what is best practice in early childhood intervention (eci)?

www.eciavic.org.auEarly Childhood Intervention - Victoria/Tasmania Limited

This information sheet is part of a set of resources for families on the principles of ‘Best Practice in Early Childhood Intervention’.

Early Childhood Intervention Australia (WA/NT Alliance) (2017)

Choosing Quality Early Childhood Intervention Services and Supports for Your Child: www.ecia.org.au

Carers Victoria and ECIA Victorian Chapter (2013)

Making a Start: Building supports for your child and family: www.eciavic.org.au

Best Practice in Early Childhood Intervention is a set of core principles that guides the way ECI professionals work with families and children with disabilities and/or developmental delay. These principles ensure high quality and appropriate early childhood interventions are delivered to you and your family. There are eight key Best Practices in Early Childhood Intervention, shown below.

What is Best Practice in Early Childhood Intervention (ECI)?

Family-centred and Strengths-based PracticeYour family is seen as equal and active partners working with ECI practitioners. Goals and service delivery are based on your family life, priorities and choices. Practices build on your family’s strengths and assists you to develop your own set of resources.

Engaging the Child in Natural EnvironmentsPromotes your childs development through play, routines and interactions at home, in the community and in early childhood settings.

Collaborative Teamwork PracticeYour family, ECI practitioners and others work together as a team around your child. A key worker is nominated to coordinate the team.

Capacity Building PracticeAims to build the skills and knowledge of people, who spend the most time with your child so they will have a greater impact on your child’s learning and development.

Culturally Responsive PracticeECI practitioners provide services and supports in ways that are sensitive and respectful of your family’s cultural, language and social backgrounds, as well as your values and beliefs.

Inclusive and Participatory PracticeEnsures that your child is fully included and participates meaningfully in home and community life, with additional supports as needed.

Evidence-based and Accountable PracticeEnsures that practitioners working with your child have appropriate qualifications and base their intervention on sound clinical evidence and research.

Outcomes-based ApproachPractitioners will focus on what you want for your child and family. They will work closely with you to achieve the best outcomes for your child by using their knowledge and expertise.

A Key Worker is the nominated ECI practitioner who is the main point of contact for your family and helps coordinate the delivery of early childhood intervention services for your child.

An ECI practitioner is a professional who works with your child and family to deliver early childhood intervention This could be a key worker, therapist or other specialist.

Evidence based research shows that Best Practice in ECI produces the most effective developmental and functional outcomes for children with disabilities and/or developmental delay. Service Providers using Best Practice principles are considered to be using the benchmark for early childhood intervention services.







The aim of ECI is to provide you and other important people with the knowledge, skills and support to meet the needs of your child. Specialised supports and resources are provided by your ECI services to support your child’s learning, development and participation. The ECI service may consist of practitioners such as speech pathologists; occupational therapists; physiotherapists; psychologists; teachers and other professionals.

Early Childhood Intervention aims to give children the best start in life.

Your child’s learning and development is most rapid in their early childhood years. Supports, experiences and opportunities provided early in life can impact greatly on your child’s learning and development. You and your family are the first and most important people in your child’s life and have the greatest impact on your child’s development. That is because you not only know your child best but you are the one constant in your child’s life.

With additional information and skills, provided by an ECI service, you can further support your child’s development. ECI received early in life can potentially reduce the amount of supports needed in later life.

What is Early Childhood Intervention (ECI)?

Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) is a process of supporting the development of young children, with disability and/or developmental delay and their families.

ECI services can work with your family to:

• coordinate the services your child and family needs;

• provide therapy and service planning to further develop your child’s skills and abilities;

• build and strengthen your skills and knowledge to respond to the needs of your child;

• support your child’s inclusion into everyday environments; and

• help to build a team around your child.







Your family is seen as equal and active partners working with Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) practitioners. Goals and service delivery are based on your family life, priorities and choices. Practices build on your family’s strengths and assists you to develop your own set of resources.

You and your family are at the centre of your child’s development and the one constant in your child’s life. ECI recognises the impact that families have on their children and understands that families know their child and family life best. Therefore, the role of ECI is to work alongside you to support your child’s learning and development in practical ways.

ECI practitioners work with your family’s strengths and interests by building on what you and your child are already doing well and help to develop new skills, knowledge and supports as needed. Your family will be involved in all decisions about what you want to achieve for your child and how you want to achieve it.

What is Family-centred and Strengths-based Practice?The importance of families...

01

“I felt that I could talk to our key worker about what I wanted for my child and that I was really heard when it came to setting up goals.

Because I had so much input the goals were real strategies that we could do as a family in our everyday life”.

ECI practitioners should:

• recognise the central role that you and your family have in your child’s life;

• respect that you and your family know your child best;

• regard your family as active and equal partners;• discuss with you what is working well and what area

of further support is needed;• work with you to develop strategies for your child

that are based on your family’s strengths, your family life, your goals, routines, priorities and choices; and

• assist you to develop your own support networks, if needed.









All families are unique with diverse backgrounds, strengths and needs. Culture, values, beliefs and community life are important in all families’ lives and have a big impact on children’s experiences. Therefore, ECI practitioners need to be aware and respectful of each family’s diversity and create a welcoming and culturally inclusive environment.

