Introduction: Early childhood development is a crucial phase where children grow and develop foundational skills. In this guide, we’ll delve into the roles of the early childhood development sector and the NDIS, shedding light on the services available for young children’s growth and learning.
The Early Childhood Development Sector’s Role: The early childhood development and care sector encompasses a variety of services:
- Government departments overseeing childcare and early learning
- Childcare and early learning centers
- Family day care programs
- Playgroups
- Early learning programs
This sector is responsible for ensuring that all children, including those with developmental delay or disability, have access to early childhood education and care.
Inclusion Supports for Children: The early childhood development sector ensures that children can fully participate in early learning and care settings. These inclusion supports are designed to help children engage in services that all young children are entitled to, including school readiness programs.
Early Intervention Supports for Development: The NDIS focuses on providing specific support for children with developmental delay or disability, catering to their unique needs. This includes early intervention supports aimed at building children’s skills and independence. These supports encompass:
- Enhancing daily living skills, such as communication, social participation, and self-care tasks.
- Increasing independence to reduce future reliance on NDIS support.
These early intervention supports are carefully designed to promote children’s growth and development, setting a foundation for their future.
Real-Life Example: Meet Jane, a vibrant 4-year-old who will soon start attending a local child care center. Jane uses a wheelchair for mobility and her parents want her to actively engage in activities alongside her peers.
The child care center should provide reasonable adjustments to ensure Jane’s easy movement within the premises. This might involve installing ramps or lifts. Moreover, the center should tailor its programs to accommodate Jane’s wheelchair, enabling her full participation.
To facilitate this, the NDIS may fund training for the child care center staff, equipping them with a deeper understanding of Jane’s support needs. This training could cover aspects such as assisting Jane with using the toilet comfortably.
Conclusion: Navigating early childhood development with the NDIS involves a collaborative effort between the early childhood development sector and the NDIS. While the early childhood development sector ensures that all children have access to quality care and inclusion supports, the NDIS focuses on providing specialised early intervention supports to promote developmental growth and independence. This partnership empowers young children to flourish and embark on their learning journey with confidence.
For more information about how Support Coordinators can make a difference, contact us.
