00:01A new program to meet a well-established need.
00:05The Territory Government, the first in the country to formally begin Thriving Kids.
00:10We are here today to launch the first phase of Thriving Kids in the ACT.
00:15The Minister is announcing a suite of measures aimed at helping children under the age of
00:19nine with autism and developmental delays.
00:22We already have a really good platform for the provision of government Thriving Kids services.
00:27The disability sector and state and territory governments are still working out exactly
00:32what shape those services need to take to ensure no one slips through the cracks.
00:37To be honest, we don't know what we don't know.
00:40At this point in time, we know it launches tomorrow.
00:43As of tomorrow, the first phase of Thriving Kids will begin rolling out in the capital,
00:48focusing on general supports such as information resources, including a new hotline for families.
00:54The next phases will be based on targeted supports, such as therapy in schools and early education settings.
01:01But the details of those are yet to be finalised.
01:05The government, though, today keen to distance the program from the federal government's NDIS cuts
01:10that are closely linked to the inception of Thriving Kids.
01:13Those changes won't come into effect before the 1st of January, 2028.
01:18So while we're stating out Thriving Kids today, this is not about moving people off the NDIS.
01:22This is an economic decision, not a clinical decision.
01:25The NDIS got too big and the federal government had to make changes,
01:28and hence throw it to the states to roll out Thriving Kids.
01:32Right now, there is some sage advice for parents.
01:35Don't panic. It launches on the 1st of October, but, you know, they're not launching a boat.
01:40You know, not everything's going to change day one.
01:42Kids hopefully given the chance to thrive.
01:52we'll see you soon.
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