Program details
- Priority area: Communication, wellbeing (social and emotional), access and inclusion
- Primary audience: Educators, parents/carers, children
- Delivery mode: Online, consultancy, group training, professional services
- Strength of evidence: Professional services
- AEDC sub-domains:
- Language and cognitive development – interest in literacy/numeracy and memory
- Language and cognitive development – basic literacy
- Language and cognitive development – advanced literacy
- Emotional maturity – Anxious and fearful behaviour
- Emotional maturity – Aggressive behaviour
- Emotional maturity – Hyperactivity and inattentive behaviour
- Social competence – responsibility and respect
- Physical health and wellbeing - physical independence
- Item cost: Variable
Program description
Using an approach that builds on existing skills and knowledge, a multi-disciplinary team of allied health practitioners (such as speech pathologists, psychologists and occupational therapists) works with educators, children and families. Support is provided through case consultation, group training and other discipline-specific services to enhance and support children's communication, language, social and emotional wellbeing, access and inclusion.
Allied health professionals may attend a service as a part of a team or individually, as requested by the service. Services negotiate scheduling and other details directly with allied health providers.
Note: the Department has also pre-purchased a multi-disciplinary allied health arrangement for services receiving school readiness funding. See menu item Allied Health: Multi-Disciplinary Teams (pre-purchased by DE).
Detailed cost
Costs vary according to providers and level and type of support.
Implementation considerations
- Target population: early childhood educators, children and families.
- Program/practice descriptions and details: allied health professionals provide support to educators that builds on existing skills and knowledge, including coaching and modelling, in order to enhance their confidence in supporting children's communication, language, social and emotional wellbeing, access and inclusion.
- Program adaptability: services should determine, in consultation with the allied health team, the needs of educators and children, and the best way to meet these needs.
- Staffing: services may need to provide backfill if educators undertake coaching or training as part of the approach, and should consider the cost of this when determining the cost of accessing this resource.
- Training requirements: allied health professionals should be registered with a relevant professional body, hold a Bachelor's degree or higher and work in accordance with the VEYLDF.
VEYLDF alignment
Item uses these practice principles
- Reflective practice
- Partnerships with families
- High expectations for every child
- Equity and diversity
- Respectful relationships & responsive engagement
- Assessment for learning and development
- Integrated teaching and learning approaches
- Partnerships with professionals
Item responds to these sub-outcomes
- Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes
- Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media
- Children engage with a range of texts and get meaning from these texts
- Children begin to understand how symbols and pattern systems work
- Children use information and communication technologies to access information, investigate ideas and represent their thinking
- Children become strong in their social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing
- Children take increasing responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing
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