Every child in Victoria will be offered free screening for developmental delay under a plan the state government announced last week.

But while some media outlets have reported children will be screened for autism, it’s actually much broader. They will focus on how children are developing, rather than whether or not they have a particular diagnosis such as autism or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Identifying children with developmental delay has many possible benefits. But the system needs to be able to follow through and offer support to families when delays are identified.

What’s been announced?

Screening will be offered to all families before a child starts kindergarten and before they start prep. The screenings will be part of the new Thriving Kids program, which will replace the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) for children with mild to moderate developmental delay.

Allied health professionals, such as occupational therapists and speech pathologists, will perform the checks. The government’s announcement mentions involving “trained clinicians”, but it’s unclear if this means doctors, nurses or both.

Under Thriving Kids, much of the responsibility for these children will now fall on the state and territory governments, so we can expect to see more announcements like this in the coming months across the country.

Early screening is very common

What’s being proposed is an extension of the type of screening that........

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