Early childhood development

What early childhood development supports are not NDIS supports?

The early childhood development sector is responsible for meeting the early childhood education and care needs that all children should have access to, including children with developmental delay or disability.

Sometimes children may need inclusion supports to help them join early childhood learning and care settings. These supports are specifically to help children use services that all young children are entitled to access, such as school readiness programs to help children prepare for school.

Early childhood supports or therapies for a child’s general development, when they aren’t specific to a child’s developmental delay or disability.
Childcare fees, day care or informal care arrangements, including for specialist or segregated childcare service models.
Help so children can take part in an early childhood education and care service. This may include using strategies to support a child’s behaviour, learning assistance, modified computer hardware, education software or braille books.
Reasonable adjustments to access an early childhood facility, such as ramps, lifts, hearing loops, or other capital works.
Teaching aids or supports related to education.
Building modifications, including fixed or non-transportable equipment and aids within an early childhood facility, such as hoists.
Transport to take children out on learning activities, such as excursions.
Case coordination that’s mainly related to early childhood supports.

What are we responsible for?

We’re responsible for NDIS supports that are specific to a child’s developmental delay or disability. This might be if a child needs more support than other children of a similar age, and more support than what early childhood services must provide as a reasonable adjustment.

This includes early intervention supports that children need to help build their skills, because of their developmental delay or disability. We may fund NDIS supports that are both:

focused on improving a child’s daily living skills, such as communicating with those around them, participating in social activities, and completing self-care tasks such as dressing
likely to increase a child’s independence and reduce how much NDIS support a child needs in the future. For example, with a series or mix of different supports.

Remember, NDIS supports must meet all the NDIS funding criteria before we can include them in your plan.

Early childhood partners deliver a nationally consistent early childhood approach. Our early childhood approach is for children younger than 6 with developmental delay or younger than 9 with disability. Children younger than 6 who don’t fully meet the definition of developmental delay and have developmental concerns will also be supported through the early childhood approach.

Early connections are part of our nationally consistent early childhood approach to support children younger than 9 and their families. They’re funded by the NDIS and available when you have concerns about your child’s development, or if your child has a disability. Your child doesn’t need to be an NDIS participant. They can get help with early connections even if they don’t have a diagnosis.

Learn more about the early childhood approach and early connections.

Early intervention therapies that help children with developmental delay or disability to increase their level of functioning.
Specialist support and training for early childhood and care staff about a child’s specific disability or developmental delay needs.
Assistive technology children may need, such as wheelchairs or personal communication devices.
Personal care supports in early childhood centres for children who need more support than what early childhood centres should provide. This may include specialist help with feeding, or managing airways or ventilation.
Specialist support to help children transition to school, where it’s more than what early childhood and education systems provide.
Support to manage any behaviours of concern children may have because of their developmental delay or disability.

Example

Rose is 4 years old and will be starting childcare soon at the local childcare centre. Rose uses a wheelchair to move around. Rose’s parents want her to be able to join in the same activities as similarly aged children at the centre.

The childcare centre should provide any reasonable adjustments to the building to help Rose move easily in, out and around the childcare centre. This might include things such as ramps or lifts. The childcare centre should also make their programs accessible, so Rose can fully participate in her wheelchair.

We may fund training for the childcare centre staff to help them better understand Rose’s support needs. This could include training for staff on how Rose uses the toilet.

Early childhood development

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