While some children in our program may be NDIS participants, this program is designed to fill a gap in the system that goes beyond what NDIS or the Inclusion Support Program can typically cover. Our model provides a new level of integrated, holistic care.

The Inclusion Support Program helps early‑childhood services become more inclusive, but it isn’t a disability specific support program and doesn’t fund one‑on‑one care for children with ongoing high‑support needs.  Under its guidelines, services cannot use the program to hire staff solely to provide medical or nursing assistance, and they must handle children’s medical needs within their own regulatory obligations.  As a result, children with complex medical conditions often need more specialised support than the Inclusion Support Program is designed to offer.

While hospice offers compassionate care exclusively for children with palliative diagnoses, the RippleAbility Respite Program Pilot does not have this restriction. Our program fills the gap for families whose children have complex medical needs but who may or may not be in a palliative state. The focus of our centre is on providing crucial respite to the family unit, so they can rest, reset, and rebuild with confidence.

When we say “complex needs,” we’re referring to children who haven’t been able to access mainstream childcare because of their medical, behavioural, or diagnostic needs.

This could include (but isn’t limited to) children who:

• Require specialised feeding, medication, or medical equipment

• Have health conditions that need close monitoring or emergency response plans

• Are awaiting a formal diagnosis or have a rare or life-limiting condition

• Need high levels of support with mobility, communication, or personal care

• Show behaviours that are hard to safely support in typical settings

• Have overlapping developmental, physical, or neurological needs

In short, if your child has been turned away from childcare because their needs were considered “too complex,” this pilot is built with you in mind.

No. Our program is for young children, from birth to schooling age, who require a high level of daily care. This may include children with formal diagnoses, those still being assessed, or those with palliative diagnoses. What they all have in common is the need for safe, skilled, and compassionate care.

We are piloting our model in different community-based environments to gather insights into what families need most and what types of spaces offer the best support experience. These pilots are a critical step toward designing a purpose-built ‘plugin model’ for existing ECEC facilities in future stages.

No — this is not a playgroup. The RippleAbility Respite Program is a structured, therapeutic service designed for children with complex care needs and their families.

While play is a central part of how we support children, the program is facilitated by trained professionals with experience in health, education, and disability support. Each session is designed to provide high-quality care tailored to the child’s individual needs, while carers participate in coaching and connection activities in a separate space.

This program is about respite, skill-building, and whole-family support — not casual or drop-in play.