05/09/2026
Question: What’s the deal with Thriving Kids? That’s a question we hope to tackle at an upcoming question time with the WA Department of Communities next Tuesday that you're invited to.
We're inviting members and the wider disability community to come along to ask this question and get a detailed answer.
What we do know:
A $52 million WA Government tender process is underway and PWdWA has an opportunity to apply. (Check out the link in comments 👇)
The Thriving Kids Family and Children Support Program grants scheme has aims PWdWA supports – to back up children and families of youngsters aged 8 and under with developmental concerns, delay or autism.
Initiatives the state government wants to back will help:
* build family capability and confidence
* strengthen peer support networks and community connections
* improve access to early supports in community settings
* provide culturally safe supports, including services delivered by Aboriginal-led organisations for Aboriginal kids and families.
PWdWA is not sure this is something we should put our hands up for but we want to ask members if there is an agenda that would be useful for you or your kids.
We can't apply for advocacy funding to support you through Thriving Kids processes in this funding round, but we can apply for funding support to run peer-support community programs.
We've heard an independent peak body to pursue a good Thriving Kids agenda has unfortunately been ruled out.
And let's be honest, we don't want kids to be removed from the NDIS National Disability Insurance Scheme at all.
Is there a particular agenda you want us to pursue? Like develop a program to get kids back on the NDIS from age 9?
Kids with autism and developmental delay have a lot going on. Sometimes there's too or , , and a suite of other . It's not unreasonable that kids will also be eligible for the scheme for other reasons.
We want all our programs to be built with and for our members. We want to pursue agendas you're comfortable with.
We also want to develop a report and develop policy positions to lobby the Technical Advisory Group for NDIS functional capacity.
We do not know what criteria the group is using, or how they will define what a significant disability is.
With the Thriving Kids start date coming on October 1, come along and have your say before our kids start being removed from the .
Our community session is this Tuesday at 2–3.30pm at Department of Communities, 130 Stirling Street, Perth.
RSVP at the Humanitix link in comments 🎟️
—People with Disabilities WA
