Thriving Kids roll-out underway across South Australia

New and enhanced supports will be progressively put in place, with the full Thriving Kids approach expected to be in place by the beginning of 2028.

Importantly, families can be assured that during the rollout there will be:

• no change to NDIS eligibility until the start of 2028
• children aged 8 and under who are already in the NDIS at that point will remain subject to existing rules; and
• children with permanent and significant disability and with high support needs will remain eligible for the NDIS.

Building on strong foundations

South Australia has strong foundations for the Thriving Kids approach, including our work in autism inclusion, early childhood development and early intervention.

The Preschool Boost program, which started this year, has already rolled out to more than 250 early learning services and will increase to more than 400 next year providing small group programs for children, as well as allied health coaching for educators and families.

The State is also strengthening its 140 Learning Together Communities facilitated playgroups operating across South Australia.

Around $4 million in additional Thriving Kids investment will also provide qualified facilitators with more time to work with families who need additional support and support their professional development and enable allied health professionals to visit playgroups and work with families.

This enhanced support will commence in the first half of 2027.

Further initiatives to support playgroups, peer support groups and other innovative options for children and families, including autism-specific supports, will be announced in coming weeks.

Expanding child development checks

Child Health and Development Checks will also continue to grow.

Following work to increase access to checks for younger children, including the introduction of a new one-year-old check, around $2 million in additional funding each year will be invested from 2027-28 to increase access to checks for preschool-aged children.

National initiatives

South Australian supports will be complemented by a national Thriving Kids telephone line and digital hub being delivered by the Australian Government to help families and carers understand their child’s development and find the right information and support.

Targeted supports under development

Work is also underway to establish targeted supports for children and families who need an additional level of assistance.

Following further consultation and design with stakeholders, the commissioning process for targeted supports’ intake and delivery will open in the first half of 2027, with delivery expected to commence by the end of 2027.

The approach will draw on the strengths and expertise of South Australia’s early childhood intervention sector.

Work is also underway to ensure the approach responds to the needs of diverse families.

Consistent with the principles of Closing the Gap, approaches to supporting Aboriginal children and families will be developed through shared decision-making with Aboriginal peak bodies.

The Office for Early Childhood Development will work with the Departments for Child Protection and Human Services on the design of approaches for children in care and families supported through the Child Protection and Family Support System.

Listening to families and the sector

A South Australian Thriving Kids Ministerial Forum will be established to ensure families, diverse communities, early childhood and disability providers, peak bodies and professionals have a voice in the detailed design and rollout.

While the overarching national Thriving Kids model is settled, there is more work to do to determine what works best for South Australian children and families.

The rollout will continue to be informed by families, the sector and the evidence, with the approach able to evolve as we learn more.

Quotes attributable to Katrine Hildyard MP, Minister for Human Services

Thriving Kids is about helping and empowering children and families to access the right support at the right time.
We want South Australian children and families navigating some difficulties and differences to know that they are not alone, that there is support close to home.

We are building on a strong foundation of programs and services that are already operating successfully across South Australia, while putting new supports in place as part of the rollout.

There is a significant amount of work underway, from expanding Preschool Boost and our Child Health and Development Checks to strengthening our playgroups and embedding allied health skills within them and developing targeted supports.

We will continue working closely with families, providers and professionals as Thriving Kids rolls out. It is vital that their experience helps shape how these supports develop over time and we will ensure that it does.