It is by working in partnership with your family in a flexible and responsive way that opportunities to support your child’s learning and development can be optimised.

Respecting diversity in your family means that:

• services you access for your child and family are welcoming and culturally appropriate in meeting your needs;

• your family is respected and actively involved in your child’s learning and development; and

• supports and services are responsive and flexible to meet your family’s needs.

Additional supports:

• Interpreters may be used to help your family and service providers to communicate with each other effectively.

• Translation of information can be provided in the language of your choice.

• Information can be presented in different ways so it is easier to understand. These can include pictures, video clips and Easy English.

• Connect with people from your own culture.

Ask your ECI service provider if these additional supports are available to you.

Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) practitioners provide services and supports in ways that are sensitive and respectful of your family’s cultural, language and social backgrounds, as well as your values and beliefs.

What does Culturally Responsive Practice mean?All families are unique...

02

“We don’t have the words in our language to describe my son’s disability so it was very important to us to have information. Our key worker organised an interpreter and some information was translated into our language so we understood what we could do for our son.”









Your child learns through play and interacting with other children in everyday natural settings, such as home, child care, kindergarten and community activities. Inclusion means more than just being present in these settings, it means creating environments where your child can develop relationships, engage meaningfully and participate in activities.

It is the role of the Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) practitioner to ensure that all those people working with your child are supported and have the additional skills to include your child meaningfully within their settings.

Research has demonstrated that children with disability are more interactive in inclusive settings than in segregated settings providing greater opportunities for children to develop friendships (Antia et al., 2011; Case-Smith & Holland, 2009).

What is Inclusive and Participatory Practice?Home and community life...

03Your child is fully included and participates meaningfully in home and community life, with

additional supports as needed.

“I was very worried when Arjun started child care. Would he be looked after? Would the other children play with him? Our key worker supported Arjun in child care and worked with his educators to make sure that he could take part in activities and routines. To our surprise Arjun settled into child care well and has made some friends already. We are so happy for him.”

Antia, S. D., Jones, P., Luckner, J., Kreimeyer, K. H., & Reed, S. (2011). Social outcomes of students who are deaf and hard of hearing in general education classrooms. Exceptional Children, 77(4), 489–504.

Your ECI practitioner should:

• assist your family to access early childhood services and community programs;

• assist your family, the early childhood educator or any other important person make adaptations to the environment, resources, routines and program;

• build and strengthen the skills of all important persons to meet the needs of your child inclusively;

• use relevant technologies as required to improve participation and engagement;

• build and strengthen the skills of your child to build relationships with others, engage and participate meaningfully; and

• foster positive social relationships between your child, other children and adults.

Friendships and positive social relationships developed in the early years have been shown to be important for a child’s success and happiness in later life.









Your child learns and practices real skills through everyday family and community life. Places where your child plays and engages in everyday routines and interactions, are known as your child’s natural environments. These can include home, child care, kindergarten, playgroup, local shops and recreational centres.

When children are interested, engaged and having fun learning comes naturally.

Routines and every day activities, such as brushing teeth, getting dressed, and meal times are perfect opportunities for your child to practice and build skills. Early Childhood Intervention (EC) practitioners can optimise your child’s learning and development through using everyday routines and activities to build and develop. The best way of knowing what your child does during the day is to see them in their natural environments and talk to you about what your child likes to do and where support is needed.

Therefore, the ECI practitioner may organise visits at home, child care, kindergarten or any other settings that are natural to your child.

What does Engaging the Child in Natural Environments mean?Learning everyday...

04Promotes your child’s development through participation in play, routines and interactions at

home, in the community and in early childhood settings.

ECI Practitioners use your child’s natural environments to:

• find out how your day looks as the basis for early intervention;

• help your child take part in daily life at home and in the community;

• strengthen and build your child’s skills through everyday routines, interactions, play and activities;

• support you in developing ideas to use with your child as part of your family’s routines and your child’s everyday experiences; and

• support other professionals such as early childhood educators to provide opportunities for learning and development in their settings.

“Jasmin’s language skills just came in leaps and bounds when she started kindergarten. I think it was because she was around other children all day doing real things that she enjoyed doing and was supported by her teachers and key worker. Kindergarten is now a big part of her life and our weekly routine”.









Sometimes there can be many people working with you and your child all at the same time. This can be stressful especially when important information and skills are not shared between them and your family. Therefore, ECI for your child works best when a team is formed around your child that work together.

The team around your child can include: your child’s ECI practitioners, early childhood educators/teachers, paediatrician, and other significant people. You and your family are central to the team and are the final decision makers. A key worker is often nominated as the main contact person for your family and coordinates the sharing of information and supports of the team. Your key worker is usually one of the practitioners from the ECI team, such as the teacher, speech pathologist, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, psychologist or other professional. The key worker always works as part of the team making use of the skills and knowledge of your family and other team members.

What is Collaborative Teamwork Practice?The team around your child...

05Your family, Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) practitioners and others work together as a team

around your child. A key worker is nominated to coordinate the team.

