This report outlines how the Thriving Kids initiative can make the most difference for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. For Thriving Kids to succeed, it must be designed and delivered in genuine partnership with Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCOs). 

The announcement of Thriving Kids signals a significant shift in how Australia supports children aged 0–8 with developmental delay or disability. Thriving Kids aims to identify developmental support needs earlier and connect children and families with coordinated, community-based services. It has the potential to address crisis-driven responses, missed opportunities, and the cultural unsafety that too often characterises our children’s experiences of early childhood development systems.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children experience disproportionately high rates of developmental vulnerability and disability. Approximately one in five Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged under 18 live with disability, compared to one in 12 in the general population. In the NDIS and the broader service system, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families face significant barriers to accessing support, including limited service availability and culturally unsafe environments. 

Investment in ACCO-led early childhood education and care (ECEC) and integrated early years services is the most effective way to achieve the vision of Thriving Kids. Without deliberate implementation in genuine partnership with ACCOs, Thriving Kids risks replicating the inequities that already characterise the early childhood development service system.