A team around your child

Concerned about your child’s development?

Seeking support early can be life-changing.

NDISInclusion

The Key Worker Model for children aged 0 – 6 years

Your key worker is the person you will see and talk to the most. A key worker is an early childhood intervention professional and could be a speech pathologist, early childhood intervention teacher, occupational therapist or physiotherapist.
 
Your child and family will work with a Key Worker who is the primary contact between you and our transdisciplinary team of early childhood professionals.
The Key Worker makes sure the important people in your child’s life have the information, resources and support to help your child learn, develop and be included. 

Your Key Worker can:

  • Help you develop goals and an individual plan for your child.
  • Regularly share information with you about your child’s development, success and achievement.
  • Work with children and families in the child’s natural environment, home, preschool or school to ensure each child is learning and developing through their everyday activities.
  • Support children and families to maximise everyday learning opportunities through support and coaching.
  • Deliver inclusive services in your child’s everyday environment
  • Work closely with you, your child and other important people in your child’s life.
  • Give families skills and knowledge to understand your rights and advocate for your child

    Early Childhood Intervention Teachers

    Early Childhood Intervention teachers work within the Key Worker – Transdisciplinary team.

    The Teaching team is highly skilled in all Early Childhood development, learning, social and emotional wellbeing.

    Teachers work collaboratively with other disciplines in the team to build the skills and knowledge of families, parents, carers and other important adults in each child’s life. 

    Teachers will support your child to learn, play and connect at preschool and school.

     

    • Experts in all areas of child development, learning​, play, and social and emotional wellbeing. 
    • Support inclusion in Early Childhood education settings.
    • Work with other educators to support each child to play, learn and make friends at Early Childhood settings. 
    • Provide support, coaching and training for families to support their child’s development naturally throughout the day.
    • Support families to strengthen relationships and connection with each child. Teachers recognise the impact of parenting a child with developmental delays and/or disabilities has on the family and support the emotional wellbeing of all family members.
    Physiotherapy-EarlyConnecitons

    Physiotherapy

    A physiotherapist helps your child with mobility to improve physical movement, coordination, agility and balance. Motor skills and early movement forms the building blocks for functional abilities. Our physiotherapists can help you reach your child’s movement milestones.  

    • Sitting to play and moving between positions 
    • Play based strategies for overall motor development
    • Specialised equipment to support development and mobility
    • Postural tone and strength
    • Shoulder and pelvic girdle stability and core strength and control
    • Fitness and the skills required for recreation and chosen sports
    Physiotherapy

    Occupational Therapy

    An occupational therapist helps your child improve everyday living activities, including working on coordination, posture, movements, sensory integration and fine motor skills.

    • Dressing, mealtimes, learning and play
    • Using hands for everyday activities
    • Specialised equipment to assist in access 
    • Advice about toys, activities and games suitable for your child
    • Adaptations to their environment in home, school or daycare
    • Improving social, emotional and sensory skills
    Excellence-Early-Childhood

    Speech Pathology

    A speech and language pathologist can help your child learn the skills to communicate and process information. We can also help children who experience difficulties swallowing food and drinking safely. 

    • Speech sounds and comprehension
    • Expressive language
    • Alternative or augmentative communication
    • Stuttering and lisps
    • Social and life skills 
    • Feeding and swallowing difficulties
    • Literacy, reading, writing and getting ready for school
    Boys-Speech-Pathology

    Child and family psychology

    Psychologists are experts in the ways people think, behave and learn. A psychologist assists children to develop positive behaviour, learning skills and can help with the transitions through school. 

    Psychology is available in Manning & Great Lakes, Kempsey and Port Macquarie for children who may need support with:

    • Autism and ADHD
    • Down Syndrome
    • Development delays
    • Anxiety, depression and panic attacks
    • Behavioural problems
    • Learning difficulties
    • Bullying or friendship issues
    • Anger management
    Psychology available at Manning and Great Lakes, Kempsey and Port Macquarie Hastings
    Port Macquarie Aquatic Therapy

    Aquatic therapy

    The main focus of our service is water safety and water therapy. We aim to equip individuals with skills that can be generalised to access mainstream swimming lessons. All instructors are Autism Swim approved. Sessions are run one on one and are 30 minutes in duration. The sessions are tailored to the individuals needs and their aquatic goals.

    Our aquatic therapy is targeted at:

    • Children who are not receiving mainstream swimming lessons.
    • Children who aim to increase their confidence in the water.
    • Children who aim to improve and learn water safety skills and a basic swimming skill set.

    Aquatic therapy is only available Port Macquarie-Hastings

     

    Connecting you to the NDIS

    Concerned about your childs development? Seeking support early can be life changing.

    NDIS INFOINCLUSION