Why foundational supports exist
The NDIS was designed for people with permanent and significant disability. The NDIS Review found many people with disability had little support outside it, so the NDIS became the only option for almost everyone. Foundational supports are meant to fill that gap: help available in the community without needing to become an NDIS participant.
They are not an NDIS plan. There is no individual budget, and you do not apply through the NDIA. Supports are delivered through community organisations and government services.
General supports
General supports are for all people with disability under 65, children with additional developmental support needs, and their families, carers and kin. The government describes them as improving access to:
- Evidence based information and advice
- Supports to build skills, confidence and independence
- Peer and community connections
- Help to find other supports and resources
- Advice to help community organisations become more inclusive and accessible
Targeted supports
Targeted supports sit between mainstream services, such as health and education, and the specialist supports funded through the NDIS. The NDIS Review proposed them mainly for people under 65 who are not eligible for an NDIS plan but need extra help.
The national agreement says targeted supports may include home and community care type supports, aids and equipment, early childhood supports, psychosocial supports, and supports for adolescents and young adults. Apart from Thriving Kids, the detail of who gets what is still being negotiated.
The National Agreement on Foundational Supports
The Australian Government and the states and territories signed the National Agreement on Foundational Supports 2026 to 2031, which started on 2 February 2026 and runs to 30 June 2031.
- Funding is shared equally: 50% from the Australian Government and 50% from the states and territories together
- Total funding is capped at $10 billion for the first five years
- Rollout is phased, starting with children, and supports for other groups are added through separate bilateral agreements
- Governments must report publicly on what is delivered
Thriving Kids: the first foundational support
The first phase is Thriving Kids, for children 8 and under with developmental delay or autism and low to moderate support needs, and their families. Rollout started on 1 October 2026, with general supports first and more targeted supports added over time, including group and one on one allied health and low cost assistive technology.
Thriving Kids becomes fully operational on 1 January 2028. From then, new applicants in that group are supported by Thriving Kids instead of the NDIS. Children already in the NDIS keep their plans, and children with high support needs or permanent and significant disability remain eligible for the NDIS.
What it means for you now
If you are an NDIS participant, foundational supports do not replace your plan. They may add options, such as peer groups or information services, that you can use alongside it. If you are not eligible for the NDIS, or are leaving it, foundational supports are where help outside the scheme is meant to come from, although outside Thriving Kids most targeted supports are not yet in place.
Ask your GP, child health nurse, early childhood partner, local area coordinator or local council what is available in your area, as services roll out differently in each state and territory.