Early Childhood Early Intervention

The ECEI approach provides timely, evidence-based early intervention therapies and support for young children aged 0-7 years with developmental delays, disabilities or established conditions impacting their functional abilities, delaying development and participation. The aim is to minimise the long-term impact through individualised therapies focused on enhancing skills, independence and inclusion.

ECEI caters to a diverse range of issues including physical/mobility limitations, intellectual/cognitive disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, hearing/vision impairments, speech/communication delays, behavioural/psychosocial challenges, and developmental effects from premature birth, genetic disorders, brain injuries or other medical conditions.

Depending on the child’s needs, an ECEI plan can incorporate:
• Occupational therapy – Enhancing independence, fine/gross motor skills, sensory processing, self-care
• Speech pathology – Expressive/receptive communication, articulation, language skills, feeding
• Physiotherapy – Gross motor abilities, strength, balance, mobility aids/equipment
• Psychology – Cognitive/developmental assessments, early behavioural intervention, counselling
• Special education – Pre-literacy, pre-numeracy, school readiness, educational supports
• Social work – Linking families to local support services, respite, counselling
• Capacity building – Coaching parents/caregivers in therapeutic strategies at home

Children under 7 can be referred by a doctor, allied health professional, childcare centre or other community providers to the NDIA Early Childhood Partner. Access Your Supports in Geelong, Colac & Mildura will work with your child and family to create goals, strategies and supports to suit their individual needs.

Key steps include:

The earliest years are a critical window for child development. Beginning therapeutic interventions as early as possible helps reduce or even overcome developmental delays/disabilities before they become entrenched. This fosters the child’s optimal cognitive, physical, social and communication skills – promoting full participation at home, school and community. ECEI also empowers families with training, counselling and respite. Early childhood intervention services can help your child by providing support tailored to their individual needs, offering early intervention support services, and assisting with everyday activities to support your child’s development.

An early childhood partner plays a key role in delivering the early childhood approach, which includes coordinating support for children with disability or developmental delay and their families. The NDIS early childhood partner can provide support to children and their families by offering a best practice approach to early intervention, delivering quality early intervention services, and helping your child reach their full potential delivered through the Early Childhood Early Intervention Key Worker Model.

Best practice in early childhood early intervention is defined by evidence-based, family-centred approaches tailored to each child’s unique needs. It involves multidisciplinary teams working collaboratively with families to create inclusive, developmentally appropriate, and culturally responsive interventions through the use of the Key Worker Model. The focus is on enhancing the child’s abilities through play-based strategies and supporting families in promoting their child’s development across various environments.

A transdisciplinary approach benefits early childhood intervention by drawing upon the expertise of professionals from multiple disciplines who work together beyond their traditional boundaries. This collaboration ensures that children receive comprehensive care and allows for more holistic support that addresses all areas of a child’s development – cognitive, linguistic, social-emotional, physical—and family needs. This approach allowed for families to follow the Key Worker Model and have a key therapist to support the family without the pressure of multiple therapist visits weekly.

Key elements include individualised assessment and planning; family involvement and empowerment; consistent communication among caregivers, professionals, and families; regular monitoring of progress; adaptations to meet evolving needs; integration into natural environments (home, childcare, school or community settings); and coordination with community resources.

Involving families is crucial because they are the constant in a child’s life and play a significant role in their learning and development. Family involvement leads to better outcomes as parents gain skills to support their child’s growth effectively. Additionally, respecting family knowledge, values, beliefs, and cultural backgrounds can make interventions more meaningful and ensure that strategies applied at home align with those used by professionals.

Success in these programs can be measured through both standardised assessments and observational tools which track improvements over time in developmental milestones specific to the individual goals set for each child. Parental feedback on the child’s functioning within daily routines at home also provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of interventions. Furthermore, success includes increased family competency in addressing developmental challenges and greater inclusion within educational settings or peer groups for children receiving these services.