Program shows continuity of best-practice Early Intervention supports

Decades of Early Intervention experience drives the delivery of the Early Childhood Intervention Service Continuity of Support program at Noah’s Ark. 

More commonly known as ECIS-CoS, Noah’s Ark provides services to more than 100 families in Victoria through this Department of Education-funded program. 

The service provides crucial, evidence-based Early Intervention support for children with disability or developmental delay in the years before they begin school.  

It supports children and families who are ineligible for NDIS or other funded supports. 

Noah’s Ark Melton Team Leader and Specialist Teacher Jen Galvin says the program delivery reflects the core values and evidence base of Noah’s Ark’s work under other funding models. 

This includes capacity building, coaching with families and working with children in their natural environments.  

“Very often these families have not been able to access other supports, so we are able to get in there and start with a routines-based interview (an evidence-based assessment) and set some really functional goals,” she says. 

“We are able to tailor the supports to what the family needs at the time and really get to those burning issues. 

“A Key Worker (lead practitioner) is allocated from the beginning so the families have one main point of contact, and we can also arrange consultations with other members of the allied health team as required.” 

Key Workers delivering this service include Specialist Teachers, Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Psychologists and Physiotherapists. 

Ms Galvin says the program mirrors the way in which Noah’s Ark works, and has previously worked, under various funding models including NDIS and, pre-NDIS, the ECIS model.  

Under the ECIS-CoS program, one main difference is the lack of the transactional nature when compared to NDIS model. Another difference is the ECIS-CoS service ends on February 28 the year the child begins primary school. 

A crucial element to this journey with families may be the use of interpreters. 

“We really strongly advocate for families to be able to participate in a conversation that they can authentically understand,” Ms Galvin says. 

Noah’s Ark Teacher Special Education, Kerry-Ann Arandez says that one aspect of her work delivering the program includes supporting with further pathways of support including kindergarten, plus maternal and child health. 

This may also include supporting a family with the big step of transitioning to school. 

“We can also request the consults with, for example, Speech Pathology if required,” she says. 

For Noah’s Ark Specialist Teacher Olivia Raymond, one of the biggest highlights is supporting families to understand the school system, helping with school tours and what ‘school readiness’ may look like. 

“I want to ensure all families are heard, can ask questions, share information and receive information that is accurate,” she says. 

“As part of building this collaborative work it’s important to empower parents to be the 'expert' on their child, as opposed to the therapist only being that ‘expert’.” 

Noah’s Ark Operations Manager Sarah Denholm says the program aligned well with the Thriving Kids Advisory Group proposed model of targeted foundational supports, with a focus on working towards goals that are reviewed every six months. 

“This model of service delivery provides supports that are directed at goals set collaboratively with the families, and includes co-ordination of supports by the Key Worker,” Ms Denholm says. 

“That Key Worker – or what some may know as a lead practitioner – may provide support around further evidence-based information, referral pathways and guidance or advice around Early Childhood development. 

“They may also organise consultation with other members of the allied health team, for example a Speech Pathologist may be required to support a family with augmentative or alternative communication (AAC) information and support. This may include guidance around Key Word Sign or a high-tech communication device.” 

Noah’s Ark is a not-for-profit organisation established in 1971. 

Photo by Jeniffer Araújo on Unsplash.