Early Days Therapy

15/05/2026

There is a lot of talk right now about Thriving Kids in NSW.
Whilst it is still unclear what the "limited circumstances" are that will allow private practitioners like myself to provide supports under this new model, there are some things that I wanted to assure families:
🌻Thriving Kids funding is being rolled out by the state departments. At present we only have information released by DCJ about the structure Thriving Kids will follow in NSW, we are waiting to hear how things will look across the river in VIC
🌻Thriving Kids is for children aged 8 and under, if your child is over this age and receiving NDIS funding, they will continue to do so
🌻Thriving Kids is aimed at children with "low to moderate support needs" only
🌻Any child under the age of 8 who is already receiving NDIS funding prior to the 1st of January 2028, will also continue to receive NDIS funding, providing they meet NDIS eligibility requirements. (This means if you're an existing client of mine receiving NDIS funding, things will proceed as they have been)
🌻There are changes to the NDIS eligibility and review processes coming too. Reach out with any questions and I will share what I know

This is the information that is available at this stage, things may change as the process goes on. There are many submissions and questions being raised that will hopefully lead to a greater role for private practice within this model, particularly in rural communities such as ours.
I'll be staying as informed as I can throughout these changes and will do my best to provide continued access to supports for my current caseload and my community 🌻

14/05/2026

It’s concerning to hear from local allied health providers about barriers that have arisen in the way the Thriving Kids NSW program will be delivered.

Thriving Kids NSW is a new early intervention program being rolled out from October 2026 to support children aged 8 years and under with developmental delay and Autism who are not accessing the NDIS. The program is intended to provide therapies, family support and early intervention services closer to home.

In regional communities like Jerilderie and Oaklands, sole-practice and small business allied health practitioners are often the frontline providers supporting local children and families.

These clinicians have built trusted relationships with families, schools and preschools, while delivering flexible services close to home in areas already facing workforce shortages, long waitlists and significant travel barriers.

The current Expressions of Interest process opened by the Department of Communities and Justice is focused on non-government not-for-profit organisations, with private providers only considered under “exceptional circumstances”.

That is deeply concerning for rural communities, and I have raised these concerns directly with the NSW Minister for Families and Communities.

Speech Pathology Australia has warned that private providers are essential to the Thriving Kids workforce and that children will not have sufficient access to services without them.

Policies designed in Sydney must reflect the realities of rural healthcare delivery.
Regional families deserve genuine choice and continuity of care when accessing support for their children.

ABC Riverina Interview, at 2:17:00 https://shorturl.at/52xzE

10/05/2026

🚨 Rural Families Deserve Better: Thriving Kids NSW Must Reconsider Excluding Private Practices 🚨

This week, the NSW Government released further details about the new Thriving Kids NSW program, an initiative designed to provide early intervention supports for children aged 8 years and under with mild to moderate developmental delay and Autism.

The program is expected to begin rolling out from October 2026, with the new model gradually replacing the current arrangements for eligible children who are not accessing the NDIS.

However, the announcement also confirmed that private allied health practices will not be invited to deliver services under the program. Instead, supports will only be provided through Government agencies and Non-Government Not-for-Profit Organisations.

The NSW Department of Communities and Justice has stated that private providers may apply for tender, but will only be considered “if exceptional circumstances arise”, with the majority of services restricted to not-for-profit organisations.

As a private speech pathologist in Jerilderie, I am extremely concerned about what this could mean for rural and regional families.

For years, local private clinicians have filled critical gaps in care. We have built trusted relationships with families, collaborated closely with schools and preschools, invested in specialist training, and created services that respond directly to the needs of our community.

Yet despite this, private practices will now be excluded from delivering supports under the program.

This is the wrong decision.

In regional areas like Jerilderie, there are not endless therapy options. Families often already face long waitlists, workforce shortages, travel barriers and limited access to specialised supports. Removing private providers from the system will not improve access, it risks making it worse.

Families deserve the right to choose the service and clinician that best meets their child’s needs.

A system that excludes experienced local providers is not family centred, and it is not in the best interests of rural children.

We strongly encourage families, educators, health professionals and community members to speak up and advocate for rural families to retain access to private allied health services.

📧 [email protected]

You can also contact local State and Federal representatives to share your concerns and advocate for genuine choice and inclusion for rural families.

Regional children and families should not lose access to trusted local services because of policy decisions made without meaningful consultation or inclusion of private practitioners. Rural communities already face significant barriers to accessing healthcare and therapy services. Policies like this risk widening that gap rather than improving outcomes for our children.

24/04/2026

Today we pause to remember and honour the courage, sacrifice, and spirit of all the men and women who have served and continue to serve. Their bravery has shaped the freedoms we enjoy today.

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."

Lest we forget.

23/04/2026

Missed today’s press club address? We’ve put together a handy summary of all the key dates and next steps announced by Minister Mark Butler at the National Press Club address today.

* Tighter assessment of reasonable and necessary supports for new entrants, plan reassessment for existing participants and plan renewal changes will be progressively implemented from 1 February 2027.
* Participants will start to transition to new framework planning from 1 April 2027.
* Changes to the boundaries between the NDIS and mainstream systems will apply to prospective participants from 1 January 2028, with current participants reassessed over a transition period.
* Participant supports budgets for social, civic and community participation supports and capacity building daily activities will be progressively adjusted from 1 October 2026.
* Consultation on commissioning home and living supports will begin in July 2026.
* The new plan management approach will be implemented from 1 October 2027, beginning with a 6-month transition period.
* The newly commissioned support coordination function will begin from 1 July 2028.
* Reforms to strengthen powers for the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission and NDIA will be introduced over the next 18 months.
* Expansion of provider registration will commence from July 2027, with full implementation by the end of 2030.
* Uplift to NDIS claims and payments systems will begin from July 2026 and will be rolled out by the end of 2030.

Read our full update on today’s announcement: https://otaus.com.au/news/ndis-statement-220426

02/04/2026

Wishing everyone a safe and Happy Easter 🐰

19/03/2026

13/03/2026

09/02/2026

🌻Jumping on the career caricature bandwagon 🌻
Looking forward to another year of all things paediatric speech pathology!

18/12/2025

🌻 I’ve now clocked off for the year to spend some time with my family. Wishing everyone a safe and Merry Christmas 🎄 and a happy and healthy new year 🥳 See you in 2026! 🌻