Early Childhood Approach
Our Early Childhood Approach (ECA) NDIS Service includes an ECA Occupational Therapist and ECA Speech Pathologist, who support children and their families to achieve the best possible start in life.
Speech Pathology and Occupational Therapy for Children
Our team supports children who are under 9 years of age and their families, to help them reach their goals in everyday activities. This could include participating in learning, playing, talking with friends and family, brushing their teeth, getting dressed or toileting.
Who we work with We support children who are under nine years of age who have Early Childhood Supports on their NDIS plan. We are skilled in working with children who may benefit from support in communication, play, fine or gross motor development, emotional and/or activity regulation, sensory processing or self-care.
What to expect When your child visits the occupational therapists and speech pathologists in our ECA Clinic, they will receive support that is tailored to their needs and your family’s goals. Our clinicians work with you to understand your child’s strengths and challenges, and to help them develop the skills needed for everyday life.
The ECA clinic is open on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9am-4pm.
Fees You can see our expert ECA Speech Pathologists and ECA Occupational Therapists as part of your NDIS Plan, depending on the service you require.
For more information, please visit our NDIS service page or contact us.
Services we offer
Assessments
We get to know your child – how they learn, play, communicate and move -to understand their strengths and areas needing support.
Early Intervention Supports
Targeted support that helps your child build strong foundations early, so they can participate confidently in their daily life.
Including:
- Individual Therapy Sessions
Fun, play-based therapy that builds skills in communication, motor development, sensory processing, social interaction and self care/daily routines. - Parent and Caregiver Coaching
We work alongside you, giving practical strategies you can use at home, kinder, or childcare to support your child’s development every day. - Visits to Home, Kinder or Childcare
We can offer one home visit and one kinder/childcare visit per year (within the City of Darebin), to observe and support your child in these settings. We can offer more frequent home/kinder/school based sessions for those located in Preston and Thornbury. For everyone else, we are happy to work with your child’s educators remotely from our Preston health centre. - Equipment and Resource Recommendations
Guidance on helpful tools or toys to support your child’s development. - Reports and Goal setting
Clear, easy-to-understand reports and goal setting to guide therapy and support NDIS requirements.
Services we are unable to offer
We aim to support as many children and families as possible, but there are some supports that we are not able to provide under the ECA program.
We are unable to provide supports for children who:
- Need Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems or devices.
- Need home modifications such as bathroom, access, or structural changes.
- Need PEG feeding or specialist medical feeding support.
Children needing this level of medical care are best supported by specialised hospital services such as the Royal Children’s Hospital. - Are non-ambulant and rely on a mobility device (e.g., wheelchair users who require specialised seating or positioning).
- Attend a Specialist Developmental School
- Are requesting therapy primarily in the home or community, as we are primarily a clinic based service.
NDIS ECA Referral Form
Please complete this referral form and we will contact you about the ECA program. The first section of the referral form lists diagnoses such as autism, but we can also support children with other diagnoses.
If your child does not have a diagnosis, or has a diagnosis that is not listed on the referral form, please continue to complete the form. We will contact you to discuss your referral.
For people over 18 living with disability
We offer experienced and in-depth support for people living with disability, including those funded by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Related Services
Regular dental check-ups keep children’s teeth healthy and help prevent fillings and extractions. All children under 18 can use our services.
Our Paediatric Clinic provides quality, personalised care for children 11 years and under living in the City of Darebin.