'Foundational supports' is the term being used to refer to supports and services for people who have some level of disability but do not have significant care and support needs that would warrant NDIS funding. This discussion paper focuses on foundational supports for children aged up to 9 years of age with developmental concerns, delays or disability, and their families.

This paper has been developed to assist in the discussions currently taking place within the States and Territories regarding foundational supports. This paper argues there are four groups of children and their families for whom foundational supports should be available:

• children with developmental concerns
• children with mild and moderate developmental delays and disability
• children waiting for NDIS ECI services
• children with more severe levels of disability.

Key decisions need to be made about what form foundational supports should take, who should provide these supports, who should fund them, and where they should be located.