Early childhood intervention

Early Childhood Intervention is a support system for children with disabilities and their families. It begins from birth or first diagnosis, and continues until school age. It involves specialised education and therapy services for the child, as well as support for the whole family through information, advocacy, and emotional support.

History
Early Childhood Intervention is a natural progression from Special Education for children with disabilities. Research during the sixties and seventies showed that the earlier children received Special Education, the better their outcomes. Research also showed that families who were supported earlier were more empowered to advocate for their child later on. Many Early Childhood Intervention support services began as research units in Universities (e.g. Syracuse University, USA; Macquarie University, Australia) while others were developed out of organisations helping older children.

In the past it has been simply called “early intervention”, however this term is also used in other fields such as mental health, referring to adolescents, and from the nineties most organisations changed the term to “Early Childhood Intervention” to reflect the age-group.

Definition
“Early Intervention is best conceptualised as a system designed to support family patterns of interaction that best promote children’s development” (Michael Guralnik).

Early Childhood Intervention has several goals. Firstly, it is provided to support families to support their children’s development. Secondly, it is to promote children’s development in key domains such as communication or mobility. Thirdly, it is to promote children’s coping confidence, and finally it is to prevent the emergence of future problems. (Susan Wolfendale).

How is Early Childhood Intervention provided?
“These services are to be provided in the child’s natural setting, preferably at a local level, with a family-oriented and multi-dimensional teamwopproach” (European Agency for Development in Special Needs)

An Early Childhood Intervention team generally consists of Teachers with Special Education training, Speech and Language pathologists, Physiotherapists, Occupational therapists, and other support staff such as music therapists, teacher aides, and counsellors. A key feature of Early Childhood Intervention is the “transdisciplinary model”, where staff members discuss and work on goals even when they are outside their discipline.

“In a transdisciplinary team the roles are not fixed. Decisions are made by professionals collaborating at a primary level. The boundaries between disciplines are deliberately blurred to employ a “targeted eclectic flexibility” (Pagliano).

Early Childhood Intervention may be provided within a centre-based program (such as Headstart), a home-based program (such as Portage), or a mixed program (such as Lifestart).

Goals are chosen by the families through the annual or biannual IFSP (Individual Family Service Plan), a meeting where families and staff members talk together about current concerns, as well as celebrating achievements.