Thriving Kids Has Started - What Does This Mean for Your Child's NDIS Support?

If you've been searching for Thriving Kids NDIS updates and feeling unsure what it all means for your family, you're not alone. News about changes to children's disability supports can feel unsettling, especially when the detail is hard to find. We recently attended an information session on Thriving Kids, and we wanted to share what we learned in plain English, including the parts that are still unclear. The short version: Thriving Kids is beginning to roll out, but changes to NDIS access don't commence until 1 January 2028.

What Is Thriving Kids?

Thriving Kids is a new program for children aged 8 years and under with developmental delay and/or autism who have low to moderate support needs. A formal diagnosis is not necessarily required to access Thriving Kids supports, so families may be able to get help without one in place. That's worth knowing if your child has developmental differences but doesn't yet have a formal diagnosis.

Services begin rolling out from October 2026, with full operation expected by 1 January 2028. That makes Thriving Kids NDIS 2026 the start of a staged rollout, not a switch that flips overnight. If you're looking for information on the Thriving Kids program Australia wide, you can find the official detail on the Thriving Kids program information page.

Does This Mean Children Are Being Removed from the NDIS?

No. Changes to NDIS access criteria (the rules that decide who is eligible for the NDIS) do not commence until 1 January 2028. Children with permanent and significant disability continue to be eligible for the NDIS under existing requirements.

In NSW, children already enrolled in the NDIS before 1 January 2028 will have their reassessments conducted under the eligibility criteria that applied before that date. In plain terms, if your child is already in the NDIS, any future review of their eligibility will use the rules that were in place before the changes, not the new ones.

What Might Support Look Like Under Thriving Kids?

Under Thriving Kids, services may be delivered through commissioned providers, such as NGOs and government services, rather than through individual family budgets. In other words, instead of a family holding an individual funding plan and choosing their own providers, support may be arranged through organisations that have been engaged to deliver it.

We want to be honest about what we don't yet know. Details are still being finalised, and referral pathways, funding models and transition arrangements have not been confirmed. That includes how allied health services, such as dietitian support, will be accessed under the new model. Rather than guess, we'd prefer to tell you what's confirmed and update you as more becomes clear.

What Should Families Do Now?

The most important thing is not to stop your child's current support. Keep your child's current NDIS plan and services going as normal while the details are worked out.

It's also worth keeping an eye on official sources, which are the best place for current information and may change as the rollout progresses. The NDIS website has information for families, and the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission is a useful reference for understanding registered providers and your rights as a participant.

If you're unsure how any of this affects your child, bring it up at your next appointment with us. There's no such thing as a silly question here, and many families we support are asking the same things. We'll share what we learn as details emerge, so you don't have to piece it together alone.

What Does This Mean at Balanced Nutrition?

We aren't going anywhere. As an NDIS registered provider, we'll keep supporting children with ARFID and selective eating support, sensory feeding challenges, and autism and ADHD-related feeding difficulties, as well as growth concerns. That's in clinic at North Bondi, and via telehealth across NSW and Australia-wide, which is particularly helpful for families in regional areas where allied health access is limited. We support families from across Sydney, including the Eastern Suburbs, Northern Beaches and Inner West.

Whatever the rollout brings, our approach stays the same: calm, practical support that fits around your child and your family's routine.

If you'd like to understand how NDIS dietitian support currently works, or learn more about our feeding and nutrition support for children, we're happy to talk it through.

Book an appointment whenever you're ready, or bring your questions to your next session. We'll keep you updated as more details emerge.