Bridge over troubled waters

: claims and challenges in implementing Early Childhood Intervention best practice principles in Australia

Abstract

Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) provides critical support for children with developmental delays and disabilities and their families. Decades of research have linked participation in effective ECI services to a range of positive outcomes for children that persist through to adulthood, as well as positive outcomes for parents and families. Four ECI best practice principles have been demonstrated to be efficacious by research and have been recommended in international best practice guidelines: family-centred practice, natural learning environments, collaborative teamwork and a key worker model. This research is the first large-scale study of its kind to explore the issue of best practice use in Australia. It offers guidance for ECI sector development, policy direction for the NDIS and implications for future research. It provides recommendations for the ongoing implementation of the NDIS structure for children in the early years, including increasing the information and education available to families, and the development of funding structures that encourage rather than hinder the use of best practice. Considerable sector support is required to assist ECI professionals and services to use best practice with fidelity. This includes consistent definitions of best practice, expectations and competencies to support the use of best practice across discipline boundaries, consistent preservice training for professionals, and ongoing training for all ECI professionals that is based on the principles of adult learning. These findings have the potential to protect and enhance best practice in ECI services, ensuring the outcomes that are achieved when best practice is utilised are realised for children and their families in Australia and beyond.

Date of Award	2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Western Sydney University
Supervisor	Christine Johnston (Supervisor)