Quality, Evidence Based Practices and Accountability 

 

Schools and families can be reassured that EarlyEd’s team are committed to high standards of professional practice and collaboration because we have external approvals and accreditations. 

1.  Specialised Allied Health and Behaviour Support Scheme (“the Scheme”)  EarlyEd has been part of this scheme since its inception. It can reduce the administrative burden of schools and providers and give schools reassurances.
   “The department has put successful pre-qualified providers through a procurement process which has reviewed: their experience, qualifications and training; their business credentials, insurances and adherence to probity requirements; the services they deliver and how they deliver them and the areas of the state that they can service.”’ 

1. Registered NDIS Provider:
   EarlyEd decided to meet the requirements of Registered NDIS Providers in 2017. Since then we have undergone an audit twice every 3 year period. We are registered to deliver Early Childhood Supports and Specialist Behaviour Supports. 

 

What is the NSW Education Department Specialist Allied Health and Behaviour Support Provider Scheme?
It is a “pre-qualification scheme established by the department for specialist allied health service providers. The Scheme supports schools that may need to directly engage specialist allied health services to ensure learning adjustments are appropriate and effective for students.
  

Some mandatory requirements will have been undertaken by EarlyEd to complete the pre-qualification process. These requirements are maintained centrally through the department. Each quarter we complete a report to the department about our activities as part of the scheme. EarlyEd’s provider details for participation in the Scheme can be checked through the database of allied health providers.  

The following links from the department website may help schools know more about the scheme. 

Prequalification scheme provides schools greater access to allied health support (nsw.gov.au) 
 

What initiatives can support my school? (nsw.gov.au)  

School-led multidisciplinary responses (nsw.gov.au)  

Externally_funded_service_providers.pdf (nsw.gov.au)  

Why choose EarlyEd as a provider?   

 

EarlyEd allied health practitioners deliver supports to students and schools via modes that meet their needs and preferences.    

By working together in partnership schools and EarlyEd can determine the preferred modes of delivery and frequency of service.  

The EarlyEd team endeavours to also find ways that can best capacity build the school / teachers involved. Services can be any or a combination of supporting    

• children face to face: individually, class support or in small group settings, assessments, parent training   

• planning and programming individually or for the class or school   

• remote/online delivery through telepractices    

• consultancy, coaching, video feedback, mentoring and professional development workshops.     

  

EarlyEd matches the modes of delivery to the school, children and their families.       

The choice of delivery will be impacted by the type of support needed   

• in the class  

• playground  

• extracurricular activities  

• transition to school  

• family support  

• assessment  

• funding applications including   

• child support to access NDIS and  

• environmental modifications.   

EarlyEd recognises the need for flexibility in modes of delivery in order to adapt to the demands on time and availability of staff, of the school routines and programs so that best outcomes are achieved for children and the school.   

Technology is used to increase access, flexibility and frequency of communication and be innovative with assessments and feedback. Video, phone calls, online meetings, messaging, and emails leads to responsive and increased adaptions and quicker solutions.   

Experienced working in schools and in the community  

All EarlyEd services are   

• community,   

• home,   

• in early childhood education settings and   

• school based   

which gives the EarlyEd team a deep understanding of    

• the needs of children in varied settings (and transitioning into and out of these settings), and   

• how to create a team around each child,    

and extensive experience in    

• translating strategies into practical support and   

• partnership collaborations that maintain the team around the child by engaging the parties in planning, decision making, and services.    

Multidisciplinary Approach – one or more allied health disciplines create a team   

EarlyEd operates as local, collaborative, multidisciplinary teams based in our areas. Schools can engage one or more practitioners from EarlyEd at the one time, to create a collaborative team. This is particularly helpful and cost effective when there are children with complex needs and disabilities. In these situations, a key person is allocated to coordinate the assessments, reporting, supports, collaborative planning, monitoring and communications in partnership with the school (key worker).   

This can be most effective when children have a NDIS package as it can reduce the number of non-school staff in the classroom and school environment and streamline planning and implementation of strategies at school. All-of-class and school strategies can also be implemented.   

This best practice approach helps create clear communication pathways, minimises communication demands and helps to keep information current for all parties. Practitioners can support, implement and monitor the goals and strategies recommended by others while undertaking their own interventions.    

Professional Development and Training for schools  

Professional Development support is designed to meet the specific learning outcomes of the school staff using an approach that includes pre workshop planning sessions and optional follow up practical on-site coaching support.  

Many of EarlyEd’s practitioners have specialised skills, certifications and knowledge which means they can offer targeted training such as:   

• meal-time management,   

• Augmentative Assistive Communication,   

• Key Word Sign,

• inclusion practices and   

• specialist behaviour support 
  
  
• toilet training

EarlyEd has a full multidisciplinary team which include speech pathologists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists, allowing our tailored training to incorporate cross discipline knowledge. As the team includes teachers it reflects the needs of teachers and schools.   

Training sessions for parents  

Through the Specialist Allied Health and Behaviour Support Provider Scheme, the allied health team, special educators and teachers can offer targeted training programs for families from school readiness to support of behaviour and learning.   

Resources for families 

To complement the resources provided by the education department We we have developed Ready to learn Together Resources for parents that have been funded by large and small grants. 

The Ready to learn Together Resources resources schools can be shared with families in 14 different languages. that support school readiness. 

 

Leadership and Management Consultation

EarlyEd staff have extensive consultancy experience and many years of experience in education and disability. They have strong educational backgrounds and are passionate about inclusion for all. We can work with your leadership and management team to evaluate and improve your inclusive practices and ensure that all students are successfully included. Our consultancy services will complement your strategic plan and ensure that all barriers to learning are identified and an implementation plan is put in place to overcome them.

Professional development for your staff

Professional learning is a great way to build your team’s knowledge, skills and confidence around inclusion. This professional development could be:

• 1:1 teacher coaching, mentoring and team teaching
• Staff meetings and development days
• Conferences for groups of schools

What type of staff meetings and development days are available?

EarlyEd staff run practical, interactive workshops that are based on evidence and best practice. All our professional development and training is tailor-made by our experienced staff who will collaborate with your school to meet your team’s needs. We call this our ‘More than just a Workshop’ approach. How often do you go to training and then never quite get to make the learning work for you in the classroom? Your staff will receive detailed hand-outs and resources that they can put straight into practice in their classrooms to make a difference to child outcomes.

EarlyEd staff can support you in the following areas: behavior management, social skills, sensory processing, ADHD, Autism, speech and language, fine and gross motor, literacy and mathematics.

Some schools have funding to offer specific training. EarlyEd can co-design and co-deliver specialised target groups to further support all children at all stages of learning. We can also focus on children identified with disabilities and additional needs at your school. We have innovative ways to support inclusion in the playground.

Groups can run in term time or during the school holidays and are individualised for each child’s needs.

Groups can include: Friendship Skills Lego® group, fine motor and hand skills group, language and literacy, mathematics and numeracy skills group and playground inclusion skills development.

Groups can be delivered by special educators, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, specialist behaviour support practitioners and paediatric physiotherapists.

Having a child with disabilities or additional needs can be extremely stressful and challenging for families. We believe at EarlyEd that supporting parent’s to develop the skills they need to support their child is the most effective way to improve outcomes for children with disabilities and additional needs. The team are able to tailor and coordinate workshops for your parents to attend. Topics could include mealtime management, daily routines, positive behavior support, importance of play, NDIS meeting preparation and transition to high school.

Make sure to regulary visit our What’s On page as we offer Bi-Annual Workshops for Parents.