This scoping review was prompted by the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in Australia, with a focus on young children with disabilities. The review began by investigating individualized outcomes measures used within Early Intervention (EI). The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) was chosen as it is a…

Background: Early intervention is essential healthcare for stuttering, and the translation of research findings to community settings is a potential roadblock to it. Aims: This study was designed to replicate and extend the Lidcombe Program community translation findings of O'Brian et al. (2013) but with larger participant numbers, incorporating…

Objectives: To examine and analyse the intervention effects of the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) on children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Objectives: Methods: This meta-analysis evaluated the effect sizes in four major domains of measurement (autism symptoms, language, cognition, and social communication). A total of 624 participants…

Purpose: This article examines the educational decision-making of hearing parents for their deaf children born during a period (1970-1990s) before the introduction of new-born hearing screening in New South Wales, where the study was conducted, and prior to the now near-universal adoption of cochlear implants in Australia.…

In Australia, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was rolled out in pilot sites in 2013. This article reports a formative study conducted with qualified preschool teachers in one site in a context of change. The NDIS has been hailed in the media as a bold move to deliver more choice of services to people with disabilities and…

Background: The rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has transformed the Australian funding landscape for individuals with disability and their families. This study examined whether the profiles of autistic children and their families accessing an early intervention (EI) setting have changed following its introduction.…

Autism is a developmental condition that can be detected in early childhood. Early intervention can improve outcomes, though many children are not identified until they reach primary school. Early childhood educators are well placed to monitor children's development and identify those who may benefit from additional supports, though implementation…

A major topic of debate is whether children with autism spectrum disorder should be educated in inclusive or specialized settings. We examined the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of delivering the Group-Early Start Denver Model to children with autism spectrum disorder in inclusive versus specialized classrooms. We randomly assigned 44…

Purpose: Children with a cleft palate (± cleft lip; CP±L) can have difficulties communicating and participating in daily life, yet speech-language pathologists typically focus on speech production during routine assessments. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: Children and Youth Version (ICF-CY; World Health…

Background: Early childhood intervention (ECI) program outcomes remain relatively under-researched. The aim of this study was twofold: (1) to describe outcomes in children and families participating in an Australian ECI service; and (2) to explore child, family, and program characteristics as correlates of these outcomes. Method: Twenty-nine…

This study investigates whether extension of a caregiver-led interactive language program may enhance its effectiveness in supporting communication. Caregiver-led language programs, which focus on establishing responsive interaction patterns to support opportunities for communication between caregivers and young children within natural settings,…

This article uses the developmental systems approach, an approach developed by M. Guralnick (2001), with an aim to assess and evaluate early childhood intervention (ECI) practices in Australia. The author explores the Australian national context of ECI and its complexities and conclude with recommendations to address (a) the possibility of a…

Therapy service delivery models to non-Indigenous and Indigenous people living in outer regional, remote, and very remote areas of Australia have typically involved irregular outreach from larger regional towns and capital cities. New South Wales (NSW) is the most populous Australian state with 7.23 million people of whom 4.58 million live in the…

Behavioural problems in childhood are common, with significant and wide-ranging implications for individuals, families and the community. There is some evidence that sensory processing difficulties are associated with behavioural problems in children with disabilities such as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity…

The aim of the current pilot study was to evaluate the implementation of a "routines-based early childhood intervention" (RBECI) model by Australian Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) professionals. The RBECI model consisted of four key components: (a) Routines-Based Interviews (RBIs), (b) participation-based goals, (c) home visits, and…