The Federal Government has announced the Thriving Kids program, a new national initiative designed to provide early support for children with mild to moderate developmental delay and autism. The program will create mainstream pathways to therapy and early intervention, reducing reliance on the NDIS, which was originally designed to support people with profound and severe disabilities.
AEIOU Foundation welcomes the announcement as an important first step in returning the NDIS to its original intent while ensuring that children with less complex needs receive appropriate support through Medicare and mainstream services.
However, AEIOU emphasises that several safeguards must be built into the system to ensure children with the most significant needs are not left behind. These include:
- Objective diagnosis and assessment: Current assessments of autism severity are subjective. Low-cost, evidence-based screening tools should be funded to ensure accurate diagnoses and guide children into the most appropriate pathways.
- Interconnected supports: Children who do not thrive in the Thriving Kids program must have clear, supported pathways to access the NDIS, rather than being excluded from specialist supports.
- Protection for children with Level 3 autism: The NDIS must recommit to providing reasonable and necessary funding for autistic children with high support needs and developmental delay, including specialised early intervention programs. Without these programs, many children are unable to participate in mainstream settings, leaving families with little choice but to withdraw from the workforce to provide full-time care.
- Representation of lived experience: Reform committees and advisory groups must include the voices of parents and providers working with children who have autism with high support needs, who are often underrepresented in national policy.
While many children with mild autism or developmental delay can thrive with short-term supports that build confidence, social skills and learning strategies in mainstream education, autistic children with high support needs require intensive, specialised interventions that the NDIS was established to deliver.
AEIOU Foundation supports the Thriving Kids initiative as an important step towards building a more sustainable and responsive system, while strongly advocating for protections and specialised pathways for the children with the greatest needs.
At AEIOU, we remain committed to ensuring every child has the opportunity to reach their potential. To learn more about our specialised early intervention programs and how you can support our mission, you can explore our website, starting with: https://aeiou.org.au/how-we-can-help.
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