Thriving Kids Inquiry final report released

In late December 2025, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability released its final report into the Thriving Kids initiative, “No child left behind”, examining a national system of supports for children aged 8 and under with mild to moderate developmental delay, and their families.  

The report positions Thriving Kids as a key element of broader NDIS reform, aimed at strengthening early intervention, improving equity of access, and embedding evidence-based, coordinated supports for families and children.  

APS advocacy 

The APS contributed to the inquiry through a written submission and public hearing appearance, with APS evidence cited extensively throughout the Committee’s report and reflected in some of its 16 recommendations.  

These recommendations addressed key matters including advisory and governance structures, design and implementation processes, data and evaluation mechanisms, workforce, and the interface with the NDIS. 

Central to APS evidence was the importance of explicitly recognising and embedding psychologists’ expertise in the design and implementation of Thriving Kids:  

“…. To deliver on its promise, Thriving Kids must explicitly recognise and include psychologists in all aspects of design, governance, workforce planning, and evaluation and review…. It's about ensuring that children and families have access to the full spectrum of skills needed for early identification and intervention to work.” (p.119) 

Also noted in our evidence, psychologists: 

“… already work across health, education, disability and community settings, bringing expertise in how children think, learn and connect with others. This includes providing developmental and cognitive assessments, behaviour and learning support, family coaching and workforce capacity building—all key components of an early intervention system.” (p.113)” 

The Committee recognised the evidence provided by the APS in its report, highlighting the critical role of psychologists’ and cited statements indicating that this expertise is not always clearly recognised within existing early intervention systems, including the early stages of Thriving Kids design. 

Throughout our evidence and advocacy, the APS championed earlier identification and support for children with developmental delay and low to moderate support needs, both outside of and alongside the NDIS, and emphasised the importance of continuity of supports across the lifespan, beyond Thriving Kids where needed.  

The APS also called for reform to reduce reliance on diagnosis-driven, fragmented service models, and for clear, coordinated and evidence-based pathways of support for children and families integrated into education, health and community settings, with equity and cultural safety embedded throughout.  

The Committee’s report reflects APS evidence that strengthening access to psychologists in schools and early childhood settings, where ratios remain far below recommended levels, is critical to enabling early intervention and making a meaningful difference for children in their everyday settings.  

The APS also highlighted workforce challenges and potential solutions affecting access to services for children and families in regional, rural and remote areas. 

The APS welcomed the Committee’s recommendations to strengthen governance and accountability in the design and implementation of Thriving Kids, including: 

• inclusive, evidence-based co-design, led by the currently established Thriving Kids Advisory Group, involving recognised organisations and peak bodies, alongside people with lived experience of disability, care, First Nations identity, and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds 

• establishment of a Thriving Kids Advisory Council to advise governments and ministers on Thriving Kids implementation, and  

• a rapid parliamentary review of the Thriving Kids initiative after 24 months, informed by a consultative group of professional organisations, including allied health peak bodies, and parents with lived experience. 

The Committee acknowledged gaps in program design detail and sector data, concerns also raised by the APS in our evidence, and made a series of recommendations to strengthen design and implementation processes for the Thriving Kids initiative, including: 

• phased implementation, with the Thriving Kids Advisory Group responsible for identifying and embedding safeguards to prevent gaps or loss of supports for children during implementation, 

• adoption of a commissioned service model to ensure consistent, high-quality service delivery across jurisdictions, drawing wherever possible on existing, appropriately regulated services with established safeguards, 

• establishment of a single-entry portal with multiple referral pathways for all children with developmental concerns, regardless of NDIS eligibility, 

• funded child development checks across primary care, allied health, and early childhood and community settings, including in regional, rural and remote areas, as one of multiple entry points into the Thriving Kids initiative, 

• enhanced supports for children and families during key education transition points including entry to early childhood education and care, school commencement, and transitions between schooling stages, 

• a well-resourced workforce to support families to navigate complex systems and ensure equitable access for priority populations, including regional, rural, and remote, First Nations, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, children in out-of-home care, and parents and carers with disability, 

• investment in improved digital access to online and health advice services, with a particular focus on regional, rural and remote areas, 

• strengthening multidisciplinary, hub-and-spoke service delivery, particularly in regional, rural and remote areas to improve access and equity for families and children, 

• a streamlined, proportionate provider registration process that leverages existing registrations, reduces duplication and administrative burden, and maintains appropriate safeguards and quality standards, and 

• dedicated funding and staffing for data governance and management, to ensure data integrity, interoperability, and effective use of data to support optimal outcomes for children and families. 

The Committee also made key recommendations in relation to the NDIS including that: 

• the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 be amended to ensure that foundational supports are appropriately implemented, 

• the Australian Government establish an Inspector-General of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and the 

• the Thriving Kids Advisory Group ensure that participation in Thriving Kids does not preclude later access to the NDIS. 

Next steps 

The Australian Government is now required to respond to the report recommendations.  

The APS is continuing to engage with our members and stakeholders to advocate for inclusion of psychologists’ expertise as Thriving Kids moves through the next stages of governance, design, implementation and review, to ensure that the initiative achieves the best possible outcomes for children and families. Thanks to all members who have shared their expertise and experience with us to date. 

As cited in the report, we note that “If not done well, Thriving Kids risks adding another layer of complexity to an already fragmented system, one that confuses families, increases inequity and fails to reach the children and families who need support” (p.119).