Why join an early childhood intervention group program?

Early childhood intervention groups offer different learning situations all at one time.

Early childhood intervention group programs offer opportunities for children to participate in a wide variety of learning situations. This means your child has the opportunity to learn in many different ways and across many areas of development. 

We support each child to meet their individual goals in a social setting giving them the opportunity to interact with different people.  

Learning beside other children 

Early childhood intervention group programs allow children to learn alongside their peers. Siblings are invited to come along and join in. They are often ideal role models because your child and sibling are familiar with each other.  By joining a regular group, the children get to know each other. This makes it easier to play together.  

As this is a small group it is less demanding on children than being in a preschool or child care setting while learning new things. It is such a natural way to play and learn. Children can watch other children “having a go”, managing challenges and trying new things. 

Learning beside other parents and carers 

Attending group programs provides the opportunity for families to get to know other families.  Families who join a group say that they find that connecting with other families with similar experiences gives them access to information that you otherwise wouldn’t know about. Learning from lived experiences, shared journeys  can increase a family’s confidence and understanding.  Families often connect up with families that they never would have met otherwise which gives them a very broad experience of who is in their community. 

Learning from the way the intervention team support children 

Groups allow families to not only learn from their early intervention team but also from the other families in the group. Groups give them the opportunity to see how other children learn, listen to instructions, learn how to adapt to help a child learn, and to solve problems. This all helps a parent or carer understand more about child development and learning. Other family members, such as aunties, uncles, and grandparents can often join in and observe how they can support their child to learn in everyday situations because there is more space and groups are more responsive. 

Ideas that are easy to take home  

Group are an interactive way for parents to be introduced to using communication tools such as visuals as part of a routine, explore new ways to use the toys/equipment they may already have at home and extend on play ideas.  Families learn how to support their child in a group setting and then transfer the ideas to family and community experiences.  

Early childhood intervention group programs are a great way for children, parents and carers to learn together in a fun and safe environment. EarlyEd is running Lego® Friendship groups in the holidays and a term long Early Learners group each term at North Sydney. Why not check out the fliers for the groups? There is no wait for early childhood intervention and Occupational Therapy when you attend these group programs.