Our Advocacy
A Response to the Thriving Kids Final Report from Lifestart CEO, Birgitte Maibom
This week, Lifestart leaders and specialists from across our organisation were pleased to review the newly released Thriving Kids Final Report. Our focus was not only on what the report signals for the future of the disability sector and Lifestart’s role in it but, critically and most importantly, how it may help children and their families through the creation of a stronger, community-anchored support system that is more equitable and flexible. We welcome the report and the significant opportunities the new Thriving Kids model presents to further develop, improve and complement the supports and systems currently in place for children with disability and developmental concerns and their families.
At the same time, we recognise that this is a time of uncertainty and concern for many families currently supported by the NDIS. The increasing clarity that this report provides in understanding what these changes may mean for families and children is therefore equally important and welcome
The Thriving Kids Final Report lays out a number of key changes designed to address the needs of children aged 0 to 8 years with developmental delay and low-to-moderate support needs. These include:
- Better enabling early identification of developmental delay within everyday settings such as early learning centres and schools, health care and community services;
- Faster and easier access to supports; and
- Providing better supports, learning and capacity building for parents and carers.
These improvements can help to create a more efficient system that focuses targeted supports for children with substantial needs, creating a faster and more effective pathway.
We’re excited about the opportunity this report presents to improve outcomes for children by placing families and communities at the heart of the support system. At Lifestart, we’ve been empowering children with disability and developmental delay for thirty years, so we’ve seen the support landscape evolve and change firsthand. What hasn’t changed is our fundamental belief that children reach their full potential when the support they receive acknowledges and embraces the vital role played by the families and communities where they live, learn and play.
Capacity building has always been at the centre of our philosophy. We currently support over 13,000 children directly each year – but we know there are thousands more impacted through our work fostering inclusion through tailored training and support services. We deliver inclusion training for schools, childcare centres, universities, sporting associations, and community organisations; and work with Local Governments to support and manage community events that connect families to the broader communities they’re a part of.
We also understand and have experienced first-hand the impact of foundational supports. We’ve developed innovative and effective Early Supports programs that have empowered children and their families in New South Wales. Alongside traditional delivery, these include group workshops in community settings where parents and children learn not only from our Specialists but each other, as well as accessing digital resources and online supports.
We’re thrilled to see these approaches given such crucial roles in the Thriving Kids Final Report and we’d like to thank the Advisory Group for this important, transformative work. We are confident that a simpler but more impactful system can become a reality for our nation’s children.
The new model will critically require implementation of clear intake points where the right pathways for parents and carers are enabled by the experience and expertise needed to ensure equitable, easy and quick access to them. It will also be important to ensure that, as the work progresses, the system is funded in line with its ambition and vision, and that the expertise and experience that already exists through high-quality community-based service providers is fully utilised and leveraged. These are key areas we will be focused on in our work and conversations with governments to help guide the next steps in the process and ensure great outcomes for children and families.
We look forward to working with Minister Butler and his team as well as with the NSW Government to help build a strong, equitable system that delivers this shared vision for Australia, its children and families. Lifestart is already delivering high-quality, inclusive supports at scale to children, families, and communities, and we are ready to further scale our impact as part of this national vision.
Let’s make sure every kid thrives and gets the start to life they deserve.
Birgitte Maibom, Lifestart CEO