The Early Childhood Approach (0–9)

The Early Childhood Approach (often called ECA, previously Early Childhood Early Intervention or ECEI) is the NDIA's specialist stream for children aged 0 to 9. If your child is under 9 and something is tracking outside the usual range, this is the front door.

Why there's a separate pathway

When the NDIS was being designed, the evidence on early intervention was unambiguous: support provided before age 7 produces the largest functional gains and the biggest long-term reduction in ongoing support needs. The scheme was built to reflect that. So instead of making young families navigate the same access test as adults, the ECA puts a specialist agency — an Early Childhood Partner — between the family and the NDIA. The Partner becomes your guide.

This matters because the under-9 test is deliberately broader. A young child doesn't need a named diagnosis. Documented developmental delay is enough. The Partner helps you translate what you're seeing at home into the NDIA's framework, and walks you through what happens next.

Who the Early Childhood Partners are

Early Childhood Partners are organisations contracted by the NDIA to deliver the Early Childhood Approach in a particular region. The specific organisation varies by state. In Victoria and NSW, the biggest Partners include EACH, Mission Australia, and Uniting; in Queensland, Bravehearts, Lifestart, and Life Without Barriers; in WA, Wanslea; and so on. Partners are regulated, funded by the NDIA, and free for families to use. You do not pay them.

Find your Partner by going to ndis.gov.au, clicking Early Childhood, and entering your postcode. You'll be given the name and phone number of the Partner for your area. You do not need a referral from a GP or paediatrician. You can call them directly.

What happens when you first contact a Partner

The first contact is usually a 15–20 minute phone call. The Partner will ask:

• Your child's age and a brief picture of what you're noticing.
• Whether anyone else is involved — a paediatrician, speech pathologist, maternal and child health nurse.
• What the day-to-day impact looks like — play, communication, eating, sleeping, how your child handles new places and transitions.
• What your immediate concerns are.

Based on that call, the Partner will offer one of three things: information and referrals, short-term early connections support, or a pathway into an NDIS plan.

Three possible outcomes

1. Information + referrals only

If your concerns are mild or better-suited to universal services (Medicare-funded speech therapy via a Chronic Disease Management Plan, public paediatric clinics, maternal and child health follow-up), the Partner will help you connect with those services. No NDIS plan. This is actually the right outcome for many families — the NDIS is not always the best-fit lane.

2. Early Connections (short-term support)

For children whose needs are real but not necessarily requiring a full plan, the Partner can provide a period of short-term support — typically 6 months of direct work, family coaching, occasional allied health consultation, and help navigating services. Early Connections is delivered by the Partner itself and is free to the family. It is designed to either resolve the concern or move the family into a plan if needed.

A huge number of under-6s in the ECA receive Early Connections, not a plan. This is deliberate. The scheme is trying to be the right amount of intervention, not the maximum.

3. NDIS plan

For children whose needs are significant and likely ongoing, the Partner helps you apply for NDIS access. They'll guide you through the Access Request Form, help gather evidence, and (if access is granted) run your planning meeting. For most under-9s with plans, the first plan is typically 12 months and sits somewhere between $10,000 and $35,000, weighted heavily toward Capacity Building — allied health therapy, parent coaching, and early intervention.

What a typical under-9 plan actually looks like

The mix of supports varies, but a common early-years plan might include:

• 12–24 sessions of speech pathology per year.
• 12–24 sessions of occupational therapy per year.
• Some psychology or behaviour support, depending on profile.
• Therapy assistant support (provided by a qualified assistant under a therapist's supervision, cheaper per hour, enables higher volume).
• A smaller 'Core' budget for consumables, community participation, or short-term respite.
• A review at 12 months — increasingly, at 2–3 year intervals for stable presentations under current NDIA policy.

There is no guaranteed minimum or maximum. The plan is sized to the child's goals and functional need. Some plans are much larger; some are more focused.

Transition to the main scheme at age 9

Around age 9, the child's plan is reviewed under the standard disability-requirements test rather than the early intervention test. This is worth preparing for 12 months in advance. Some families who accessed the scheme under developmental delay find their child no longer meets the disability-requirements threshold at age 9 — usually because early intervention has done its work and functional capacity has caught up. This is a good outcome, but it can feel abrupt.

Other children transition smoothly because by age 9 the clinical picture has settled into a formal diagnosis (autism, intellectual disability, DLD, etc.) that satisfies the standard access test. Your Partner should be raising this transition with you by the time your child is 7, so you have time to gather the evidence needed.

What parents tell us they wish they'd known

• Call the Partner early — well before you have all your answers. The whole point of the approach is to meet families in the 'not sure yet' phase.
• You don't need a paediatrician referral first. Many parents wait months for a paediatric appointment before calling the Partner. You can do both in parallel.
• Early Connections is not a consolation prize. Short-term, focused support often does exactly what a family needs without the complexity of a plan.
• If a plan is offered and it feels too small, you can request more in the planning meeting. You can also request an unscheduled review later if your child's needs change.
• The Partner is your advocate, not the NDIA's. If a decision feels wrong, ask them why — they'll usually help you push back or provide more evidence.