DOCUMENT 17
Understand early intervention requirements
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Table of Contents
1 Recent updates ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4 2 Before you start……………………………………………………………………………….. 5 3 Overview ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 6 4 Early intervention requirements ………………………………………………………………………………………. 7 4.1 Check eligibility for early intervention requirements ………………………………………………………. 7 4.2 Additional considerations………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7 5 Next steps ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 8
Table of Contents — 2
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This article provides guidance for all NDIA staff and partners to understand eligibility under the early intervention requirements.
Recent updates — 3
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1 Recent updates
3 October 2024
Updates to reflect legislation changes from 3 October 2024:
- applicants may now meet both disability and early intervention requirements, instead of just one.
- the requirements for early intervention have changed from early intervention you need is most appropriately funded by the NDIS to Early intervention supports that are likely to benefit you will be NDIS supports.
Recent updates — 4
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2 Before you start
You have:
- read Our Guideline — Applying to the NDIS (external) including section, Do you need early intervention?
- read article What evidence of disability is required?
- read article Check eligibility — age and residence requirements
Before you start — 5
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3 Overview
To be eligible for NDIS, the person must meet the requirements for:
- age
- residence
- disability, early intervention, or both.
The purpose of early intervention is to lessen the impact of a person’s impairment by providing support at the earliest possible stage.
Early intervention support is intended to benefit a person by reducing their future need for supports and by strengthening informal supports. For example, building the capacity of their carer.
Early intervention is for both children and adults and may be required only for a short time.
A person may not need supports for life, so their treating professional or early childhood partner will advise us how early intervention could benefit the person or child.
Overview — 6
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4 Early intervention requirements
To meet the early intervention requirements, we must have evidence of all of the following:
- they have an impairment that’s likely to be permanent, or they’re a child younger than 6 with developmental delay
- early intervention supports are likely to reduce their future support needs
- early intervention supports are likely to benefit them
- the early intervention supports they need are NDIS supports.
4.1 Check eligibility for early intervention requirements
Use these articles to check evidence for a decision:
- Check eligibility — EI — impairment is likely permanent
- Check eligibility — EI — likely to reduce future support needs
- Check eligibility — EI — likely to improve or reduce deterioration of functional capacity or strengthen informal supports
- Check eligibility — EI — supports will be NDIS supports.
4.2 Additional considerations
Use these articles before you check evidence for a decision:
-
if the child is younger than 7, check if there is evidence of a condition on List D. Go to article Check eligibility — List D condition.
Note: A child is likely to meet the early intervention requirements if they provide evidence of their diagnosis.
-
check if the person is diagnosed with a condition on List B, Go to article Check eligibility — List B condition.
Note: A person is likely to meet one of the early intervention requirements if they provide evidence of their diagnosis.
-
if the child is younger than 6, check if they have a developmental delay. Go to article Check eligibility — EI — developmental delay
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if the person if aged between 0 and 25 with a hearing impairment, go to article Check eligibility — EI — hearing loss 0-25 years of age.
Early intervention requirements — 7
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5 Next steps
To consider the disability requirements, go to article Understand disability requirements.
If you are an access delegate:
- to make an access decision, continue to article Make an access decision — pre-legislation changes or Make an access decision — post legislation changes.
- to make an eligibility reassessment decision, continue to article Finalise eligibility reassessment decision.
Next steps — 8
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