LAPSTONE EARLY CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION SERVICE
NDIS Services with children from birth – 9 years & their families (family centred, flexible, inclusive)
Trans-disciplinary Early Intervention & Therapy services, Key Worker & Service Coordination
Provision of services under the NDIS Early Childhood Early Intervention
Approach
http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/National_Disability_Insurance_Scheme/EarlyChildhood
Terms of Reference- Current Situation Suggested Strategies
Reporting Criteria
1. Currently children aged 0-6 with Continue with current eligibility criteria as it is the
developmental concerns/or diagnosed expertise of the local ECEI approach partners disability are referred by their concerned who can support children and their families to families and mainstream providers of child seek further understanding of their child’s current and family support services (e.g. development (be it typical or atypical) and guide preschool, childcare, playgroup, health, the ECEI pathway. Whether that be referring family support services, etc…) to receive straight into mainstream supports (e.g. access to varying levels of support based on preschool for a child with chronic medical issues)
Eligibility criteria for functional need. This is a crucial aspect or short term supports (.e.g. strategies to
determining access to the as engagement with families who promote fine motor and engagement in
ECEI pathway potentially otherwise would not be communication within the home or child care
engaged enables ECEI support to begin setting) or longer term disability supports. early and respectfully to all families. Well developed local referral pathways are already established with mainstream providers. Functional play-based assessment delivered in the child’s natural environments provides early identification
of developmental functioning. Specifically aimed as a ‘soft entry’ point with the underpinning qualities of best practice based on the ECIA National
Guidelines for Best Practice Early
Childhood Intervention.
2. At all interaction points service needs of ECEI participants who are at the beginning of
NDIS participants receiving support under their journey:
the ECEI pathway are gathered, listened Local services are experts in local area
to and guided in seeking the right support supports who can tap quickly into for their specific, identified need. For community/mainstream supports example, at a point of phone referral a family may be guided to information about Service needs of NDIS
local hearing services. ECEI Participants who do head in a journey that participants receiving
NDIS individualised supports are required: support under the ECEI
pathway Key worker model is the preferred model
support for young children. Support co-ordination be offered in complex need situations Crucial for ECI providers to deliver Best practice ECI
3. NDIA to minimize technical issues Endeavouring to provide wait time that is
substantially. minimal and seeks to not adversely Timeframe in receiving
impact on the wellbeing of children and services under the ECEI
their families. pathway Planning and plan reviews for access met
Contact with families to begin discussion participants:
re their referral concerns occurs in a
timely manner Face to face planning conversations and
At time of first contact families are reviews
supported immediately Allowing time to gather data and carry out
face to face contact reviews.
Further planning to adequately quantify4. Adequacy of funding for ECEI services are delivering value for
and fund delivering key ECEI functions services under the ECEI money from the start, saving time and
under the ECEI strategy .e.g. ECI best pathway money for the local expertise that already
practice is NOT to carry out planning with can deliver support and information to families via a quick phone call and funding families with their knowledge. needs to reflect a very responsive approach.
Close collaboration with ECEI partners,
5. Costs associated with ECEI Service offered in natural environments NDIS, and across systems such as Health
services, including costs in minimising the cost for ECEI participants and Education to plan for better diagnosis
relation to initial diagnosis Diagnosis is not required to receive ECEI systems.
and testing for potential support.
ECEI participants Participants are advised to follow
mainstream pathways that related to initial diagnosis with a variety costings (free→cost) offered.
6. Evidence of the The approach is in it’s infancy in delivery in the NDIS individualise plan effectiveness:
effectiveness of the ECEI NDIS funded space, but is well established in
More robust outcomes data to be required by Approach delivery in the wider ECI community. There is
service providers at time of plan review to enable strong research evidence to support the ECEI access partners to make informed decisions re approach plan review A small research study (presented at the Enable short term funds to ECEI access partners National ECIA conference , Melbourne, to capture families journeys through the ECEI September 2016) indicates very high approach. effectiveness with the participant, participant’s
family and mainstream early childhood supports. NDIS to fund independent action based research on the effectiveness of the ECEI approach with ready and willing ECEI access partners.
7. Robustness of the data Currently participants are involved in data Pedi-cat usage:
required to identify and collection. Some of this data collection need to That this tool be used as a guide – not a tool for
deliver services to be related more to participant’s’ initial concerns devising plans/plan values.
participants under the ECEI and collected at various journey points. Approach A variety of data is collated to reflect true outcomes based on the initial concerns of participants.
8. Adequacy of information for Local ECEI approach are providing the best More funds to be available to ECEI access
potential ECEI participants information available to them at hand. partners for community engagement with
and other stakeholders stakeholders to be able to engage with stakeholders, continue linkages and disseminate information. NDIA: To continually engage with stakeholders in support of ECEI access partners upholding and sharing the core knowledge of ECEI best practice.
Accessibility of the ECEI9. Works well when delivered by local ECEI ECEI Participants who do not go the eventual
Approach, including in rural partners. path of Individualised NDIS supports:
and remote areas; That locally based ECEI providers remain as a key link to respectful and timely support When NDIS individualised package of support is facilitating capacity, linkages and development of established: the child’s skills and upskilling of core supports. Families area being penalised for choosing a ECEI Participants who do head in a journey that best practice provider who is travelling to them
as the cost is too high and being forced to NDIS individualised supports are required:
choose their non-preferred provider. That they continue to access their ECI
provider of choice. Travel costs need to be adequately reflected to enable best practice ECI to be delivered in natural settings – this needs to make sure tha travel is covered well.
Continual NDIA education to the community about referral pathways.
Principle of choice of ECEI10 A mix of local ECEI providers is currently Maintain local ECEI providers who have well
providers occurring. developed community referral pathways
Application of current11 Strong adherence to ECIA best practice NDIA take note of current research and support
research and innovation in guidelines ECEI partners and ECI best practice providers to
the identification of deliver to participants conditions covered by the ECEI Approach and in the delivery of ECEI services
Any other related matters12 Do not push participant’s through in un realistic time frames that potentially compromises good planning conversations that occur the first time round.
IF a family chooses reputable best practice ECI service who delivers in the child’s natural home
setting to delivery their package of supports to meet their goals they should not be penalised re transport costs if a service closer to them is available yet does not offer ECI best practice, has a policy of inhouse therapy only and does not relate therapy to goals.