“My head spins when I think of all the different services Ashley was involved in and all the appointments we went to. I just couldn’t keep up with it all, let alone try to keep everyone in the loop. That was until Ashley’s key worker came on board. She knew about local services and coordinated the team so it really worked for Ashley and us. We benefited from the combined knowledge and skills shared by the team so we felt more able to support Ashley’s development without all the stress of finding what we needed. We are so grateful to our team and key worker”.

The role of the key worker is to:

• build trusting and positive relationships with you and your family in order to understand your needs and priorities;

• act as the main point of contact for you and your family to help coordinate information, supports and services;

• act as a link and share information and skills between all members of your child’s team;

• consult with other ECI practitioners and work with your child’s kindergarten teacher or child care educator to support your child’s development;

• work in your child’s natural environments, such as home, early childhood settings and the community using your child’s daily routines and activities; and

• help with the transition of your child to child care, kindergarten or school.








Your child spends the most time with you, your family and in their early childhood services. With knowledge, skills and confidence you can all provide the most effective early childhood intervention for your child on an on-going basis. Capacity-building practices assists parents, family members and professionals to use their existing abilities and develop new skills to support your child’s learning and development.

What happens in between early intervention sessions is what makes the most difference!

Your Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) practitioner can provide relevant and specific information and coaching to build your skills and utilize the ones you already have in order to meet the needs of your child. Skill building can be extended to other family members as well as other significant people working with your child, such as your child’s kindergarten teacher or child care educator.

Why is Capacity-Building Practice important?Building skills...

06Aims to build the skills and knowledge of people, who spend the most time with your child so

they will have a greater impact on your child’s learning and development.

Your ECI Practitioner should:

• recognise what you do well already and build the skills that you and your family need to make the most of your child’s daily routines and activities;

• build on the existing skills and knowledge of your child’s early childhood educator/teacher to increase their capacity to support your child’s learning and development; and

• look at the issues and learning opportunities through your child’s day so that plans have the best chance of being carried out across your child’s every day routines and activities.

“I knew how to play with my child, but didn’t realize how play could be therapy too, until I was shown.

Now when I play with Sophie I include some fine motor skills that are fun and meaningful. I feel so confident in what I am doing and have really seen progress. I have shown Sophie’s educator what to do and how to include it in child care in a fun way. Now I feel like the coach.”









When receiving Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) you will want to make sure that what is provided is based on evidence informed by the latest research and practice. You also need to ensure that ECI practitioners have the relevant qualifications, skills and experience to work with you and your child.

ECI practitioners base their intervention for your child on sound clinical evidence, their own expertise and experience, plus all the knowledge you bring about your child to develop an individualised plan to meet the needs of your child and your family.

Your ECI Practitioner should:

• provide you with complete and unbiased information about intervention and strategies;

• use intervention strategies that are based on research and sound clinical evidence;

• explain to you the evidence behind the strategies or interventions they are providing; and

• measure themselves against the best practices found in the National Guidelines: Best Practices in Early Childhood Intervention to ensure all children receive the appropriate quality and level of support.

It is important to talk to your ECI practitioner about the evidence behind the strategies or interventions that are being used. Always gather as much information as you can before you start so that you can check that there is sound evidence to say they work. Check that interventions are safe and have good outcomes.

To ensure that interventions are reliable and work towards meeting goals you could ask the following questions:

1. How will I know whether the intervention has worked?

2. What changes in my child should I expect to see?3. Does this meet with the ECI Best Practice Guidelines?

Why is Evidence-Based and Accountable Practice important?Quality services and supports...

07Ensures that practitioners working with your child have appropriate qualifications and base their

intervention on sound clinical evidence and research.

Interventions that are based on scientifically validated and reliable evidence are the ones most likely to work, be worth the time and energy you invest in it and be safe for your child.









The goals you have for your child and family are the starting point in developing a plan. Your ECI practitioner can assist with setting goals and formulating a plan through sharing their knowledge and expertise and providing strategies that would best meet the needs and interests of your child and family.

Plans should always reflect the individual needs of your child and family. Plans should reflect your child’s and family’s strengths and interests. Plans need to be monitored and reviewed regularly with you and the ECI team to make sure goals are worked towards and any changes be made to ensure best outcomes.

Your ECI practitioner should:

• work with you to identify the skills your child needs to be independent and participate fully in everyday life;

• focus on outcomes that you want for your child and family;

• share their expertise and knowledge so you can make informed choices;

• identify the skills you and your family need to achieve these outcomes; and

• break large goals into smaller steps.

Your goals may focus on:

• Your child’s developmental and learning needs.• Your child’s health and well being.• Your family’s needs.• Your child’s inclusion in community settings.

Why should an Outcome-based Approach be used?Goals for your child and family...

08Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) practitioners will focus on what you want for your child and

family. They will work closely with you to achieve the best outcomes for your child by using their knowledge and expertise.

“As well as helping Donnie to talk and socialise, what we really wanted as a family was for Donnie to sleep through the night so we could function better as a family. Our key worker helped us work out ways of doing this while understanding what we could take on at the time.”



what is best practice in early childhood intervention (eci)?

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