Early Intervention Services (EIS) operates under Learning Support at the Ministry of Education, to help very young children with extra learning needs.

It is a free, needs-based service, so if you, or your Well Child provider, have any concerns about your child’s social, or cognitive development it may be worthwhile getting in touch with the EIS. You do not need a diagnosis to access support. 

If your child is already at an Early Childhood Education (ECE) Centre, you may prefer someone from the centre to contact EIS on your behalf. They can only do so, however, with your full permission.

Someone from EIS will contact you to discuss your concerns and your goals for your child, and importantly, what you would like to happen next. Using the information you provide them with, EIS will form an Early Intervention team to work with you and your child. Together you will develop a plan to support your child’s learning and development. 

As EIS provides support to children from birth to the age of five, in the first few years, it is likely that support will be provided in your own home.

After the age of three, your child’s Early Intervention Plan will most probably include supporting them at their ECE service or Kohanga Reo.

Early Intervention Teams can include:

• Speech-language therapists
• Psychologists
• Early Intervention Teacher
• Kaitiakawaenga (Maori Cultural Advisers)
• Education support workers
• Advisers on deaf children.

What happens once my child turns five?

Like all children in New Zealand, once your child turns five, they transition from pre-school to primary school or home-schooling. At this point your child may no longer need extra support to engage fully in school life – either socially or in their learning journey.

This may not be the case for other children, and for those children especially, it is important to manage the transition carefully, planning well in advance of their start date.

Make sure your pre-school has passed on relevant information about your child’s needs, strengths, interests and goals. Also, do your best to prepare your child for this big change in their daily life. Reassure them that they will be supported every step of the way.

Talk to the school yourself, preferably to your child’s kaiako and the SENCO teacher about your child’s needs and find out what resources they can access. There are a number of options available depending on your child’s level of need including:

• The Special Education and Operations Grant
• Ongoing Resourcing Scheme
• School High Health Needs Fund
• Severe Behaviour Service
• Communication Service.

For some children mainstream schooling may not be the best option – explore what else is available such as special schools that address your child’s needs in a more targeted way.

Visit the Early Intervention Service website or phone Learning Support on 0800 622 222, for full details.

For more on Early Intervention, check out other panui 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.