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

http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/National_Disability_Insurance_Scheme/EarlyChildhood

Terms of Reference - Current Situation Suggested Strategies Reporting Criteria

Currently children aged 0–6 with developmental concerns/or diagnosed disability are referred by their concerned families and mainstream providers of child and family support services (e.g. preschool, childcare, playgroup, health, family support services, etc…) to receive varying levels of support based on functional need. This is a crucial aspect as engagement with families who potentially otherwise would not be engaged enables ECEI support to begin 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

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.

At all interaction points service needs of
NDIS participants receiving support under
The ECEI pathway are gathered, listened
To and guided in seeking the right support
For their specific, identified need. For
Example, at a point of phone referral a
Family may be guided to information about
Local hearing services.

Service needs of NDIS ECEI Participants who do head in a journey that participants receiving support under the ECEI pathway

Key worker model is the preferred model
Support co-ordination be offered in
Complex need situations
Crucial for ECI providers to deliver Best practice ECI

NDIA to minimize technical issues
Endeavouring to provide wait time that is substantially.
Impact on the wellbeing of children and families. -Timeframe in receiving services under the ECEI pathway Planning and plan reviews for access met participants:
Contact with families to begin discussion re their referral concerns occurs in a

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timely manner

Face to face planning conversations and reviews
At time of first contact families are supported immediately
Allowing time to gather data and carry out face to face contact reviews.
Further planning to adequately quantify4. Adequacy of funding for and fund delivering key ECEI functions under the ECEI strategy .e.g. ECI best practice is NOT to carry out planning with families via a quick phone call and funding needs to reflect a very responsive approach.

Close collaboration with ECEI partners, 5. Costs associated with ECEI services, including costs in relation to initial diagnosis and testing for potential ECEI participants

Service offered in natural environments minimising the cost for ECEI participants
Diagnosis is not required to receive ECEI support.
Participants are advised to follow mainstream pathways that related to initial diagnosis with a variety costings (free→cost) offered.

Evidence of the effectiveness of the ECEI The approach is in it’s infancy in delivery in the NDIS individualise plan effectiveness:

Approach delivery in the wider ECI community. There is strong research evidence to support the ECEI approach A small research study (presented at the Enable short term funds to ECEI access partners National ECIA conference , Melbourne, September 2016) indicates very high 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.

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. to 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.
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:

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 occurring. Maintain local ECEI providers who have well developed community referral pathways

Application of current11 Strong adherence to ECIA best practice guidelines NDIA take note of current research and support ECEI partners and ECI best practice providers to deliver to participants

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, hass a policy of inhouse therapy only and does not relate therapy to goals.