Earlier support, closer to home for children and families

The Brotherhood of St. Laurence has welcomed the rollout of Thriving Kids, a new national approach designed to help children with developmental delay and their families get support earlier and closer to home.

The program follows agreement by National Cabinet to move ahead with Thriving Kids, alongside the release of a proposed national model by the Thriving Kids Advisory Group.

For many families, finding help for children with developmental concerns or autism can be difficult. Long waiting lists, limited services and unclear pathways often mean children miss out on early support when it can make the biggest difference.

Brotherhood of St. Laurence Executive Director Travers McLeod said Thriving Kids could help change that by making support easier to find and access.

“Families shouldn’t have to search endlessly or navigate complex systems to get help,” he said. “Thriving Kids is built on the idea that there should be no wrong door when a family asks for support.”

Support where families already are

A key feature of Thriving Kids is that support is delivered in places families already trust, such as early learning centres, schools and community settings.

Rather than expecting families to fit into disconnected services, the model focuses on meeting children where they live, learn and play. This means support can be more flexible, practical and part of everyday life.

The program also recognises that families don’t experience challenges in isolation. Bringing together early learning, family support and early intervention helps ensure children receive the right support at the right time.

Building on what already works

The Brotherhood of St. Laurence says it is well placed to contribute to the design and rollout of Thriving Kids, drawing on programs already delivering similar approaches on the ground.

One example is its Early Years Integrated Approach, which combines universal and targeted supports to meet the different needs of families. This includes Enhanced Early Supports, a model that provides targeted help for children with developmental differences in familiar settings.

Through this approach, families are supported by a dedicated key worker who helps with practical strategies, connects them to services and supports transitions into early childhood education or school.

The organisation also delivers programs such as HIPPY (Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters), which supports parents to build their child’s learning and development at home through structured activities.

Looking ahead

The Brotherhood of St. Laurence has welcomed the government’s commitment to expanding access to integrated, community-based supports like Thriving Kids.

By investing in early, local and coordinated support, advocates say the program has the potential to reduce stress for families, improve outcomes for children and ensure fewer people fall through the cracks.

As Thriving Kids continues to be developed and rolled out, families and advocates will be watching closely to ensure the promise of early, accessible support becomes a reality.