The Australian Government’s Thriving Kids initiative is focused on improving outcomes for children and young people by helping them access the supports, services, and community connections they need to thrive.

For autistic and neurodivergent children, this includes improving access to:

  • Early supports and intervention

  • Community participation opportunities

  • Inclusive activities and programs

  • Social connection and wellbeing

  • Trusted information for families

  • Services that are easier to navigate

The initiative recognises that children thrive best when families can access the right support early, participate in their communities, and feel connected rather than isolated.

For many families, however, finding those supports can still feel overwhelming.

The Challenge Families Face

Parents of autistic and neurodivergent children often spend hours trying to:

  • Find autism-friendly activities

  • Understand which services may suit their child

  • Navigate fragmented support systems

  • Work out whether a venue or program will genuinely be inclusive

  • Connect with other families and community supports

Even when services exist, they can be difficult to discover or difficult to trust without lived experience recommendations.

This is where The A List plays an important role.

What is The A List?

The A List is an initiative by MyCareSpace created to help neurodivergent people and their families find inclusive activities, events, and supports across Australia.

Built for and by neurodivergent people, The A List combines:

  • A national online platform of autism-friendly activities and services

  • Community-focused arts and cultural events through the Create Space Project

  • Partnerships with organisations committed to accessibility and inclusion

  • Practical information that helps families feel confident participating in community life

The platform was developed in response to a problem the MyCareSpace team encountered every day: families struggling to find welcoming, inclusive opportunities for their children.

How The A List Supports the Goals of Thriving Kids

Making Supports Easier to Find

One of the key goals of the Thriving Kids initiative is improving access to support and participation opportunities.

The A List directly supports this by helping families discover:

  • Inclusive community programs

  • Arts and cultural events

  • Recreational activities

  • Social opportunities

  • Neurodiversity-friendly organisations and services

Instead of families needing to search across multiple websites and Facebook groups, The A List brings inclusive opportunities together in one place.

Supporting Community Participation

Thriving is about more than therapy appointments or formal supports.

Children also thrive through:

  • Friendship

  • Creativity

  • Confidence

  • Play

  • Self-expression

  • Feeling accepted in their communities

The A List helps create opportunities for neurodivergent children and young people to participate in community life in ways that feel safe, flexible, and genuinely inclusive.

Creating Inclusive Experiences

Through the Create Space Project, The A List partners with major arts and cultural organisations to design events specifically with neurodivergent participation in mind.

These events often include:

  • Sensory considerations

  • Quiet spaces

  • Flexible participation

  • Staff inclusion training

  • Neurodivergent facilitators and volunteers

  • Reduced pressure and judgment-free environments

The result is not simply “accessibility” — but meaningful belonging.

Supporting Families, Not Just Children

The Thriving Kids initiative recognises the importance of supporting whole families.

Many parents and carers of neurodivergent children report feeling isolated or exhausted from constantly needing to assess whether environments will be safe and understanding for their child.

The A List helps reduce that uncertainty by connecting families with organisations and events that actively prioritise inclusion.

A Shared Goal: Helping Children Thrive

At its core, both the Thriving Kids initiative and The A List share the same vision:
helping children feel connected, supported, included, and able to participate fully in their communities.

Thriving looks different for every child. For some, it may mean attending a museum event comfortably for the first time. For others, it may mean making a friend, expressing themselves creatively, or simply feeling safe enough to participate as themselves.

The A List exists to help make those moments possible.