Early childhood registration: registration group 0118
Early intervention supports for early childhood is registration group 0118. It needs a certification audit against Core module and Module 3.
Changes coming for 0118
Market change: Thriving Kids
Thriving Kids, a new program outside the NDIS, started rolling out in stages in October 2026 and is taking over support for children aged 8 and under with developmental delay and/or autism and low to moderate support needs. Children with permanent and significant disability, including those with developmental delay and/or autism and high support needs, stay eligible for the NDIS.
Our summary of: NDIS: Thriving Kids (news, 5 February 2026); Thriving Kids supports being rolled out (updated 1 October 2026); Securing the NDIS for future generations timeline
Each change says whether it's law, already started, or only announced. Summaries are ours; the quote is from the official source.
Started
Thriving Kids starts rolling out
Thriving Kids, a program outside the NDIS for children aged 8 and under with developmental delay and/or autism and low to moderate support needs, started rolling out in stages in October 2026. More supports are being added until January 2028. The changes to NDIS access for children are a separate step, planned for 1 January 2028.
“Thriving Kids is rolling out in stages. Some supports started in October 2026. Other supports are growing over time. All supports will be rolled out by January 2028.”
Announced, not yet law
Thriving Kids fully operational; access changes for children 8 and under
Thriving Kids is fully operational nationally. New applicants aged 8 and under with developmental delay and/or autism and low to moderate support needs are supported by Thriving Kids instead of the NDIS.
“Thriving Kids services are fully operational nationally.”
Official source: Thriving Kids fully operational; access changes for children 8 and under
Key facts
- Audit type
- Certification
- Practice Standards modules
- Core module
- Module 3: Early childhood supports
- Qualifications and conditions
- The NDIS Practice Standards Qualification and Professional Associations Required Documentation Guide (November 2025), published on the NDIS Commission verification module page lists these professions for this group: Physiotherapist. Auditors check the qualification, registration or membership evidence the guide sets out for each profession.
- Support Catalogue categories (2026–27)
- Assistance with Daily Life (Includes SIL); Improved Daily Living Skills
How this group is assessed
An individual or partnership providing early intervention supports for early childhood is assessed against clause 7 of the Core module and Module 3: Early childhood supports, instead of the full Core module.
Source: NDIS (Provider Registration and Practice Standards) Rules 2018, s20(4) and (5)
Practice Standards you'll be audited against
The Core module applies to many registration groups, so its outcomes are listed by title here; the official text is on the NDIS Commission's pages, and you can work through every outcome in the self-assessment. The module specific to this group is shown in full: open an outcome to see its official quality indicators.
Core module (24 outcomes)
Rights and responsibilities
- Person-centred supports
- Individual values and beliefs
- Privacy and dignity
- Independence and informed choice
- Violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation and discrimination
Official outcomes and indicators: Core module, Rights and responsibilities
Provider governance and operational management
- Governance and operational management
- Risk management
- Quality management
- Information management
- Feedback and complaints management
- Incident management
- Human resource management
- Continuity of supports
- Emergency and disaster management
Official outcomes and indicators: Core module, Provider governance and operational management
Provision of supports
- Access to supports
- Support planning
- Service agreements with participants
- Responsive support provision
- Transitions to or from a provider
Official outcomes and indicators: Core module, Provision of supports
Provision of supports environment
- Safe environment
- Participant money and property
- Management of medication
- Mealtime management
- Management of waste
Official outcomes and indicators: Core module, Provision of supports environment
Module 3: Early childhood supports (7 outcomes)
The child
Outcome: Each child participant accesses supports that promote and respect their legal and human rights, support their development of functional skills, and enable them to participate meaningfully and be included in everyday activities with their peers.
Quality indicators
- Knowledge and understanding of each participant’s legal and human rights, and incorporation of those rights into everyday practice.
- Implementation of practices and procedures to manage risk with a focus on creating a safe environment for children.
- Compliance with all relevant state and territory legislation relating to the reporting of risk of harm to children.
- Facilitation of the active involvement of the participant’s support network in the participant’s development.
- Alternative arrangements for the continuity of supports for each child participant, when changes or interruptions are unavoidable, are: a) explained and agreed with them (taking into account their capacity to understand and agree to alternative arrangements) and their family; and b) delivered in a way that is appropriate to their needs, preferences and goals.
The family
Outcome: Each family receives family-centred supports that are culturally inclusive, responsive, and focus on their strengths.
Quality indicators
- Each support plan is based on child and family choice and control and is undertaken with the family.
