Early intervention is one of the NDIS's most significant funding streams. Supports funded under the early intervention access criteria serve children and adults where timely, evidence-based intervention can reduce the long-term impact of a disability or developmental delay.
Participants may access the NDIS under the early intervention access criteria (section 25 of the NDIS Act) if they have an impairment that, with early intervention, is likely to reduce their future support needs — or if they are a child under seven with a developmental delay. Many providers deliver early intervention supports to children including speech pathology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, behaviour support, and specialised early childhood education.
Documentation must demonstrate that supports are consistent with evidence-based practice and are likely to achieve the stated outcomes in the participant's plan. This means your progress notes, assessment reports, and goal documentation must connect explicitly to the participant's functional goals and the evidence base for your intervention approach. The NDIS Commission and NDIA scrutinise early intervention supports closely because of the potential for over-servicing.
For children under seven, the NDIA has implemented the Early Childhood Approach, delivered through Early Childhood Partners (ECPs). If you are delivering early intervention supports to children who have moved through the ECP pathway, your documentation should reflect the connection between your services and the goals established through that process.
Early intervention plans are typically reviewed at 12-month intervals. Your clinical documentation plays a direct role in the review process. Build outcome measurement into your service delivery from the first session using standardised tools appropriate to your discipline. Document these measurements in your records, link them to plan goals, and include them in any report you provide to the NDIA, support coordinators, or families.
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