Early Intervention (EI) is about making sure children with additional health or learning needs have the necessary support to grow and thrive in the early years from 0-5.

There are two main providers of EI in New Zealand:

• The Child Development Service (CDS), a non-medical service of Te Whatu Ora, Health New Zealand.
•  Early Intervention Services (EIS) at Learning Support, Ministry of Education.

The first of these, the Child Development Service, is delivered through your local Te Whatu Ora provider, which until July 2022, was your local District Health Board.

So how do I access CDS?

Normally your GP, Plunket Nurse, or paediatrician will refer you to your local CDS.

CDS provides ongoing services to meet the health needs of children with developmental delays or a disability.  They operate on specific entry criteria provided by the Ministry of Health, so someone from CDS will contact you on referral, to see if your child qualifies. This is also an opportunity for you to discuss what goals you have for your child and to discuss any difficulties your child may be experiencing.

Unlike the Ministry of Education’s EIS, which is for children from the age of 0-5, CDS support is available until your child is 16.  Both services are government funded and free of charge.

As with the old DHB system, service delivery can vary in structure and format, according to which part of the country you live in, but it is likely a Child Development Team will form around your child, who will coordinate assessments and support. Where possible, support will be delivered in your home, allowing you to take an active role in your child’s care.

Who is in the Child Development Team?

Depending on the nature of your child’s delay or disability, you may have contact with several different professionals, or potentially only one. Most visits are likely to take place in your home where health professionals can assess your child in their everyday activities and offer ideas on how to support their development.

These professionals may include:

Physiotherapists, who assess your child’s play and movements and how this impacts on their development.

Occupational therapists, who provide strategies to help your child with everyday activities. They may assess your child’s sensory, motor and perceptual skills.

Speech Language Therapists/Dieticians, who can address feeding and swallowing concerns in babies and young children. They will offer give guidance on how to make sure your child is eating safely. They may also offer support for problem eating.

Clinical Psychologists, who will assess your child’s learning, social and cognitive skills. They may also wish to meet with your child’s teachers or kaiako at their Early Childhood Education Centre or Kohanga Reo.

Social Workers, who will help you access the resources and services you need.

ASD Coordinator who helps families identify developmental goals for autistic children

CDS Coordinator who manages referrals and coordinates the members of the Development Team to ensure you are getting the help you need.

Things for parents to remember:

• Even if you feel some relief that concerns about your child’s development are now being addressed, it is natural to also feel stress and anxiety at the beginning of assessments and services. But remember, you are taking positive action for your child’s development.
• As the expert on your child, you should always be consulted about all aspects of their treatment.
• Children progress best when there is a mutually respectful and collaborative relationship between their parents and EI professionals.
•  Be prepared for the process to take some time and take it one day at a time. What is an issue now may not be an issue next month or next year. Celebrate each achievement.
• Remember your child is a child first and foremost. Build in time for them to play, explore and simply enjoy your company, and that of the rest of your family.
• It is easy to get overwhelmed by repeated visits to or from health professionals. Space them out if possible, to allow you and your child to recharge between appointments.
• Take a support person with you for important visits. Tell them about any issues you wish to raise beforehand, so they can remind you during the appointment if you need it.
• If you are unclear in any way about what a health professional is saying to you – be it medical jargon or complicated processes – ask for clarification.
• Keep all your child’s relevant medical information in an easily accessible folder, or electronic device.

For more on Early Intervention, check out other articles in this series on Awhi Nga Matua. You might also find the resources below useful, which include website, books and articles from the IHC Library. Or contact the IHC library direct to have a chat about what you need on 0800 442 442 or email: Librarian@ihc.org.nz.

Videos:

·      What is Early Intervention? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TdNbOco9jU)

·       The Power of Early Intervention: What happens early matters for a lifetime (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doZAS-tHBm4)