+ EARLY CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION

+ What is early childhood intervention (ECI)? ECI is the process of providing specialised support and services for infants and young children who have developmental delays or disabilities, their families and communities, in order to promote development, well-being and community participation. ECI supports children in their early years (birth-8 years of age) to promote their growth and development and provides support to their families during the critical early years. ECI inclusive practices involve “providing children with experiences and opportunities that promote their acquisition and use of competencies that enable them to participate meaningfully with others and with their environment”. Moore, T. (2012) Rethinking Early Childhood Intervention Services: Implications for policy and practice

+ Why is early childhood intervention important? There are many young children with disabilities in Australia. 3.6% (almost 1 in 25) of our children from birth to 5 years are reported to have additional needs (ABS, 2012). The United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), advocates for all children’s right to assistance to become fully participating members of their community. Early childhood is a time of remarkable brain development. Learning and development is most rapid during the early childhood years. These years lay the foundation for subsequent learning. Quality early education enhances children’s developmental, social and educational gains.

+  Quality ECI can have a significant socio-economic returns to the community. It can reduce the costs in the future of specialised education, remediation and health care and reap long-term benefits for society.  ECI can promote children’s acquisition of skills and competencies to enable them to participate meaningfully in their environment.  ECI promotes access and participation of children with disability into mainstream environments.  ECI can reduce the stress and isolation that families may experience and improve family wellbeing.

+ The importance of early childhood years Research shows that the early years are important for a child’s ability to learn, create trust, and develop relationships and a strong sense of themselves. Research in neurobiology highlights the importance of the early years in shaping the structure of the brain. Many of the brain’s neural connections are established during the early years of life. Learning and development are most rapid during this time. These years lay the foundation for subsequent learning. Recent scientific evidence shows that early experiences and positive interactions shape children’s lives and impact on the kind of adults they will become.

+ Starting early It is critical to identify children with disabilities/developmental delays as early as possible to ensure the child receives appropriate support that could prevent further delay. The earlier intervention begins, the greater the benefits for the child and the family. Early experiences impact on the development of the brain and influence the specific way in which the pathways of the brain become "wired." Support to families as early as possible can facilitate positive parent- child attachment and promote inclusion in everyday activities. Research has shown that strong attachments are associated with high self-esteem, willingness to take risks and ability to learn.

+ Families of children with disabilities and developmental delays Major social and demographic changes over the last few decades have made raising children more complex. Social and economic pressures on families, changing work patterns and demands, and changes in family structure have all contributed to this. Moore, T. (2010) An integrated approach to early childhood development Having a child with a disability/developmental delay may place significant stress on families. The impact of disability/developmental delay, the way families and individuals within families respond to it, will vary widely.

+ The early years are critical for families, especially families of young children with disabilities/developmental delays Early childhood intervention services work alongside families to: build on family strengths and develop new skills focus on the family’s priorities and circumstances build on family knowledge in supporting and nurturing their child optimise their child's development and ability to participate in family and community life develop family resilience and well-being.

+ Family-centred early childhood intervention services understand that parents/caregivers are the most important part of the early childhood intervention process and acknowledge them as the most powerful influence on their child’s life and development.

+ ECI services partner with families and others involved with the child and the family, to develop an Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) and an Individual Education Plan (IEP)

+ Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) An IFSP is a process that ensures families’ priorities for their children are valued and respected. IFSPs are developed out of the process of collaboration and partnerships between families and professionals. An IFSP may include: identification of family concerns, priorities and resources assessment planning development of outcomes – long and short-term – to meet child and family needs a process of implementation of strategies a process of evaluation of these strategies.

+ Individual Education Plan (IEP) An IEP is an individualised plan which is developed for each child. The content of the IEP is informed by the outcomes identified in the IFSP. An IEP may contain: information about the child’s disability/developmental delay a summary of the child’s strengths and needs information from assessments and reports roles and responsibilities of the child’s team members outcomes and goals teaching strategies observations and ongoing evaluation.

+ Early childhood intervention services aim to: partner with parents/caregivers by providing the knowledge, support, resources and information tailored to: meet the needs of their child and the family as a whole optimise their child's development and ability to participate in family and community life build the capacity of families to maximise everyday activities to support their child's development assist families to develop the skills needed to facilitate their child’s meaningful engagement within their community facilitate well-integrated and cohesive supports and information to families support families to become lifelong advocates for their child.

+ Service implementation Services focus on supporting the child in their natural environments and in their everyday experiences and activities. Services may be delivered in a variety of ways including: home-based programmes support into early childhood education and care settings and community activities individual consultation sessions with educators or therapists group programmes.

+ Early childhood intervention services may provide: information and support that addresses the individual needs of the child and family play-based education and therapy programmes based on the IFSP and IEP standardised and play-based assessments for children transition support for children and their families to the next educational setting facilitated family support groups linking families to services and providing access and co-ordination of services collaboration with local early childhood education and care services, other child and family services and the broader community to improve access and participation of children with disabilities / developmental delays education, training and workshops for: families local early childhood education and care services other child and family services the broader community culturally responsive and inclusive programmes to facilitate access to services.

+ Early childhood intervention services can be delivered by: Government, non-government and private providers that may consist of: educators speech pathologists occupational therapists physiotherapists family support workers psychologists social workers other professionals.

+ Others who play an important role in early childhood intervention include: early childhood services including, but not limited to, preschools, family day care, long day care centres, mobile services, playgroups and other community activities young children participate in e.g. swimming pools, libraries, etc. medical and allied health specialists vision and hearing specialists respite care services parent community support groups advocacy groups Itinerant Support Teachers Schools as Community Hubs early childhood and early childhood intervention professional bodies.

+ Early childhood intervention professionals may use the following approaches: transdisciplinary - where professionals and parent/caregivers collaborate to work as a team, learning from each other. A key worker supports the family and child and consults with other professionals as expert advice is needed interdisciplinary - where professionals and parent/caregivers collaborate and work together as a team multidisciplinary - with different professionals working with the child independently of one another.

+ Research shows that well-designed early childhood interventions: significantly improve the development and functioning of children with disabilities/developmental delays make a substantial difference to family wellbeing reduce both the child and the family’s dependence on costly specialised services in later life. “Depending on the programme, early intervention can return between two to ten dollars for every dollar invested.” KPMG (2011) Reviewing the Evidence of the Effectiveness of Early Childhood Intervention

+ Considering the research and evidence, early childhood intervention services benefit the whole community and deserve its support.

+ The best outcomes for children with disabilities/developmental delays are achieved when everyone is involved. This may include: extended family friends and neighbours service providers the whole community.

+ The community can participate by: including children with disabilities/developmental delays in community activities including children with disabilities/developmental delays in early childhood education and care services supporting the work of early childhood intervention services.

+ For further information Parent Line is a telephone service for parents and carers of children from birth to eighteen years of age in New South Wales. Parent Line provides information on early childhood intervention services available throughout NSW, to support young children with a disability or delay and their families. For help across NSW contact

+ This presentation has been compiled by Early Childhood Intervention Australia (NSW Chapter’s) Education and Training Sub-Committee 2013 Early Childhood Intervention Australia (NSW Chapter) is the peak organisation in NSW for professionals who support young children with additional needs and their families. ECIA NSW is committed to the principles of quality early childhood intervention.

+ © 2014 by Early Childhood Intervention Australia (NSW Chapter) Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of Early Childhood Intervention Australia (NSW Chapter) Inc.