The recent government announcement on reform to disability support for children on the NDIS has sparked concerns about the future of care for autism in Australia.
In a speech by Mark Butler, the Minister for Disability, a new program, ‘Thriving Kids’, was revealed, focusing on transitioning children with mild and moderate autism from the NDIS. This program is expected to start rolling out in 2026, as children with autism in the NDIS are considered to be over-serviced.
It is unknown how the government will determine who has mild, moderate or severe autism, and multiple groups, including Yellow Ladybugs, called out the trivial terminology, criticising the announcement of Thriving Kids and the lack of information about the new scheme in a recent post.
The definition was also criticised by autism expert Sue Larkey, who shared concerns with many of her clients about what direction the NDIS was heading when it comes to understanding disabilities.
“It makes families lose confidence in the government when they use terms that the community don’t use anymore,” Larkey said.
Helaina Beltrame, an adult NDIS participant with Autism and ADHD, described her frustration with the system, “where neurodivergent and autistic adults are continuing to be undermined”.
The planned implementation of Thriving Kids is unclear and confusing to NDIS users, disability experts, and organisations alike, and has left many with more questions than answers.
Helaina says that she and others on the scheme are confused by the lack of information provided by the government around the topic.
“There’s no [described] pathway to achieve what they are trying to do. There’s also no explanation at all of what this means for autistic adults. There’s a whole lost generation of them. They’re the ones that for so long have not been able to access supports, and there’s nothing set up for these people,” Beltrame said.
Sue Larkey also expressed concern with the lack of consultation before the Minister’s announcement, with many key stakeholders such as the Australian Autism Alliance and the Disability Advocacy Network having made statements revealing their shared surprise and confusion and urging the Minister to provide more clarity.
Ten of the largest disability groups in Australia released a joint statement on Thursday, noting the uncertainty and disappointment this announcement has caused.
“While Minister Mark Butler noted nothing about us without us in his speech at the National Press Club yesterday, the announcements made by the Minister came as a surprise to the disability community and representative organisations,” said the statement.
“They have made a very broad announcement without providing any specifics, which, for families that are already concerned about funding and services, only makes people more stressed,” Larkey said.
