Sensational Kids

04/02/2026

This is a brilliant response from Kids First Children's Services to the concerning Thriving Kids report delivered by Minister Butler this week. We urge you to add your voice to this discussion by writing to your local minister (template available in the previous post from the ANPA) - our kids deserve better.

Many parents have asked what the 𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙆𝙞𝙙𝙨 / 𝙉𝙤 𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙇𝙚𝙛𝙩 𝘽𝙚𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙙 report could mean for families.

Kids First founder, Sonja Walker, has reviewed the 80,000-word document released today and below are some of the key areas we have raised with our local MP for parliamentary discussion.

It's important to note that the intention behind the report is a positive one. Everyone wants children to get the right support earlier and to see better outcomes over time.

We’re sharing our feedback because we’re concerned that some of the recommendations rely on assumptions that don’t always reflect family life on the ground, and that the real-world impact for children and parents hasn’t been fully considered.

𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘃𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁

The report recommends increasing access to information, resources and online programs to build parent capacity.
Many parents already know what their child finds hard. What’s often missing is time, energy and hands-on support to turn advice into real change at home, school and in the community. Online programs can be helpful, but they don’t replace skilled professionals working alongside children and families over time.

𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲

The report suggests that parent capacity can be expanded indefinitely through access to education and online programs.
In reality, many parents are already carrying a heavy load. Between work, siblings, appointments, school meetings and daily challenges, families are doing their best with limited reserves. Expecting parents to absorb even more responsibility without enough professional support risks burnout and could leave children without the help they need.

𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 “𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗱” 𝗼𝗿 “𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲”

The report relies on terms such as “mild to moderate” developmental delay or autism to guide decisions.
These labels don’t always match daily life, and they do not reflect clinical practice. Children described as “mild” can still struggle significantly with learning, friendships, behaviour, sleep, toileting or emotions. When decisions rely on labels rather than how a child functions day to day, some children miss early support at the point it could make the biggest difference.

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

The report often refers to large Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) as the primary voice of best practice and service delivery.
Many of these organisations hold charitable status, which gives them access to funding structures, tax exemptions, grants and pilot program opportunities that smaller providers simply don’t have. This allows them to trial new models, absorb financial risk and operate at scale in ways that are not possible for most local services.

However, many of these organisations no longer operate consistently within local communities. (The NGO that Sonja once served as a Board member, Lifestart, moved out of the northern beaches years ago to redirect supports to other areas of Sydney.) When this kind of thing happens, families rely heavily on smaller, local services that know their child, their school and their area, and who can respond flexibly as needs change. These relationships are built over time and are central to effective support. If local services that are dedicated to their community disappear, that trust and knowledge can’t be replaced quickly or easily.

𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲

The report implies that private or unregistered providers are more 'transactional' or higher risk than NGOs.
In reality, private practice clinicians are regulated by exactly the same professional bodies and bound by the same strict codes of conduct as NGOs. Many experienced therapists choose not to register with the NDIS because of cost and complexity, not because of poor or unethical practice. This distinction matters to families who depend on these services. We encourage the Thriving Kids committee to ask the question: 'If 92% of NDIS providers are unregistered, why is this so?'

𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

The report supports mandatory registration without clearly outlining a timeframe or how services will transition safely. There are insufficient resources in the sector to allow this to happen, even with a January 2028 floated as a 'done by date'.
If changes are introduced too quickly, some local services may be forced to close. Families won’t simply move elsewhere, because there often isn’t anywhere else to go. Once local services are lost, rebuilding them is extremely difficult.

𝗔𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀

The report focuses heavily (and rightly so) on the challenges that are experienced by families living in Australia's regional and rural areas - however it also assumes that children in metropolitan areas have enough services and capacity.
City families face the same workforce shortages, waitlists and burnout as regional areas. Many parents already ration therapy or go without support because services are stretched.

