What Is Thriving Kids WA?

Thriving Kids WA is Western Australia’s early childhood supports program connected to the new national Foundational Supports model.
The program is expected to support children aged 0-8 years who may:

• Have developmental differences
• Be autistic
• Have developmental delays
• Experience communication, sensory, emotional regulation, or participation support needs
• Benefit from early developmental supports
• Require low-to-moderate levels of support

​The overall direction of Thriving Kids WA focuses on:

• Early support and intervention
• Family-centred approaches
• Building parent and caregiver capacity
• Supporting participation in everyday life
• Accessible developmental supports
• Supporting children in natural environments
• Helping children where they live, learn, and play

Supports may be delivered through:

• Home-based supports
• School and childcare supports
• Community-based services
• Allied health supports
• Parent coaching
• Telehealth services
• Developmental guidance and consultation

As the system is still evolving, details about eligibility, referrals, funding pathways, and available supports may continue to change over time.

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Why Early Childhood Supports Matter

Early childhood is an important time for learning, communication, relationships, emotional development, sensory experiences, and participation in everyday life.

Some children and families may benefit from additional support with:

• Communication and language
• Emotional regulation
• Sensory processing
• Social interaction and connection
• Attention and concentration
• Fine motor and gross motor development
• Daily routines and independence
• School readiness
• Participation at home, school, childcare, and in the community

Early support does not mean something is “wrong” with a child.

Many families seek support to better understand their child’s strengths, communication style, developmental profile, sensory preferences, emotional needs, and participation across everyday environments.

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Accessing Support Before Diagnosis

One of the major discussions around Thriving Kids WA is improving access to support for children before formal diagnosis.

​Many families notice developmental differences or support needs before:

• Receiving specialist assessments
• Accessing paediatricians
• Receiving formal diagnoses
• Entering longer support pathways

Children do not always need a diagnosis to benefit from developmental support.

Early support may help children and families build:

• Communication strategies
• Emotional regulation skills
• Everyday routines
• School readiness skills
• Participation and confidence
• Practical strategies for home, school, and community environments

​Belong Health supports children with:

• Diagnosed conditions
• Emerging developmental differences
• Functional support needs
• Developmental concerns identified by families, educators, childcare providers, or healthcare professionals

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Occupational Therapy Supports

Occupational Therapy can support children to participate more confidently, comfortably, and meaningfully across everyday activities and environments.
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Occupational Therapy may support:

• Emotional regulation
• Sensory processing differences
• Fine motor development
• Handwriting readiness
• Motor planning and coordination
• Daily routines
• Self-care and independence skills
• Play and social participation
• Attention and concentration
• School participation and transitions

Supports may be delivered:

• At home
• At school or childcare
• In the community
• In clinic
• Via telehealth

​Our Occupational Therapists work collaboratively with families to build practical and individualised strategies that support participation across everyday life.

​Our Occupational Therapists work collaboratively with families to develop practical strategies that support children across everyday life.

Learn more about Paediatric Occupational Therapy

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Speech Pathology Supports

Speech Pathology supports children with communication, language, speech development, social interaction, feeding, and participation in everyday environments.

Speech Pathology may support:

• Speech sound development
• Language differences and delays
• Social communication
• Understanding and following instructions
• Early communication development
• Play-based interaction
• Feeding and mealtime support
• Emotional expression
• School readiness communication skills

Our approach focuses on supporting children to communicate in ways that feel meaningful, functional, and supportive for them.

Learn more about Paediatric Speech Pathology

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Psychology Assessments for Children

Belong Health provides child and adolescent psychology assessment services to help families better understand their child’s developmental profile, learning styles, strengths, emotional wellbeing, communication differences, and support needs.

​Assessment services may include:

• Autism assessments
• ADHD assessments
• Combined Autism and ADHD assessments
• Cognitive and intellectual assessments
• Functional and developmental assessments
• School readiness and learning-related assessments
• Parent and caregiver interviews
• Standardised assessment tools and questionnaires

Assessments can help families, educators, and healthcare professionals better understand how to support children in ways that align with their strengths, needs, communication styles, and participation goals.

Learn more about Child Psychology Assessments

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Counselling and Emotional Wellbeing Supports

Children and families may benefit from counselling and emotional wellbeing supports to help navigate:

• Emotional regulation
• Anxiety and worries
• Family adjustment
• Confidence and self-esteem
• Friendship and social connection
• School-related stress
• Behaviour support needs
• Emotional wellbeing and coping strategies

​Our counselling approach is supportive, collaborative, neurodiversity-affirming, and tailored to each child and family.
Supports may focus on:

• Building emotional awareness and coping strategies
• Supporting emotional regulation
• Developing practical everyday supports
• Supporting family communication and relationships
• Building confidence and participation across everyday environments

Learn more about Paediatric Counselling

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Positive Behaviour Support and Emotional Regulation

Some children may communicate stress, overwhelm, sensory overload, frustration, anxiety, or unmet needs through behaviours that impact participation at home, school, or in the community.

Our team supports children and families through:

• Positive Behaviour Support approaches
• Emotional regulation strategies
• Parent coaching and guidance
• Sensory-informed approaches
• Communication supports
• Routine and transition support
• Practical strategies for home and school environments

Our approach focuses on understanding the reasons behind behaviours while supporting children in developing safe, meaningful, and functional ways to communicate, regulate, and participate.

Learn more about Positive Behaviour Supports for Children

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Parent Coaching and Family Support

Parent and caregiver support is expected to become an increasingly important part of early childhood developmental support systems.

Belong Health provides parent coaching and family-centred guidance to help families build confidence in supporting children across everyday life.

