On 12 May 2026, the Federal Government handed down its 2026 to 2027 Budget, and shortly after, introduced the Securing the NDIS for Future Generations Bill to Parliament. For families connected to behaviour support and early childhood services, there has been a lot of news, a lot of speculation, and understandably, a lot of questions.

THE HEADLINE NEWS, IN PLAIN LANGUAGE

The Government has announced a package of reforms that aim to make the NDIS more sustainable for the long term, while building new community based supports that sit alongside it. The changes will roll out gradually between now and 2028, so very little is changing today, tomorrow, or next week.

Here are the four pieces most relevant to Kameleon families.

1. The NDIS is continuing

Firstly, to reassure families that the NDIS is not being abolished, but there are some clear changes to the way the scheme provides funding, and the amount of funding that will be available in the future.

2. A new program for young children: Thriving Kids

The Budget commits 2 billion dollars from the Commonwealth, matched by states and territories for a combined 4 billion dollars, to a new national program called Thriving Kids. It is designed for children aged 0 to 8 with developmental delay or autism whose support needs are assessed as low to moderate.

Thriving Kids will be delivered through everyday community settings such as health clinics, schools, childcare, and family homes. The idea is that earlier, lighter touch support reaches children sooner, without families needing to navigate a full NDIS plan.

Rollout begins around 1 October 2026, scaling to full operation by 1 January 2028. Children currently on the NDIS, or who join before the rollout, will not be automatically removed.

Children from 0 to 8 with permanent and significant disability, or substantially reduced functional capacity, remain on the NDIS.

Thriving Kids at a glance · For children aged 0 to 8 with developmental delay or autism, low to moderate support needs · Jointly funded by Commonwealth and state and territory governments · Delivered through community settings, not through individual NDIS plans · Rollout begins 1 October 2026; full operation by 1 January 2028 · Children with high support needs continue on the NDIS

3. Changes to NDIS planning

From mid 2026 onward, the NDIS is moving to a new framework planning approach. This includes a structured assessment tool, clearer funding categories, and budgets that are more closely tied to assessed functional need rather than diagnosis alone.

For families, the practical takeaway is this:

  •  Clear, specific, well documented evidence of how disability affects everyday life will matter more than ever. The good news?
  •  This is exactly what high quality behaviour support assessment and reporting already produces.

4. Stronger safeguards and provider quality

The reforms expand mandatory provider registration, particularly for providers supporting participants most at risk of harm. They strengthen the powers of the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, tighten oversight of fraud and non-compliance, and lift the bar on documentation, outcomes measurement, and ethical practice.

Kameleon Group is a registered NDIS provider and has been from day one. These changes reinforce the way we already work.

WHAT STAYS THE SAME AT KAMELEON

We know that when the system shifts, families look to their providers for stability.

So, here is what is not changing.

Behaviour support remains strong. Positive Behaviour Support continues to be a core, funded support under the NDIS. The principles we work by, understanding the whole person, reducing restrictive practices, building skills and quality of life, are exactly what the reforms reinforce. If anything, well-written, outcomes-focused behaviour support plans become more important, not less, under the new planning framework.

Our early childhood work continues. Receiving early childhood supports from Kameleon will continue, for as long as your child is able to access the NDIS scheme. If your child transitions onto Thriving Kids, we will do our best to support the transition of services to support continuity, as we know how critical this is.

You keep your choice of practitioner and provider. Choice and control remain core to the NDIS, and core to how we operate.

What you can do right now:-

Reform periods can feel unsettling, especially when the system you rely on is the topic of national debate. We understand that.

We also know that the families we work with are extraordinary, and that the children, young people and adults we support thrive when the adults around them are calm, informed, and working together.

Here are a few sensible things you can do over the next few months.

  •  Keep good records. A simple journal of how your loved one’s needs show up day to day, what helps, and what does not, becomes valuable evidence at the next plan review.
  • Talk to your practitioner. If you have questions about how a specific change might affect your family, ask. Your Kameleon team will give you a straight answer and tell you when we genuinely do not know yet, because some details are still being worked out by Government.
  • Stay connected to trusted sources. The NDIS website at ndis.gov.au and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing publish the official updates. We will continue to share family friendly summaries as new information emerges.

A final word from the Kameleon team If you have questions, please reach out to your Kameleon practitioner or our office. We are here for you