Early Intervention Programme
Every child deserves the best possible start in life. Decades of research demonstrate that early intervention works. Through our specially curated Early Intervention Programme, your child will build and develop a strong foundation for sustained success in both the school and community.
Expect improvements in areas such as...
ADAPTIVE
COGNITIVE
EMOTIONAL REgulation
FINE MOTOR
GROSS MOTOR
LITERACY & NUMERACY
SOCIAL COMMUNICATION
SOCIAL INTERACTION
Our Curriculum
Our curriculum adopts the routines-based early childhood intervention model (RBECI) . The RBECI model focuses on early childhood from birth to seven years old and occurs within a transdisciplinary framework.
Transdisciplinary Approach
Transdisciplinary practice is a way of working to achieve better integration of services and collaboration between professionals where different disciplines work together to improve the outcomes for each child. Families are always an essential part of the team as they bring valuable knowledge and expertise about their child. At Bearie Learning Space, we adopt the transdisciplinary approach recognised by experts as a best practice for early intervention. Through one key therapist, you will receive family-centred, coordinated and integrated services from qualified occupational therapists, psychologists and speech pathologists to meet the needs of your child.
Activity and Routines-based Intervention
Activity and Routine-based Intervention is a natural approach which uses daily routines, transitions and planned play activities. Routines are defined as naturally occurring activities that happen regularly such as mealtimes and getting dressed. This approach is both child-centred and operational. It is based on the child’s interest and targeted skills are infused within the natural activities. It embeds learning opportunities into the family’s daily routines to achieve functional outcomes, namely children’s engagement, independence, social relationships, and family satisfaction with routines, which ultimately improve child and family functioning. Skills learned are therefore functional and meaningful for children and their caregivers.
Why Activity and Routine-Based Intervention (ARBI)?
Most effective and efficient framework to support and sustain early intervention activities
Early intervention services provided in natural environments more effectively promote children’s development than traditional intervention models provided in clinic offices or specialised programs (Jennings et al., 2012; Jung, 2007; Raab & Dunst, 2004). Supported by best practices identified by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Division of Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children (Jennings et al., 2012). Central to the approach is that children learn best in the environment (daily routines) provided by their families and other caregivers. Everyday routines provide an optimal context for young children to acquire skills, because they are repetitive, predictable, functional and meaningful. Furthermore, the regularity in which routines occur over extended time periods enable the child to learn the consequences of his or her behaviour (Dunst et al., 2006; Hughes-Scholes & Gavidia-Payne, 2016; Jennings et al., 2012; Woods et al., 2004). ARBI allows multiple applications in educational environments and teaches target skills via activities in the daily routine without arranging an extra teaching session (Pretti-Frontczak & Bricker, 2004). ARBI also enhances children’s independence, problem-solving abilities and adaptability (Pretti-Frontczak, & Bricker, 2004). Unlike traditional one-on-one therapy, embedding intervention within routines encourages the generalisation and maintenance of skills into other activities. (Bruder, 2010; Hughes-Scholes & Gavidia-Payne, 2016)
Emphasises on the role of families as central to early intervention
The family plays a significant role in promoting their child’s development through the provision of learning opportunities in everyday activities (McWilliam, 2010). Early intervention professionals only have limited contact hours with the child, therefore parents or caregivers have the greatest opportunity to enhance their child’s development (Bruder, 2010). Researchers have examined the effectiveness of families implementing intervention during routines and have found that families can provide a significant contribution to facilitating the development of skills (e.g., social communication) in their young children with disabilities (Woods et al., 2004).
Meets the needs of the
child and family
Home environment gives important daily learning opportunities to support infants and children with developmental delay or disabilities. Also, home visits provide the opportunity to individualise the intervention to meet the needs of child and family (McBride & Peterson, 1997).
Supports Collaboration (Transdisciplinary)
The natural environment approach supports families and teachers who collaborate with therapists and intervention specialists to target developmental interventions within a context of regular routines and activities occurring throughout the child’s day (Rush 2003). When there are children with special needs in an early care and education program, teachers and aides become partners in each child’s early intervention services (Jennings et al., 2012). Therefore, with the routines-based intervention, professionals can work collaboratively with families and use coaching techniques to develop parent’s skills, knowledge, competencies and confidence to be able to provide development enhancing learning opportunities (Hughes-Scholes & Gavidia-Payne, 2016).