Joint Media Release: Thriving Kids Announcement Leaves Families with More Questions Than Answers

Today’s Thriving Kids announcement has left families of young children with developmental needs with more questions than answers, with the Albanese Government unable to explain how the promised support will actually be delivered on the ground or how it will impact the Budget. 

Shadow Minister for Disability and the NDIS Senator Anne Ruston said that more than five months on, anxious families were still waiting for basic details about how this program would work. 

"It has now been 167 days since Minister Butler first announced Thriving Kids and all he has provided are broad principles and delayed timeframes," Senator Ruston said.

"Parents were promised certainty and support for their young children. Instead, they’re left wondering what services will be there to support their child, who will provide them and when they’ll actually be available.

“The Minister still cannot explain how this program will actually work in practice, how support will be delivered on the ground, or what impact it will have on the Budget and the Government's commitments to manage NDIS growth.”

Shadow Assistant Minister for the NDIS Phillip Thompson OAM, MP said the Opposition supported the key principles behind improving early support for children, particularly though community-based services.

"Unfortunately, the Albanese Government's so-called consultation process was just a rushed series of meetings crammed into the end of last year. When you don't properly consult with the sector, you end up with a half-baked program that can't be implemented on time,” Mr Thompson said

“It’s no wonder this announcement appears to be all headline and no responsibility and confirms that the Albanese Government is washing its hands of disability support for young Australians, leaving it to the states and territories to run a program announced by the Federal Government.

"Service providers are completely in the dark about how they're expected to deliver this program, which explains why the Government has been forced to push back implementation.

“Once again, this is the Albanese Government refusing to take responsibility for its promises.

“The worst part of this mess is that young Australians living with a disability and their families remain in ongoing uncertainty due to the complete lack of clarity and detail around this reform.”

ENDS