Australia’s new Thriving Kids program will help kids with autism thrive. Yet even with $2 billion commitment from Health Minister Mark Butler, the initiative is under grave uncertainty. The new initiative will be introduced in July 2026, phasing out existing National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) support by mid-2027. As a result of this, this huge shift has prompted more questions than ever about what kind of service it will offer and how to pay for that service.
The federal government has committed to fund one-to-one with state and territory contributions. Advocates for autism supports are already raising alarms over whether this funding is sufficient. They are further pressing for answers on whether the services proposed will best succeed in addressing a wide range of needs.
Monique Ryan, Australia’s highest-profile autism-rights advocate and autism advocate, underscored the importance of demanding timelines for all agreements made between federal and states. She emphasized the need for transparency throughout this process.
“I guess the concern is that families want, need and deserve certainty. We’re in October 2025, and you’re talking about rolling a system out from the first of July 2026. But you’re not able to give us any certainty around the timeline for firm agreements between the federal and state governments at this point in time.” – Monique Ryan
Disability advocacy organizations from across Australia recently addressed a parliamentary committee set up by the government to gather insights on the proposed program. Accessibility was a major concern, particularly for rural and regional Australians with a disability. Nearly every testimony to the committee outlined the months-long, invasive assessment process required just to reach existing support networks. User-driven equity advocates are all convinced these systems must change.
Katie Koulas, CEO of Yellow Ladybugs, was essential in helping us rethink the approach we’d taken with this Thriving Kids program. She had concerns about how flexible it is to personal needs.
“This is a one size fits all approach that is not customised,” – Katie Koulas, CEO of Yellow Ladybugs.
She pointed out that there was no autistic representation in the creation of the program, which makes for even more alarming concerns.
“It hasn’t had autistic input or approval, so it’s actually quite dangerous.” – Katie Koulas, CEO of Yellow Ladybugs.
Autism NT CEO Niki Lehmann expressed similar dismay, highlighting the systemic barriers families hit when seeking support.
“If you go to Alice Springs, you have to come bang on every three months,” – Niki Lehmann, CEO of Autism NT.
Jenny Karavolos, Chief Executive of Disability Advocacy and Complaints Service South Australia and a parent of an autistic child, highlighted the exhaustion families experience in navigating fragmented systems.
“The families and autistic individuals tell us they’re exhausted from navigating fragmented systems,” – Jenny Karavolos.
She takes part in our Thriving Kids program, which fills important gaps left by the NDIS. It especially targets children with autism who have fallen through the cracks of earlier help. Advocates such as former Open Doors policy fellow Ange McArthur have described this exclusion as “ableist and discriminatory.” They call attention to the critical need for holistic support that addresses these children’s special needs.
Professor Sharon Lawn remarked on broader issues within service systems that often rely on basic stereotypes rather than understanding individual needs.
“Basic stereotyping is the problem in a lot of service systems,” – Professor Sharon Lawn.
As conversations continue around what the Thriving Kids program will look like, advocates are keeping a close watch. They discuss how critical autistic people and their families’ input is to forming guidelines. Without their experiences, any new system will likely just replicate the challenges they face now rather than address them.