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆

The report assumes the workforce can expand quickly to support new models of care.
Therapists take years to train, and many experienced clinicians are leaving the sector due to workload and uncertainty. New systems can’t succeed unless there are enough skilled people available to deliver care.
Switching responsibility to educators, teachers and schools is not the answer to these challenges. Educators are already stretched and are not trained or resourced to provide disability-specific assessment or intervention. Expecting them to fill workforce gaps risks pushing people beyond their scope, increasing pressure in classrooms, and leaving children without the specialised support they need.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲

Support for children isn’t just about programs or policy frameworks. 𝗜𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲, 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. 𝗜𝗳 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁, 𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗹𝘆.

𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲) 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁. Without careful planning, broad consultation and agreement across systems, there is a real risk that well-intentioned changes could unintentionally make things harder for the very children they aim to support.

04/02/2026

⚠️ What the government announced today about Thriving Kids - and what it actually means for your child.

Today, the federal government and state/territory governments released the final Thriving Kids report and announced a plan to roll it out.

The government says this is about “supporting children earlier” but the details show it is *actually* a replacement of the NDIS early childhood pathway for many Autistic children and children with developmental delay aged 0-8.

This is a major system change, not a minor tweak.

Here’s what it means in real life.

1. What children get now under the current NDIS early childhood pathway:

If your child is Autistic or has developmental delay and qualifies for NDIS support -

Supports your child gets now under the NDIS:

✔ Individually tailored NDIS plan

✔ An individual budget often around $18,000 to $40,000 per year

✔ Regular therapy (speech, OT, psychology, behaviour supports)

✔ Functional assistive technology (including complex AAC devices)

✔ Support that follows your child across home, ECEC, and school.

Rights your child has now under the NDIS:

✔ You can negotiate what should be in the plan

✔ You can request plan reviews

✔ You can appeal decisions

✔ Funding is legally enforceable under the NDIS Act

✔ There are procedural safeguards if decisions are wrong

This system recognises your child as an individual rights-holder with needs that must be met.

2. What children will get next under the new Thriving Kids plan

Instead of individual NDIS plans, most children will be directed into Thriving Kids programs, where there will be:

✘ No individual plan
✘ No individual budget under a rights-based scheme
✘ Parenting programs and playgroups
✘ Group-based information and support for parents
✘ Some very short blocks of therapy - limited and time-bound
✘ Only low-cost assistive tools (usually under $1,000)

Rights under Thriving Kids

✘ No individual budget to negotiate
✘ No guaranteed minimum supports
✘ No reviewable plan
✘ Decision is about what services exist, not what your child needs

Your child will be treated as part of a cohort and not as an individual whose needs are enforceable by law.

3. What this really looks like in practice

> For children

> Loss of ongoing, regular therapy tied to their needs

> Reduction or elimination of individualised allied health

> Less consistency and continuity of support

> Increased risk of regression in access to communication or regulation

> More time in classrooms without supports

> Increased distress and behaviours of concern leading to exposure to more and more frequent restrictive practices, and resulting trauma and school avoidance

> Increased risks of poor mental health over time due to loss of supports and poor outcomes on every measure.

This isn’t about “moving to schools” - it’s about removing supports children currently rely on.

What does this mean for families?

> More meetings about behaviour instead of therapy outcomes

> More conflict with schools over unmet needs

> More pressure to pay privately or go without support

> No right to appeal or review if supports are cut

> Decisions made by program rules, not your child’s needs

> Parents will effectively have less say and less protection than they do now.

What will this look like in schools?

Staff are expected to manage higher complexity with fewer supports

- More behaviour challenges in class

- More time spent on paperwork, plans, and meetings

- Higher Work Health & Safety risks for teachers and aides from kids in distress without regulation supports

- More conflict with families rather than collaboration as stress increases and exclusion inevitably increases.

This is not extra help for schools. It is less support for children, which pushes work onto teachers and education systems.

4. The $ difference - what’s actually lost in dollar terms?

Under NDIS now:

➡ Typically $25,000-$35,000 per child per year in support for eligible children

➡ Funding follows the child and supports are tailored to their needs.

