A Labor MP has raised concerns about the government’s proposed Thriving Kids program, which aims to support children with mild autism and developmental delays. The program is set to begin offering services in July, but details regarding its cost and implementation remain unclear.

During a recent parliamentary hearing, officials from health and disability sectors reported that progress is being made on the initiative. However, they could not provide answers about the program's expenses, the specific services it will offer, or how many children currently enrolled in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) would transition to this new program.

Mike Freelander, the chair of the parliamentary committee and a long-serving Labor MP, emphasized the need for the government to address the anxiety surrounding the program. "Part of the issue is that we have created significant anxiety and we have to acknowledge that, and we have to make sure that we do deal with that," he stated. He added that the situation is evolving and that the government must be open to feedback and potential changes.

Despite the government’s intention to launch the Thriving Kids program for children with mild to moderate developmental delays and autism, the framework for the program is still under development. Another Labor MP, Anne Stanley, expressed concerns about the negativity and fear surrounding the initiative. She questioned officials on how they plan to address these stakeholder concerns.

Luke Mansfield, acting assistant secretary of the department, acknowledged the uncertainty felt by families currently using NDIS services. He clarified that children enrolled in NDIS would not transition to Thriving Kids until the program is fully operational in July 2027. "We're very conscious that as decisions are taken by governments around the design of Thriving Kids that there's going to need to be a significant amount of engagement with the public to help explain how Thriving Kids will work," he said.

An advisory group has been established to guide the development of the Thriving Kids program and to work on reducing assessment times for autism and developmental delays.

The announcement of the Thriving Kids program in August surprised state and territory leaders, who are expected to co-fund and deliver the service through schools, childcare, and health services. NDIS Minister Mark Butler revealed the revamped scheme after negotiations for a previously agreed foundational supports program stalled. He stated that the federal government would take a more prominent leadership role in the phased program.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns expressed skepticism about the initiative, stating he would not "sign a blank cheque" without further details. Funding negotiations for Thriving Kids are occurring concurrently with discussions on a new public hospital funding agreement, which has also faced criticism from state leaders.

Despite the pushback, Liz Develin, assistant secretary of the department, expressed optimism that funding negotiations could be finalized by the end of the year. "The desire from the Commonwealth is certainly that the agreement is reached by the end of the calendar year," she said, noting the urgency due to upcoming state caretaker modes.

Jeremy Muir, chief executive of Physical Disability Australia, voiced significant concerns about the Thriving Kids program. He advocated for the program to operate on a trial basis initially, emphasizing the need for thorough evaluation and accountability. "We would like to make sure that there's really sound evaluation of the program and really strong accountability… talking to the disability community to make sure that it gets right before implementation," he said. He stressed the importance of ongoing evaluation after the program is launched.