Noah’s Ark’s Position Statement on Thriving Kids

July 2026

Noah’s Ark welcomes the Thriving Kids initiative and is optimistic regarding this opportunity for redesign of the landscape for children with developmental risks, delays or disabilities. This redesign is vital due to unintended consequences of the design of National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS): 

• Delayed support – average age of children commencing with Noah’s Ark is >5 years  
• A move away from best practice – NDIS funding incentivises a clinic-based model 
• A single point of support – “the only lifeboat in the ocean”  
• Variable service quality – only 6% of providers are registered 
• Unsustainable growth – 16% of 6-year-old boys are NDIS participants 

There are several important considerations in the design of Thriving Kids to set the foundations for success: 

1. A clear set of outcomes, underpinned by the following principles:
a) Families access support early and easily
b) Children thrive where they live, learn, and play
c) Families thrive when they feel connected and confident
d) Inclusive communities support child and family functioning 

2. A shared understanding of what children and families need to thrive 
a) Children – safe and nurturing caregiver relationships and opportunities to play and learn with peers (Moore, 2024). 
b) Parents - connection and support in their families and communities, and access to family-centred support services which are relationally delivered (Moore, 2024).  

3. Acknowledgement of the impact of developmental delay and disability  
a) Stress – the need for information, advice, resources, advocacy, service coordination, disrupted sleep, child behaviour, social isolation, resolution to diagnosis cause stress and reduce parental confidence. 
b) Contextual risk – increased likelihood of also experiencing poverty, family and domestic violence, mental and physical health problems.  

4. A focus on families   
a) Family is the primary context and driver for child development, wellbeing, and participation.
b) Parental stress negatively impacts attachment security. Children with a disability are significantly less likely to form a secure attachment and almost twice as likely to develop a disorganised attachment. 
c) Disorganised attachment is associated with behaviour and mental health problems. Children with a disability are three times as likely to have a diagnosed behaviour disorder and children with an intellectual disability are seven times as likely to have a mental health condition.  

5. Resources to support workforce capability 
a) Providers of early childhood intervention (ECI) need knowledge and capability in – The National Best Practice Framework for ECI (Moore T., 2025); coaching; the Key Worker model (Alexander & Forster, 2012); Child Voice; Routines-Based ECI (McWilliam, 2010); and attachment-focused ECI (Alexander, 2026). 
b) Providers of universal early childhood services need knowledge and capability in identifying indicators of developmental risk, delay, and disability and in the meaningful inclusion of all children. 
c) Investment and resourcing in ongoing professional development to support practitioners to develop the experience, skills and knowledge to deliver best practice ECI, with a priority focus on students and new graduates. 

What are the immediate considerations in the design of Thriving Kids? 

• Ensure the design of Thriving Kids is informed by The National Best Practice Framework for Early Childhood Intervention. 
• Embed Thriving Kids within a connected, tiered system of support that considers universal, targeted and differentiated service offerings.  
• Prevent unintended consequences of a focus purely on functional impact to ensure  children with developmental risks (e.g. prematurity, diagnosed disability) are proactively engaged in Thriving Kids.  
• Consider collaborative commissioning with providers of best practice to ensure quality of services; and  
• Develop a strategy for workforce capability development at a national level.  

To request a copy of Noah’s Ark’s detailed discussion paper, Thriving Kids: Essential Considerations for Reform, email hello@noahsarkinc.org.au.  

References 

Alexander, S. (2026). Attachment-Focused Early Childhood Intervention. Brookes Publishing Co. 
Alexander, S., & Forster, J. (2012). The Key Worker: Resources for Early Childhood Intervention professionals. ECII. Link on ResearchGate website.  
McWilliam, R. A. (2010). Routines-based early intervention: Supporting young children and their families. Paul H. Brookes.  
Moore, T. (2024). Core conditions for children and families: Implications for policy and practice. (CCCH Working Paper No.6.). Retrieved 14 August 2024, link on MCRI website.  
Moore T., I., C., Luscombe, D., SNAICC authors, Bonyhady, B, Dimmock, K., Deane, K, D’Aprano, A., & Kakoschke-Moore, S. (2025). National Best Practice Framework for Early Childhood Intervention. The University of Melbourne.