The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a national scheme that directly provides funds for people with disabilities to access the supports and services that they need. NDIS guidelines limit the age of eligible participants to between 7 and 65. But through its Early Childhood Approach NDIS ensures that help is also available for children below the age of 7 who may have a developmental delay or a disability. This is delivered through NDIS-funded local organisations called early childhood partners.
The NDIS has developed their Early Childhood Approach based on evidence-based research in consultation with the experts in the field of early childhood intervention. The
early years are crucial in the growth and development of a child and the aim is to help families access help for their children as early as possible in life. If your child is younger than
6, they do not need a diagnosis to get support from the NDIS. But usually when parents have concerns about the development of their child, a doctor or a health professional will be the primary point of contact through which they connect with early childhood partners. After that, they can access family-centred supports focusing on the strengths of their child recommended by experts.