What Is “Reasonable and Necessary” for a Child Under 9?
One of the most confusing parts of the NDIS for families is understanding what the Scheme considers “Reasonable and Necessary”, particularly for young children. This confusion often increases as children move from early childhood into school, when expectations around therapy intensity and delivery begin to shift.
Understanding how the NDIS views support for children under 9 can help families plan more effectively, advocate with confidence, and avoid unnecessary stress.
Reasonable and Necessary – The Basics
For any support to be funded by the NDIS, it must meet the Reasonable and Necessary criteria. In simple terms, this means the support must:
- relate directly to the child’s disability
- support functional capacity and participation
- represent Value for Money
- be Effective and Beneficial
- not be something parents are expected to provide as part of usual parenting
For children, this assessment is heavily influenced by age, developmental stage, and functional impact, not diagnosis alone.
Preschool-Aged Children: Early Intervention and Therapy Intensity
For children under school age, particularly under 6, the NDIS recognises the importance of early intervention. At this stage, therapy is often more intensive, as early support can significantly influence long-term outcomes.
It is common for preschool-aged children with significant functional needs to receive:
- multiple therapy disciplines
- higher weekly therapy hours
- therapy delivered across natural environments (home, childcare, community)
At this age, therapy is often play-based and embedded into routines. The focus is on building foundational skills in communication, motor development, regulation, social interaction and daily living.
However, even in early childhood, therapy must still meet the NDIS tests of Value for Money and Effective and Beneficial. This means intensity must be justified by clear evidence of need, progress, and functional impact — not simply because “more therapy is better”.
School-Aged Children: A Shift in How Therapy Looks
As children enter school, the NDIS expectation often changes. This does not mean therapy stops — but it may look different.
For school-aged children:
- therapy is often less intensive than in preschool years
- there is a stronger focus on functional participation at school and in daily life
- therapy may shift toward skill consolidation, strategy development and capacity building
This transition can be confronting for families, especially if their child continues to have high support needs. It is important to understand that Reasonable and Necessary is not about reducing support arbitrarily, but about aligning therapy with the child’s current context and functional goals.
Therapy Exhaustion – For Children and Parents
One issue rarely discussed openly is therapy exhaustion.
For children, attending multiple therapies each week can lead to:
- fatigue
- emotional dysregulation
- resistance or shutdown
- reduced engagement
- For parents, therapy overload can result in:
- constant scheduling and travel
- pressure to implement multiple home programs
- emotional burnout
- guilt about “not doing enough”
The NDIS does not require families to sacrifice wellbeing in pursuit of progress. Therapy should be sustainable, not overwhelming. Sometimes, a better therapy plan is not more therapy, but smarter, better-coordinated therapy.
Recognising therapy exhaustion is a valid and important part of determining what is truly Reasonable and Necessary.
Understanding Different Therapy Disciplines and Models
Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy & Physiotherapy
These therapies often form the core of early childhood and school-aged supports:
Speech Pathology focuses on communication, language, feeding and social interaction
Occupational Therapy (OT) supports regulation, daily living skills, sensory processing and participation
Physiotherapy targets mobility, strength, posture and physical access
These therapies are often funded together, with intensity adjusted over time based on progress and need.
Psychology, Behaviour Support, ABA and ESDM
Psychology and Behaviour Support may be funded where there are:
- significant behaviours of concern
- emotional regulation challenges
- safety risks
- complex family impacts
Behaviour supports must demonstrate that they are Effective and Beneficial and are usually expected to include parent training and environmental strategies.
ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis) and ESDM (Early Start Denver Model) are structured intervention models sometimes recommended for autistic children, particularly in early childhood.
However, these models:
- are often intensive
- require strong evidence to justify funding
- are frequently scrutinised under Value for Money
The NDIS does not fund therapy because of a model name. It funds supports based on functional outcomes, not labels. Families often need support translating these models into NDIS-aligned language focused on function, participation and capacity building.
What This Means for Families
What is Reasonable and Necessary for a child under 9 is not fixed. It changes as:
the child grows
- environments change (childcare → school)
- progress is made or plateaus
- family capacity shifts
- The key is ensuring therapy remains:
- evidence-based
- purposeful
- sustainable
- aligned with the child’s real-world needs
Understanding this helps families move away from fear-based decision-making and toward informed, confident advocacy.
Final Thoughts
Reasonable and Necessary is not about denying children support — it is about funding the right support, at the right time, in the right way. For children under 9, this requires careful consideration of developmental stage, therapy intensity, family wellbeing and long-term sustainability.
If you are unsure whether your child’s current therapy mix still makes sense, or how expectations may change as they grow, getting clear, early guidance can prevent stress and poor outcomes later.
If you want to find out more information about how I can help you, book a FREE 20 min Consulation with me