers will shoulder added pressure to manage children who cannot yet regulate emotions, follow directions, interact socially, or toilet independently. This results in classroom disruption, teacher burnout, and families under increased stress.

Challenges

1. Funding Cuts and Sustainability

  • 80% of our families access therapy through NDIS ECI funding. Without it, families from low socio-economic backgrounds could not afford private therapy.
  • Many are single-income households, child safety placements, or families already under immense financial strain from the cost of living and housing pressures.
  • Since July 2025, the introduction of half-cost travel fees has made outreach to rural towns nearly unsustainable. Room hire, wages, insurances, and fuel are fixed costs that cannot be halved.

2. Regional and Rural Access

  • Families in towns such as Casino, Kyogle, Nimbin, and surrounding Northern Rivers communities face weeks-long GP waits, limited services, and scarce outreach.
  • If providers reduce services further, children will lose all access to early intervention. For families without

transport, or who themselves live with disability, driving long distances to larger centres such as Lismore or Tweed is not feasible.

3. Limits of Telehealth

  • While telehealth is valuable in some contexts, it is not a replacement for paediatric therapy.
  • Young children with developmental delays cannot engage effectively via screens. Play-based, hands-on strategies simply cannot be replicated online.
  • Parents are left to attempt to run therapy sessions in front of a computer, leading to frustration and poor outcomes.

4. Concerns with Proposed Thriving Kids Model

  • The proposed reliance on GP clinics, playgroups, and schools is unrealistic in rural areas where these services either don’t exist or are already overstretched.
  • Small allied health businesses that have dedicated themselves to outreach and early intervention risk collapse if ECI is removed.
  • Replacing the NDIS with an untested model risks undoing years of progress for children and families.

Impact on Children and Families

If the proposed changes proceed:

  • Children will miss out on essential supports in their most critical developmental years.
  • Families in regional and disadvantaged areas will be disproportionately affected.
  • Schools will face significant strain managing unprepared students.
  • Parents will face job insecurity as school calls and behavioural issues increase.

Recommendations

  1. Maintain ECI funding for children with developmental delays and mild to moderate autism.
  2. Prioritise neuro-affirming approaches over outdated ABA-style models, ensuring therapy is safe, respectful, and evidence-based.
  3. Recognise the unique needs of rural and regional communities, including reinstating full travel fee support for outreach.
  4. Ensure continuity of therapy from qualified allied health professionals rather than shifting responsibility to overstretched schools and underfunded community services.

Conclusion

The NDIS has been life-changing for families in disadvantaged and regional communities. Replacing it with the Thriving Kids initiative in its current form risks widening inequality and leaving the most vulnerable children behind. We urge the government to protect funding for early intervention so that every child has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of diagnosis, postcode, or family income.