Parent coaching may include:

• Emotional regulation strategies
• Sensory support ideas
• Communication strategies
• Behaviour support guidance
• Daily routine support
• School transition strategies
• Play-based developmental activities
• Practical participation supports for home and community environments

Our goal is to work collaboratively with families to build practical, flexible, and sustainable strategies that support both children and caregivers.

Learn More About Parent Coaching

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School Readiness Support

Preparing for school involves much more than academic skills.
Some children may benefit from support with:

• Emotional regulation
• Following routines
• Communication and interaction
• Fine motor development
• Attention and concentration
• Sensory regulation
• Social participation
• Independence skills
• Transitions and flexibility

Belong Health provides school readiness supports through Occupational Therapy, Speech Pathology, Psychology assessments, Counselling, Positive Behaviour Support, and parent coaching approaches.

​Our supports focus on helping children participate more confidently and comfortably within school and learning environments.

[Learn more about School Readiness Support

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Telehealth Supports Across WA

Belong Health provides telehealth developmental supports across Western Australia, including regional and remote communities.
Telehealth may support:

• Occupational Therapy
• Speech Pathology
• Parent coaching
• Behaviour support guidance
• Emotional regulation support
• Developmental consultation
• School consultation
• Flexible access to allied health supports

Telehealth can help families access supports earlier and more flexibly regardless of location.

Learn more about Telehealth Developmental Support

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Thriving Kids WA vs NDIS

Many families are wondering how Thriving Kids WA may differ from the NDIS.

Current information suggests:

• Thriving Kids WA may focus on early developmental supports and family-centred approaches for children with low-to-moderate support needs.
• Some supports may be accessible without formal diagnosis.
• Children with higher support needs or significant functional impact may still remain eligible for NDIS supports.

​As the system is still evolving, pathways and eligibility details may continue to develop over time.

Learn more about Thriving Kids WA vs NDIS

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Our Family-Centred Approach

At Belong Health, we value collaborative, strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming, and family-centred support.
We work alongside:

• Parents and caregivers
• Schools and educators
• Childcare providers
• Support coordinators
• Healthcare professionals
• Community supports

Our goal is to support children to participate meaningfully in everyday life while empowering families with practical guidance, strategies, and ongoing support.

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Supporting Families Across Western Australia

Belong Health supports children and families across:

• Mandurah
  
• Perth
  
• Peel Region
  
• Regional WA
  
• Remote WA communities
  
• Telehealth across Western Australia
  

We provide flexible support options including:

• Home visits
  
• School visits
  
• Community-based supports
  
• Telehealth appointments
  
• Clinic-based services
  

Contact Belong Health
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If you would like to learn more about Thriving Kids WA, developmental supports, Occupational Therapy, Speech Pathology, Psychology assessments, Counselling, Positive Behaviour Support, parent coaching, school readiness, or telehealth services, contact Belong Health today.

​Our team supports children and families across Perth, Mandurah, regional WA, and throughout Western Australia.

Call us

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Frequently Asked Questions - Thriving Kids WA

What is the Thriving Kids WA program?
​Thriving Kids WA is Western Australia’s early childhood supports program connected to the national Foundational Supports model. It is expected to support children aged 0-8 years who may benefit from developmental supports.

How does Thriving Kids WA work?
Thriving Kids WA is expected to provide earlier and more accessible developmental supports for children and families across Western Australia. Supports may include allied health services, parent coaching, developmental guidance, emotional regulation support, and school readiness supports.

What is the difference between Thriving Kids WA and the NDIS?
Thriving Kids WA is expected to focus on early developmental supports for children aged 0-8 years with low-to-moderate support needs, while the NDIS is designed for people with more significant and ongoing disability-related support needs.

Will Thriving Kids WA replace the NDIS?
Current information suggests Thriving Kids WA and the NDIS are expected to work alongside each other rather than one completely replacing the other.

What age group is Thriving Kids WA for?
Thriving Kids WA is expected to support children aged 0-8 years.

Can autistic children still access supports through the NDIS?
Current information suggests some autistic children with higher support needs or significant functional impact may remain eligible for NDIS supports. Eligibility decisions are based on individual circumstances and functional impact.

Does my child need a diagnosis to access support?
Not always. Many children benefit from developmental support based on functional needs, developmental differences, or participation challenges, even before a formal diagnosis.

Can children access developmental support before diagnosis?
Yes. Many children benefit from developmental support before receiving a formal diagnosis, particularly where there are concerns related to communication, emotional regulation, sensory processing, participation, or development.

What types of supports may be available through Thriving Kids WA?
Supports may include Occupational Therapy, Speech Pathology, parent coaching, emotional regulation support, Positive Behaviour Support approaches, developmental guidance, school readiness supports, and telehealth services.

Can supports be provided at school or childcare?
Yes. Supports may be delivered within home, school, childcare, clinic, community, or telehealth environments depending on the child’s goals and support needs.

Does Belong Health provide telehealth services?
Yes. Belong Health provides telehealth services across Western Australia.

Will families in regional WA be able to access supports?
The direction of Thriving Kids WA includes improving access to developmental supports across regional and remote Western Australia. Belong Health also provides telehealth and flexible developmental supports across WA.

OFFICE HOURS:      MONDAY TO FRIDAY  8:30am - 4:30pm

Belong Health's Community Services for Occupational Therapy, Speech Pathology, Occupational & Speech Therapy Assistants, & Counselling. Our Services NOW cover Peel to Perth regions.

 13 Littleton st, Falcon

Phone: 08 9586 3934

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