Under Thriving Kids:

➡ Shared funding of about $28,000 per school per year, to be stretched across ALL students

➡ After admin costs, that’s roughly $300 to $500 per child and not tied to their individual needs

Net difference?

➡ Families lose roughly $25,000 - $30,000 per child per year in direct support.

That’s a real loss of therapy, hours, and supports children were getting under the NDIS.

Your child will get about $300 - $500 dollarbucks per year and it will be general programs you can't choose, instead of $30,000 dollarbucks.

You will pay for anything else they need.

The question on every parents lips today:

5. Can we still stop Thriving Kids?

Yes - but not without clear, organised pressure. We need to get to work.

Here’s what is true and comforting right now:

The model is not yet law!

The Thriving Kids plan requires:

> changes to administrative arrangements, and

> possibly changes to legislation if the NDIS Act criteria are to be altered.

Until it is in law, there is plenty of room to influence, modify, or halt implementation.

So, what actions are possible?

Families and allies can:

➡ Write to your federal MP, state MPs, and Ministers

➡ Participate in submissions to Parliament and inquiries

➡ Share lived experience publicly and with media

➡ Join or support advocacy campaigns focused on rights and legal protections

➡ Ask for a pause on implementation until safeguards are guaranteed

➡ Ask for continuity of the NDIS early childhood pathway unless and until an equal or better rights-based system exists

Parents and advocates are already doing lots of these things. Groups are talking to lawyers and preparing formal responses. There is hope!

6. What you can tell others today about Thriving Kids!

Copy and share this:

➡ “Thriving Kids is not just a new service. It replaces NDIS plans with pooled supports that do not follow my child, will not meet their needs, takes away their enforceable rights and choices, and leaves families without review or appeal.”

➡ “Parents need clarity: what happens if my child needs more than parenting support? What is the right of return to the NDIS? How is this in the best interests of my child?"

➡ “Children deserve support tied to their individual needs. This change moves us backwards, not forwards.”

03/02/2026

Back to school can be more than just uniforms & lunchboxes 🎒
It’s also about supporting regulation, routines & readiness 🧠

Here’s how you can help at home:

✔ Regulation
Calm, predictable mornings and opportunities for movement help children settle their nervous systems so they can focus and engage.

✔ Routines
Visual schedules, clear expectations and consistent transitions support children to know what’s coming next and feel more secure.

✔ Readiness
Sleep, nutrition, downtime and emotional support can help support children to take on school tasks and activities.

If the transition back to school feels tricky, speak with your child's treating allied health therapist or contact us to book an appointment today. Ph: 8560 4060 (Kensington) or 9578 7560 (Cheltenham).

[Image Description: A group of smiling school-aged children and a teacher standing in a classroom raising their hands in front of a chalkboard]

29/01/2026

Have you been waiting for Speech Pathology, or an assessment for far too long? Sensational Kids Kensington has immediate availability for Speech Pathology (this is unheard of!) and assessments. There is also limited availability with the rest of our team - if you are flexible you can nab some great appointments with great therapists! Call us today to book. Ph: 8560 4050 - we look forward to seeing you in clinic soon. #

22/01/2026

📚 Back to School, Set Up for Success! 🎒

A new school year brings new routines, expectations and opportunities.

At Sensational Kids, assessments can be a key part of helping children thrive at school. They play an important role in the diagnostic process and can:

✨ Support schools to put appropriate adjustments in place
✨ Identify your child’s strengths, capabilities and learning style
✨ Highlight areas where extra support may be helpful
✨ Guide clear, meaningful therapy goals that can be reviewed over time

Whether your child is starting school, moving into a new year level, or you have emerging concerns, a comprehensive assessment can help ensure they’re supported in the right way from the start.

Sensational Kids currently has availability for a wide range of assessments,. Speak with our friendly admin team today to learn more or to make a booking.

