We’ll need a range of information about the child, observed in everyday activities and settings they usually participate in. This should include parent or carer reports and standardised assessments of developmental and or functional capacity.
Early childhood partners are early childhood professionals who give us evidence of developmental delay to help us decide if the child is eligible. An early childhood partner will meet with children and families to better understand the child’s day to day life, and any concerns about their development.
Early childhood partners will observe a child in familiar places like home and childcare and may complete assessments using screening tools. This information helps us decide if a child meets the early intervention requirements for developmental delay.
Families and carers can also provide copies of existing reports, assessments or letters about the developmental delay.
We may also ask for evidence from a variety of sources, including mainstream services. For example, we may also ask for evidence from your doctor, child health nurse, or other health professional.
Learn more about providing evidence of developmental delay .
What if there are no early childhood partners in your area?
If there are no early childhood partners in the child’s area, a mainstream, community or health service can give us a report for evidence of developmental delay.
If you’re in one of these areas, learn more about what evidence we need for developmental delay.
Will the child’s early intervention supports be NDIS supports?
To meet the early intervention requirements, the supports must be NDIS supports. NDIS supports are the services, items and equipment that can be funded by the NDIS.
Learn more about reasonable and necessary supports and NDIS supports.
What happens if a child with developmental delay is eligible?
If we decide a child with developmental delay is eligible for the NDIS, they’ll become a participant. But they’re usually no longer eligible after they turn 6.
This is because they will no longer meet the early intervention requirements under developmental. To remain an NDIS participant after they turn 6, the child will need to have an impairment that’s likely to be permanent and meet the requirements for disability, early intervention, or both.
We’ll talk to families or carers before a child turns 6, and explain what information we need to decide if the child is still eligible.
Learn more about leaving the NDIS .
Example
Hunter is 5 years old, and became a participant under the early intervention requirements for developmental delay.
We give Hunter a new 12-month NDIS plan in August. We also talk to Hunter’s family about him leaving the NDIS after he is 6 years old.
Hunter’s family will be able to use his NDIS funding for the full 12 months until August the next year. By then, he’ll be aged 6 years.
At the end of the 12 months, we’ll talk to Hunter’s family about his progress and what outcomes have been achieved. We’ll listen to understand if he built capacity to work towards his goals. If there’s evidence that Hunter does not have an impairment that is likely to be permanent and he no longer meets the requirements for disability, early intervention, or both, we’ll decide Hunter is no longer eligible. He will be supported to leave the NDIS. We’ll help his family continue to stay connected to government and community services.
Learn more about leaving the NDIS and mainstream community supports.
What if a child doesn’t meet our criteria for developmental delay?
Early childhood partners offer supports to children younger than 6 who don’t meet our criteria for developmental delay.
A child may have developmental concerns. This means a child younger than 6 is developing slower compared to other children their age, but the delay doesn’t meet our definition for developmental delay.
For example, a child’s functional capacity may be substantially reduced in one or more areas. But it’s unclear if the child needs support from a team of professionals for more than 12 months.
An early childhood partner can offer early supports to children younger than 6 with developmental concerns. They can also help the child’s family connect to other government and community supports.
Learn more about early connections.