Early Childhood Approach

Summary

• Children younger than 7 years of age with disability or developmental delay maybe able to access early childhood approach.

• If you have concern about you child's development, you can talk to your doctor, child health nurse or other health professional.

• You don't need referral or diagnosis from a medical professional access early childhood approach.

• The aim of early childhood approach is to help the children and support their families so that they have the best possible start in life.

What is early childhood approach?

Early childhood intervention is about giving children the best possible start in their early stage of life. Children younger than 7 years with a disability or a development delay may be able to access early childhood approach.

Children who do not fully meet the definition of the development delay and have developmental concerns will also be supported through the early childhood approach.

The support aims to help children and families to build their capacity and supports inclusion in community and everyday settings, meaning each child will be provided with the opportunities to grown and learn. It is about giving children and their families the right supports to enable them to have the best possible start in life. The aims of early childhood approach are to:

• provide timely support to ensure that you are able to access the supports you need,

• give you information about best-practice early childhood intervention supports and how you can help your child,

• increase your confidence and capacity to manage and respond to your child’s support needs,

• increase your child’s ability to do activities they need or want to do,

• increase your child’s inclusion and participation in mainstream and community settings like playgroup, childcare, kindergarten or preschool,

• give you information about, and referrals to, other support services, like parent support groups – to meet other people with similar experiences or situations, if you want to.

Who can access early childhood approach?

If you have concern about your child’s development or you child has a disability then you can contact early childhood partner to access early childhood approach. You would usually discuss your concerns, your child’s disability with your doctor, child health nurse or other health professional. You don’t need a referral or diagnosis from a medical professional access early childhood approach.

NDIS website has factsheet written in different languages to help you better understand how to access to early childhood approach, you can download it from here.

1. www.ndis.gov.au. (2022). The early childhood approach | NDIS. [online] Available at: https://www.ndis.gov.au/understanding/families-and-carers/early-childhood-approach.