21/01/2026

🌱 Cultivating a Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is the belief that skills and abilities can develop over time through effort, practice and persistence. It reminds children that abilities grow with hard work.

A fixed mindset, on the other hand, suggests that you either have a skill or you don’t. Which can make challenges feel overwhelming or discouraging.

When children begin to see challenges as opportunities to learn, rather than signs they’ve “failed”, they’re more likely to keep trying, problem-solve and build confidence.

How you can support a growth mindset at home:

✨ Gently reframe challenges as “not yet” moments (for example, “You can’t do this yet, but you’re learning”)
🗣️ Talk openly about your own learning and frustrations and how you work through them
🌱 Notice and praise effort, persistence and trying new strategies, not just outcomes
🤝 Learn something new together and celebrate small steps along the way

Over time, these small moments help children understand that their brains grow and change with practice and that mistakes are part of learning.

At Sensational Kids, we support children to build confidence, resilience and flexible thinking in ways that feel safe, playful and achievable.

If you’d like support for your child, our team is here to help.

20/01/2026

💙 Every child develops at their own pace 💙

If you’ve been checking milestones on the Raising Children website and have questions, we’re here to help guide you. The Raising Children Network reminds us that children develop skills at different ages and stages, and that’s completely normal. Sometimes, though, a little extra support can make a big difference 🤍

At Sensational Kids , our paediatric allied health team works alongside families to support children’s communication, movement, learning and everyday skills in ways that suit their unique development.

Get in touch to learn how we can support your child. Ph: 03 9578 7560 (Cheltenham) or 03 8560 4050 (Kensington)

13/01/2026

💙 What is an Occupational Therapist (OT)? 💙

An Occupational Therapist helps children build the skills they need to take part in everyday activities, at home, at school and in the community 🌈

For children, OTs can support:
🧠 Emotional regulation and attention
✋ Fine motor skills (like handwriting, cutting, dressing)
🏃 Gross motor skills and coordination
🧩 Play, learning and independence
🧦 Daily routines such as toileting, eating and self-care
🧘 Sensory processing and body awareness

Get in touch to learn how an Occupational Therapist can support your child. Ph: 03 9578 7560 (Cheltenham) or 03 8560 4050 (Kensington)

07/01/2026

To our wonderful families, please consider providing something for this - the NDIA needs to hear your story and why it’s so important to have fair systems and processes in place. ❤️

Your voice has power.
We’re collecting real NDIS stories from our community - people with disability, families and carers - to show why the NDIS matters and what needs to change.
📹 Send us a short video
✍️ Or write it down - whatever works for you.
These stories help us to speak out and push for a better, fairer NDIS.
🧩 Submit your story: https://forms.gle/RdFURFMU4xQYThmi7
📣 Tag someone who should share theirs too.

[Image description: Red background with a megaphone and large speech bubble. Inside the bubble, bold text reads: “Share Your NDIS Story” The Every Australian Counts logo appears in the bottom right corner.]

06/01/2026

✨ Welcome to 2026! ✨

A new year brings new goals, new milestones and new opportunities for your child to grow and thrive 💛

At Sensational Kids, our paediatric allied health team is here to support your child’s development! Whether that’s building confidence, communication, movement, learning or everyday skills.

We’re excited to partner with families in 2026 and support each child’s unique journey, one step at a time!

📞 Reach out to learn how we can help your child this year. Ph: 03 9578 7560 (Cheltenham) or 03 8560 4050 (Kensington)

31/12/2025

Our Speechie and OT team is growing and we are on the lookout for:
- A new graduate or early career Speech Pathologist (full or part time);
- An early career Occupational Therapist (up to 3 days per week)

We are a friendly, experienced team and offer a diverse caseload, high levels of supervision and support, and a lovely new clinic space to work out of. You get your own laptop, therapy room, supervisor and loads of resources so you can do a great job!

Submit your CV via our website or call our clinic for further details. Job details can be found on our careers page on our website. We look forward to hearing from you!
https://www.sensationalkids.com.au/get-in-touch/