What issues did the community share? | Children, Young People and Families Reference Group - Easy Read meeting bulletin

2 community members having a conversation with a Reference Group member. Above the 2 community members is a speech bubble showing a problem icon.

Reference Group members connected with the community to find out about issues that affect them.

A group of 5 participants with a problem icon above them.

This includes issues that affect participants.

Participants are people with disability who take part in the NDIS.

An IAC Member and an NDIA worker having a conversation beneath a problem icon inside of a speech bubble.

Members shared reports about these issues with the NDIA.

3 NDIA workers beneath a speech bubble.

People from the NDIA also shared their response to some of these issues.

Thriving Kids

A person looking worried next to a thought bubble with a problem icon in it.

Reference Group members said the community are worried about Thriving Kids.

Someone supporting a child to play.

Thriving Kids is a new program for children who need extra support.

An arrow pointing from a child to a young person. There is a problem icon between them.

For example, children with developmental delay.

A developmental delay is when a child takes longer than usual to learn things like walking or talking.

A family with 2 parents and a child who has autism. They are smiling.

The community are worried about how Thriving Kids will affect families with Autistic children.

A person looking worried next to a dollar sign.

The community are also worried about how Thriving Kids will affect their funding.

An NDIS document next to a dollar sign.

Funding is money from an NDIS plan that pays for the supports a participant needs.

An NDIS plan document.

An NDIS plan has information about:

a participant and their goals
what supports a participant needs
what the NDIS will pay for.

A calendar showing a green start button.

The NDIA said the Thriving Kids program will start from 1 October 2026.

A calendar showing a tick.

It expects Thriving Kids to be in full use by 1 January 2028.

A person supporting a child with disability.

Children will keep using the NDIS if they:

have high support needs
a disability that will last their whole life.

A person supporting a child who is sitting at a desk with coloured pencils and paper.

Thriving Kids will support children with low support needs.

Assessments

A person looking worried next to a magnifying glass showing a disability icon.

Reference Group members said the community are worried about assessments.

A document with a magnifying glass on it. There is a disability icon in the lens of the magnifying glass.

The NDIA uses assessments to work out:

what support someone needs
if they can take part in the NDIS.

An NDIA worker supporting a parent and child.

Members asked the NDIA to make sure it supports children and families leaving the NDIS.

Funding periods

A person holding a document with an information icon on it.

Reference Group members asked the NDIA to share more information about funding periods.

A stack of 3 calendars with a dollar sign on the front. There is a tick next to the calendars.

Funding periods tell a participant:

how long their funding needs to last
when they can start using more funding.

Decisions about changes to the NDIS

An NDIA worker next to a speech bubble showing a tick and a cross.

Reference Group members said the community are worried about how the NDIA makes decisions.

A person looking worried next to a stopwatch.

They’re worried that NDIA makes decisions too quickly.

An NDIS document and a change icon.

This includes decisions about changes to the NDIS.

Funding

A participant raising their hand. There is a speech bubble next to them showing a dollar sign and an arrow pointing down.

Reference Group members said participants told them about losing some of their funding.

This means

A hand holding cash next to a cross.

bullet they can’t pay for some support they used to get

A parent supporting their child to get dressed.

bullet their families have to do more to support them.end of list

A construction worker cutting a piece of wood with a saw. There is a cross next to them.

Some families have had to leave work to care for participants.

Young people who need mental health support

An NDIA worker next to a speech bubble showing a support person. There is a cross next to the speech bubble.

Reference Group members shared that the NDIA said no to certain supports for some young people.

A young person having a conversation with a therapist.

This includes young people who need support with their mental health.

Someone raising their hand next to a mental health icon.

A person’s mental health is about how they:

think and feel about themselves
deal with things in their life
manage their feelings.

A support person and a child beneath a problem icon.

Members said it can be harder for some young people to get the support they need.

An NDIA worker and a state government worker working together.

Members asked the NDIA and state governments to work together to better support young people.

Child protection services

A group of 3 people in a meeting.

The NDIA said they’ve been working with child protection services.

A child protection icon - a shield with an image of a child on it.

Child protection services help children stay safe.

They can decide if a child:

is not safe in their home
must live with someone else.

A person supporting a child. They are sitting at a table together.

They’ve been trying new programs to help support children who need extra support.

A calendar showing a green start button.

This work started in August 2025.

An NDIA worker supporting a parent and a child. There is a thumbs up icon above them.

It has helped the NDIA improve the way they work with children and family services.