Early Childhood Intervention

Early Childhood Intervention provides support to parents and caregivers of young children with a disability or developmental delay, helping them to move, play, learn and develop their potential every day.

The early years are so important for your whole family because this is when you can begin to learn how to support and nurture your child, how to meet your child’s needs and how to adapt positively to having a child with additional needs.

How Early Childhood Intervention works at Novita?

Early Childhood Intervention teams at Novita work in partnership with families and carers to share information, knowledge and skills and support to find solutions that may arise whilst parenting a child in these early years.

Children learn best through every day experiences and interactions with familiar people by participating in daily routines in familiar places such as home, child care and preschool. These natural learning environments have many opportunities for children to learn, practise skills and strengthen their sense of belonging.

Services are tailored to meet the individual needs of your child and family with the focus on supporting your child in their natural environments and in their everyday experiences and activities in the home and community.

Early Childhood Intervention teams at Novita include Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Child Development Educators, Psychologists and Social Workers but most importantly your child, family and other key people in your child’s life.

One team member is nominated as your Key Worker and is the main person working with you and your child. Novita Key Workers have specific skills and experience to help your child to learn and you to achieve your goals.

 

How will my Key Worker work with us?

Your key worker is the person that you and your child will see the most and will get to know you and your child in a setting that is comfortable for you. This could include your home, preschool, our office or another community setting. Your Key Worker will work in partnership with you, to best help your child to learn.

Your Novita Key Worker will draw on the specific skill sets of the broader team when needed and will, work with you by embedding intervention strategies within daily routines and learning environments.

How your Key Worker works with you is largely up to you. They will build on your strengths and some ways that they might work are:

Supporting you to further develop the skills you and your child need to enjoy everyday activities like moving, bathing, eating, sleeping and communicating. This could include activities from home, school, community activities and your daily routines.

Help other people in your child’s life to do the same. Others in your child’s life may include teachers, grandparents; even your child’s swimming teacher or soccer coach.

Support childcare, preschool and school staff, to assist with children’s inclusion and participation

Support at key transition stages of children’s lives – such as the move between home, childcare, preschool and school

Bring together all of your therapy goals and help you to teach your child the skills that they need

Help you to find the information that you may need, and to know what rights you may have

Be a point of contact for your other supports

Provide opportunities to meet and connect with other families

 

 

What about the other therapists that I need to see?

At Novita we are able to work closely with you and your wider team to support you and your child. Sitting behind your key worker is your coordinated therapy team that will work through your Key Worker to best meet your goals.

At times you and your key worker may wish to involve some or all of your team in your time together, and at times you may need to engage the support of one particular team member to meet a specific goal for you and your child. Our teams work together in flexible ways depending on you and your child’s needs.

 

 

How do I access Early Childhood Intervention?

If you would like information on how to access Early Childhood Intervention, speak to someone in our friendly team on 1300 NOVITA (1300 668 482) or visit our Contact Us page for more ways to get in touch.