The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a national scheme that directly provides funds for people with disabilities to access the supports and services that they need. NDIS guidelines limit the age of eligible participants to between 7 and 65. But through its Early Childhood Approach NDIS ensures that help is also available for children below the age of 7 who may have a developmental delay or a disability. This is delivered through NDIS-funded local organisations called early childhood partners.
The NDIS has developed their Early Childhood Approach based on evidence-based research in consultation with the experts in the field of early childhood intervention. The
early years are crucial in the growth and development of a child and the aim is to help families access help for their children as early as possible in life. If your child is younger than
6, they do not need a diagnosis to get support from the NDIS. But usually when parents have concerns about the development of their child, a doctor or a health professional will be the primary point of contact through which they connect with early childhood partners. After that, they can access family-centred supports focusing on the strengths of their child recommended by experts.
Early childhood partners will help the parents significantly in understanding the needs of their children by providing important information and helping them find the right NDIS support and services for their children. This is known as early connections. Early connections may lead to early supports if the parents have developmental concerns about the child.
Every child deserves equal opportunities to grow, thrive and achieve great things in life. The early childhood approach provides the pathway for children to get the best possible outcomes in life by nurturing their strengths. Contact your nearest early childhood partner to know more.