Staff at Early Intervention
The service provided by the Early Intervention Team is a full and comprehensive therapy service of a very high standard including home practice and regular formal and informal follow-ups with parents. Staff provide extensive documentation and recording at all levels of service.
Parents are considered partners and are important team members. Training days and workshops are held throughout the year to assist parents to develop the skills to implement their child's progress at home and in other environments.
Early Intervention services are delivered by a trans-disciplinary team led by a Manager. The team consists a Program Support Manager, Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Early Childhood Teachers, Primary School Teachers, Psychologists and Intervention Assistants. The following information outlines the key responsibilities of this experienced and effective team who address the particular needs of each child through their joint areas of expertise.
Executive Manager of Early Intervention Services
The Executive Manager is responsible to the Chief Executive Officer; ensuring the key performance standards for the organisation and the service are met. The Executive Manager of Early Intervention has a clinical background in Occupational Therapy and an extensive history of working with children with Autism and their families.
Program Support Manager
On a day-to-day basis the Program Support Manager will be responsible for the operation of the Early Intervention Program including staff supervision and coordination. The Program Support Manager has a solid work history in teaching environments and have extensive training, development and implementation experience. They oversee the implementation of on-going training and development of families, staff and educators who are working with children with Autism across environments. The Program Support Manager reports directly to the Executive Manager of Early Intervention Services.
Role of Case Managers
Case Managers work within a trans-disciplinary team, which includes Speech Therapists, Early Childhood and Primary Teachers, Occupational Therapists and Psychologists. They will work with families and children to improve optimal functioning of the child through the maintenance, improvement or introduction of skills necessary for the child to participate as independently as possible in meaningful life activities.
Speech Pathology
Speech Pathologists on the Early Intervention Team work with staff and families to develop children’s functional communication and social skills. The goal of speech and language intervention is to help children to develop methods of communicating to a range of people and assist in alleviating frustration and behaviours as a result of communication difficulties. Speech Pathologists support the training and development of staff and families in understanding the communicative functions of behaviour and the use of visual supports in supporting functional communication skills across environments.
The Speech Pathology Team is involved in assessing each child’s expressive and receptive language skills. This information is used to provide individual recommendations and support to develop each child’s communication skills to enable them to better participate in activities at home, at school and in the community. Speech Pathologists may work on developing verbal (spoken) or non-verbal communication skills (such as eye contact, use of gesture or pictures to communicate), receptive language (understanding of language), pragmatic skills (social skills such as greeting people or starting a conversation) and clarity of speech.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapists within the Early Intervention setting assist in developing a child’s motor, perceptual and sensory abilities to assist them in achieving independence in activities of daily living. These activities include toileting, dressing, feeding, play skills, perceptual skills, gross and fine motor skills as well as sensory processing skills.
The Occupational Therapists assess the child’s strengths and weaknesses to assist and develop the child’s skills. Prioritised goals are devised and targeted in the child’s Individual Program. Parents complete a sensory profile for their child to explore their sensory needs. Through the guidance of an Occupational Therapist, sensory processing strategies are implemented to address the child’s needs and preferences. Information related to each child’s individual sensory preferences and program goals is fed back to parents and schools to support the child’s individual needs within a range of everyday settings.
Early Childhood Teachers / Primary School Teachers
Our Early Childhood Teachers have extensive experience working across key learning areas from Kindergarten to Year 3. Teachers support the centre operations and the implementation of individual program plans. Teachers will also work closely with families to help them advocate for their child across educational settings as well as helping to prepare the development of Individual Educational Plans and assist in planning for transition to school and provide information and support regarding school options in WA.
Psychologists
In collaboration with the team, Psychologists advise on positive behaviour support strategies and the development of programs targeting independent living skills (e.g. toileting, feeding, and dressing) and independence in the classroom e.g. independent work, transitioning between activities, sitting and following routines. Psychologists work with staff and families of Early Intervention to provide information and links into community support services such as respite, parent support groups and counseling for parents and siblings.
Intervention Assistants
Intervention Assistants carry out the individual programs developed and monitored by the clinical team. They work directly with the children in group, play and individual work sessions and document and record the children’s programs, providing feedback on progress to case managers. Intervention Assistants are dedicated and passionate staff who are also responsible for providing direct feedback to families about the child’s performance for the session. They are highly skilled staff who undertake a very comprehensive initial training program as well as ongoing training. The Intervention Assistances have various backgrounds including Early childhood and Primary school Teachers/Education Assistants, Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Teaching and Psychology students.
