Check evidence for a decision — developmental delay

Check evidence for a decision — developmental delay

This article provides guidance for a local area coordinator, early childhood coordinator and all NDIA staff (planner, payment officer, internal review officer, complaints officer, participant service officer, access officer, quality officer, technical advisor, SDA officer, NCC officer, provider support officer) to understand:

• what the early childhood approach is
• what the early intervention requirements for children younger than 6 with a developmental delay are
• how to find developmental delay evidence
• how to make this eligibility decision.

Recent updates

July 2023

• article name change from ‘Make decision — developmental delay’ to ‘Check evidence for a decision — developmental delay’
• guidance improvement - update to align language to PACE and knowledge consistency check.

Before you start

You have:

• read Our Guideline - Applying to the NDIS, in section What about children younger than 6 with developmental delay?
• read Our Guideline - Early childhood approach.
• read article Understand early intervention requirements

Check for developmental delay

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What is the early childhood approach?

Early childhood partners deliver early childhood intervention supports to give children the best possible start in life. This is for children younger than 9 with a disability. It is also for children younger than 6 with developmental delay or developmental concerns.

Early childhood partners help families apply for the NDIS with their child’s developmental delay evidence.

What are the early intervention requirements for children younger than 6

with a developmental delay?

Children younger than 6 with a developmental delay may be eligible under early intervention requirements to join the NDIS.

We consider different early intervention requirements for children with developmental delay. To meet these requirements, the child must:

• have a developmental delay
• have a delay from mental or physical impairments
• have a delay that substantially reduces their functional capacity
• need specialist services from more than one type of professional and for longer than 12 months
• have a delay where supports are most appropriately funded by the NDIS.

How to find developmental delay evidence

Before making an eligibility decision for these requirements, you need to understand what evidence there is of developmental delay and what early intervention supports have been recommended. Check the application and review all available evidence provided by the early childhood partner and other health, allied health and early childhood professionals.

How to make this eligibility decision

To make an eligibility decision about this early intervention requirement, you need to consider:

• the child’s age (they must be younger than 6)
• the child’s developmental delay
• their impairments
• their functional capacity
• the recommended early intervention supports

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e if supports are most appropriately NDIS funded e our legislation and guidance e if we have enough evidence to decide or need more.

To be eligible for the NDIS, the child must meet all the following: e age requirements e residence requirements e early intervention requirements.

Go to article Check evidence for a decision — age and residence requirements.

Next steps

To determine eligibility, continue to follow guidance in article Make an access decision

To check the timeframes to make a decision, follow guidance in article Check decision — Legislative timeframes.

To know more about the difference between developmental delay and developmental concern, go to article EC: What is DC and DD?

Refer to Our Guidelines to learn more about Early connections and the Early childhood approach.

Version control

Version	Amended by	Brief Description of Change	Status	Date
1.1	TERO30	Class 1 - Cl-applying work package Update knowledge article for PACE national expansion.	DRAFT	2023-06-28
1.2	JJO192	Peer review	DRAFT	2023-06-28
1.3	TERO30	Action peer review	DRAFT	2023-06-28

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SGP Knowledge Article Template

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Version	Amended by	Brief Description of Change	Status	Date
1.4	TERO30	VT review - actioned	DRAFT	2023-06-28
		Number of long sentences: 2 (2.56%)
		Number of Passive Sentences: 0 (0.00%)
		Readability: 40
		Grade Level: 9.3
1.5	VFK746	EL1 Review and submission to EL2	DRAFT	2023-06-29
1.6	TERO30	Action EL2 feedback	DRAFT	2023-07-03
1.7	VFK746	EL1 Review and submission to EL2	DRAFT	2023-07-04
1.8	VFK746	EL1 Implementation of EL2 update — progress to SD and Partners for review	DRAFT	2023-07-04
1.9	VFK746	EL1 actioning SME Feedback	DRAFT	2023-07-07
2.0	EMN960	EL2 approval to publish	DRAFT	2023-07-07

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