I-CAN v6 and the NDIS Early Childhood Approach

What families need to know about the transition to mainstream NDIS planning

Disclaimer: This article reflects publicly available information about the NDIS Early Childhood Approach and I-CAN v6 framework as at August 2026. Early childhood programs and pathways are subject to ongoing change. This guide does not constitute professional disability support or legal advice. For personalised guidance, contact your Early Childhood partner organisation, the NDIA on 1800 800 110, or a disability advocacy organisation.

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For families whose children are currently in the NDIS Early Childhood Approach (ECA), the arrival of the I-CAN v6 new planning framework raises important questions: How does the Early Childhood system connect to the I-CAN v6 transition? When do children move to mainstream planning? What does an I-CAN v6 assessment look like for a young child? And where does Thriving Kids fit in?

This guide addresses each of these questions in plain language.

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The NDIS Early Childhood Approach: What It Is

The Early Childhood Approach (ECA) is a specialised pathway for children under 9 who have a developmental concern, disability, or suspected disability. It is managed through Early Childhood partner organisations contracted by the NDIA.

Under the ECA:

• Families access support through an Early Childhood partner rather than going directly to the NDIA
• Some children receive Early Intervention NDIS funding; others are connected to non-NDIS community services
• The focus is on early intervention — providing timely supports during the critical early years of development
• Less formal assessment machinery than mainstream NDIS planning

The ECA is not a separate program from the NDIS. It is a gateway into the NDIS (or into non-NDIS supports) for young children. Children in the ECA are NDIS participants, and their supports are NDIS-funded.

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Transitioning to Mainstream NDIS Planning

Children in the ECA transition to mainstream NDIS planning around age 7 or before turning 9. This is a significant step for families — it moves from a relatively supportive, relationship-based Early Childhood system into the more structured mainstream planning process.

What happens at the transition:

• The Early Childhood partner works with the family to establish the child as a mainstream NDIS participant with a standard plan
• Goals and supports are reviewed to reflect the child's developmental stage and emerging school-age needs
• The family begins working with the NDIA or a Local Area Coordinator rather than an Early Childhood partner
• From April 2027 onwards, the I-CAN v6 framework will apply at plan reviews

What families should do in the lead-up to transition:

• Ask your Early Childhood partner about the transition process well before the child turns 7
• Ensure current allied health reports (OT, speech pathology, developmental paediatrics) are current
• Begin thinking about your child's support needs in the I-CAN v6 domain framework
• Consider engaging a Support Coordinator to help manage the transition

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What I-CAN v6 Looks Like for Young Children (Ages 9–15)

The 12 I-CAN v6 domains are the same for all ages. What changes is the context in which each domain is interpreted for younger participants.

For a nine-year-old, the I-CAN v6 measures how the child's disability affects their daily functioning relative to what would typically be expected for a child their age without disability. The question is not "what can this child do?" but "how does this child's functioning differ from typical development, and what support is needed to bridge that gap?"

How Key Domains Apply to Young Children

Self Care — What assistance does the child require with bathing, dressing, eating, and toileting, compared to a child the same age without disability?

Communication — How does the child communicate their needs and feelings? What is their receptive language capacity? Are there situations where communication breaks down significantly that would not typically occur at this age?

Learning & Applying Knowledge — What adjustments and supports does the child require in school or learning settings? What is the nature and degree of any learning difficulties directly related to their disability?

Interpersonal Interactions & Relationships — How does the child manage relationships with peers, family, and teachers? Are there persistent difficulties with peer relationships, emotional regulation, or social cues beyond what would be typical for their age?

General Tasks and Demands — Can the child follow age-appropriate daily routines with typical parental guidance, or does disability require significantly more structure and supervision than would be expected?

Behaviours of Concern — Does the child have a Behaviour Support Plan? Are there behaviours of concern that affect safety?

Mental & Emotional Health — Does the child experience significant anxiety, emotional dysregulation, or other mental health impacts related to their disability?

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The Parent's Role in the Assessment

For younger children (particularly those under 12), parents play a central and essential role in the I-CAN v6 assessment.

A 60–90-minute session with an unfamiliar assessor provides only a limited window into a child's functioning. You, as a parent, have seen the full picture — the difficult mornings, the breakdowns at school pickup, the meltdowns that don't appear in clinic settings, the things that look fine with a one-on-one adult and fall apart completely in a group.

Prepare a written parent observation document. Before the assessment, write down how your child's disability affects their daily life across each relevant I-CAN domain. Use specific examples. Describe the difference between how the child presents with familiar people and how they function in unfamiliar settings.

Attend the assessment. For children under 12, attending is standard practice. Your presence helps the child feel comfortable and allows you to add context.

Bring current allied health reports. OT, speech pathology, developmental paediatrics, and psychology reports that document functional capacity in the relevant domains are all valuable.

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Early Intervention Evidence and the I-CAN v6

Early intervention providers — therapists who have worked with your child for months or years — have directly observed their functional capacity across domains. This experience is genuinely valuable as evidence.

Ask your early intervention providers for:

• A functional summary of the child's capacity in relevant I-CAN domains
• Progress reports that document what has improved and what persistent limitations remain
• Descriptions of what the child can and cannot do in supported versus unsupported settings

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Where Thriving Kids Fits In

The Thriving Kids program, launching from October 2026, provides early intervention supports for children aged 8 and under with mild-to-moderate developmental delays and autism. It is funded by the government but sits entirely outside the NDIS.

Key distinctions:

If your child is already an NDIS participant, they are not part of Thriving Kids. These are separate programs for different groups.

Thriving Kids is primarily designed for children who would not qualify for NDIS Early Intervention — children with less significant needs who can benefit from accessible, lower-intensity support. For families already in the NDIS system, the ECA-to-mainstream-planning transition is the relevant pathway.

For families whose children are on the boundary of NDIS eligibility, Thriving Kids offers an alternative when NDIS access is not available. We cover this in detail in our dedicated guide: Thriving Kids 2026: A Parent's Guide to the New Program.

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Preparing Your Child for the I-CAN v6 Assessment

For many children — particularly those with autism, anxiety, or sensory sensitivities — an unfamiliar assessment setting with an unknown assessor is genuinely challenging. Preparation makes a real difference.

Explain what will happen. Use language and format your child responds to — a simple social story, a visual schedule, or a plain explanation of what the meeting will involve. "You will meet a person called [name]. They will ask you some questions about the things you do every day. [Parent] will be there."

Practice talking about difficulties. Many children default to "I'm fine" or "I can do everything" in unfamiliar settings. Gently practise describing things they find hard, in a safe home environment.

Request accommodations. If unfamiliar environments trigger anxiety, request the assessment be conducted at home or at a familiar location. If the child needs movement breaks, extra time, or specific communication supports, request these in advance.

For children who cannot self-report. If your child cannot participate in a verbal assessment session, your parent observation document and allied health reports become the primary sources of evidence. This is entirely appropriate — the assessor can gather information through multiple means, not only direct conversation.

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ICANReady can be used by parents to build a structured preparation document for their child's I-CAN v6 assessment — working through each relevant domain with prompts designed to capture daily support needs in functional terms.

Try ICANReady free →

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Sources: NDIA Early Childhood Approach information (ndis.gov.au), Department of Health Thriving Kids program (health.gov.au), Centre for Disability Studies I-CAN v6 framework, Early Childhood Intervention Australia (ecia.org.au), Disability Advocacy Network Australia (dana.org.au)