List of recommendations

4.278The Committee recommends that the Thriving Kids Advisory Group undertake an inclusive co-design process and embed evidence-based policies and interventions, as well as the ability to formally review progress on these processes.

4.279Included in this process should be recognised organisations and peak bodies with an established history in providing services and support for children with physical or psychosocial disabilities and intellectual disability, as well as individuals with lived experience of disability or care of persons with disability, First Nations, and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

4.280The Committee recommends that the Australian Government establish a Thriving Kids Advisory Council, to advise Federal, State and Territory governments, and disability ministers, on the implementation of the Thriving Kids initiative.

4.286The Committee recommends that the Thriving Kids initiative be implemented in phases and that the Thriving Kids Advisory Group consider appropriate safeguards to prevent loss of supports for children.

4.287The Committee also recommends that the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 be amended to ensure that foundational supports are appropriately implemented.

4.292The Committee recommends the Australian Government establish an Inspector-General of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

4.296The Committee recommends that Thriving Kids initiative include a provider registration process that is streamlined and proportionate. The process should recognise and leverage existing registrations under other schemes for similar services, reducing duplication and administrative burden while maintaining appropriate safeguards and quality standards.

4.302The Committee recommends that that the government adopt a commissioned service model for the Thriving Kids initiative to ensure appropriate and quality services are delivered across all jurisdictions. Wherever possible already existing services with appropriate regulation and safeguards should be used.

4.307The Committee recommends that the Australian Government fund and implement improvements to technology for access to online and health advice services, with additional focus on improving these services in regional, rural and remote areas.

4.312The Committee recommends that dedicated funding and staffing be allocated in the development of the Thriving Kids initiative to ensure the integrity and effectiveness of data management. Specifically:

oAdequate resources should be provided to implement systems and processes that guarantee data accuracy, reliability, transparency and adherence to Indigenous Data Sovereignty principles.

oData infrastructure must support interoperability, enabling seamless sharing and integration across relevant platforms and agencies to avoid duplication and enhance efficiency.

oData collection and analysis should be structured to inform decision-making and drive best possible outcomes for families and children in need.

4.316The Committee recommends that there should be a single portal of entry with multiple referral pathways for all children with developmental concerns whether they are in the NDIS or not.

4.317The Committee also recommends that the Thriving Kids Advisory Group ensures that participation in the Thriving Kids initiative will not preclude an individual from seeking to participate in the National Disability Insurance Scheme, once their time in the Thriving Kids initiative has concluded.

4.321The Committee recommends that the Australian Government refer an inquiry to the Committee to undertake a rapid review of the Thriving Kids initiative after twenty-four months in operation. The Committee further recommends that the review be presented to the House in accordance with Standing Orders.

4.322The Committee recommends that a consultative group of professional organisations (including allied health peak bodies, paediatricians, child psychiatrists, child & family nurses, early childhood educators, and school educators) and parents involved in the system themselves, be part of the review process.

4.326The Committee recommends that the Australian Government works with the States and Territories to fund support improvements for children and families during times of transition. These would support families when children is transitioning into early education, from early education into primary education, or from primary education to higher education, as appropriate.

4.333The Committee recommends that the Australian Government use both existing and new resources to work with the States and Territories to support children and their families in regional, rural and remote areas.

4.334This is particularly important for children in regional, rural, and remote areas who have developmental issues and who can be supported through various means, such as using multidisciplinary teams using a hub and spoke system in regional, rural and remote areas.

4.335By increasing funding and resources to already existing organisations who can deliver through a hub-and-spoke system, these supports can be made more readily available and therefore can improve equitable access for these children and their families, thereby ensuring that cost and distance is not a barrier.

4.341The Committee recommends that workforce and resources be developed across all areas of support for families to navigate an extremely complex system and that, wherever possible, support should be provided by a range of workers to ensure equitable access for all, including:

regional, rural and remote areas, CALD and Indigenous communities, children in out-of-home care, parents and carers with disabilities themselves, and other high-risk communities.

4.345The Committee recommends that a separate item number, identical to the yearly review process available to geriatricians, be made available to paediatricians to conduct a yearly review for their patients, with case conferencing with other health professionals and educators involved.

4.346The Committee also recommends that a child development check item number be available for GP’s and allied health professionals, as well as similar childhood development checks be made available for early childhood educators, child and family nurses and community nurses in regional, rural and remote areas. This way, all children can have this as another portal of entry into the Thriving Kids initiative.

4.347The Committee recommends that the Australian Government work with state and territory governments and the non-government school sector to increase transparency of the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data and the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) – Students with Disability loading to better identify the need for this funding and ensure it is effectively targeted and used as intended.