What Is ECEI (Early Childhood Early Intervention)?

ECEI is an acronym which stands for Early Childhood Early Intervention. It is a separate arm of the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) to support children under 7 years of age who present with a developmental delay or disability. A developmental delay includes areas of development which take longer for children to develop, or appear naturally harder in areas such as difficulties walking, talking, eating or playing. 

How do I access ECEI?

 You apply through your Local Area Coordinator by phoning 1800 800 110 or by accessing the NDIS website. The amount of funding is for a 12 month period to be used for therapies and or consumables.  The amount of funding you will receive will range from person to person based on your child’s individual needs. Some examples of the therapies you can access with the ECEI funds include Occupational Therapy (OT), psychology, speech pathology (including online speech therapy), exercise physiology and more. In Speech Pathology we often utilize ECEI funds to apply for Assistive Technology (AT) such as an iPad which can be used for AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) or to use the iPad to access services such as Speech Therapy Online. This is where Speech Therapists in Rhodes communicate via computer on Zoom to provide Speech Therapy Telehealth to a family who are unable to come into the Speech Pathology clinic Rhodes. 

What do I need to do?

 After making an appointment for a first interview with your Local Area Coordinator you will need to gather some supporting evidence to show that your child is presenting with some needs. Examples of this could include a letter from your GP or Paediatrician stating your child’s needs, a Speech and Language Assessment with a report, an Occupational Therapy Assessment with a report.  Another example could be the results from an Audiologist if your child presents with hearing loss.