- The family’s expertise and knowledge about their child is recognised and respected.
- The family’s strengths, needs and priorities are identified by working in partnership with the family.
- Each support plan is flexible and individualised to reflect the child’s and family members’ preferences and learning styles.
- Each support plan is culturally responsive and respectful of the family’s cultural beliefs and their community.
- Information and supports are provided in a clear, easy to understand and flexible manner by integrating the support into the child’s everyday routine.
- The strengths of the family are promoted and developed, and the family is assisted to develop their own network of formal and informal resources, with recognition that positive outcomes for children do not rely solely on therapeutic child-focused programs.
- Work is undertaken with the family to inform and strengthen their participation in, and contribution to, the child’s learning and development.
Inclusion
Outcome: Each participant accesses supports that engage their natural environments and enable inclusive and meaningful participation in their family and community life.
Quality indicators
- Assessment of each child’s development focuses on the child’s functions in their everyday routines and activities in their natural learning environments.
- A child’s inclusive, meaningful and active participation in their family life, community life and natural environments is promoted.
- Links with each family’s community and other support agencies are enabled and built upon.
- Each child’s inclusion through participation in daily routines in their natural learning environments is promoted.
Collaboration
Outcome: Each participant receives coordinated supports from a collaborative team comprising their family, the provider and other relevant providers, to facilitate their development and address the family’s needs and priorities.
Quality indicators
- If the family wishes to engage a key worker, work is undertaken with the family and other providers to identify a suitable key worker.
- Close collaborative links with the family and other collaborating providers are established to coordinate the team around each child.
- With the consent of the family, information, knowledge and skills are communicated and shared between the family, the provider, and other collaborating providers.
- Where relevant, collaboration between supports and services is undertaken to ensure that transition/exit planning meets the needs of each child and their family.
Capacity building
Outcome: Each participant receives supports that build the knowledge, skills and abilities of the family and other collaborating providers in order to support the child’s learning and development.
Quality indicators
- Work is undertaken with the support network in each child’s life to build their capacity to achieve the functional outcomes identified in the support plan.
- Each family’s confidence is built to understand how their family routines and everyday activities can support their child’s development.
- The capacity of the child, family and collaborating providers involved with the child is built through coaching, capacity building supports and collaborative teamwork.
- Collaboration is undertaken to affirm, challenge, and support the child, family and collaborating providers to further develop their skills and to improve practice and relationships.
- Feedback and learnings from the child, family and other professionals is used to improve support delivery.
Evidence-informed practice
Outcome: Each participant receives evidence-informed supports from providers with quality standards and validated practice.
Quality indicators
- Intervention strategies are based on explicit principles, validated practices, best available research and relevant laws and regulations.
- Appropriate information, knowledge, skills and expertise are in place to deliver quality supports to each participant’s support network.
- Knowledge and skills are maintained through continuing relevant professional development, ongoing self-reflection, self-assessment and monitoring of practices.
Outcome-based approach
Outcome: Each participant receives supports that are outcome-based and goal-focused.
Quality indicators
- The functional outcomes for the child and their family are based on their needs and priorities, and the skills needed to achieve those outcomes are identified through collaboration with the child and their family.
- Each child has a documented support plan that describes the interventions and their functional outcomes.
- The family is actively involved in the assessment of the child and the development and review of the support plan.
- A copy of the support plan is provided to the family in the language, mode of communication and terms that they are most likely to understand.
- The functional outcomes support the child’s meaningful participation in family and community life.
- The assessment, intervention planning and outcomes for the child and the family are measured, evaluated and reported in ways that are meaningful to, and understood by, the family.
Related
Get NDIS registration updates
Last reviewed:
Official sources
- NDIS Commission: Registration groups or classes of support
- NDIS (Provider Registration and Practice Standards) Rules 2018 (Federal Register of Legislation)
- NDIS Commission: Verification module, incl. the Qualification and Professional Associations Required Documentation Guide
- NDIA: NDIS Support Catalogue
- NDIS Commission: NDIS Practice Standards, Core module (Rights and responsibilities)
- NDIS Commission: NDIS Practice Standards, Core module (Provider governance and operational management)
- NDIS Commission: NDIS Practice Standards, Core module (Provision of supports)
- NDIS Commission: NDIS Practice Standards, Core module (Provision of supports environment)
- NDIS Commission: NDIS Practice Standards, Module 3: Early childhood supports
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing: Thriving Kids supports being rolled out (updated 1 October 2026)
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing: Securing the NDIS for future generations timeline