The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on early childhood intervention services in Australia

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on early childhood intervention services in Australia

Lead researcher: Tim Moore
Department of Paediatrics & Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
Team members: Susana Gavidia-Payne, John Forster, Kerry Bull, Janene Swalwell
Partner organisations: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Noah’s Ark Inc., Monash University

With the onset of the COVID-19 epidemic, the Australian early childhood intervention (ECI) sector is facing an unprecedented challenge. Most ECI services have had to switch their mode of service delivery from home-based or clinic-based visits to various forms of tele-practice, which has presented many challenges for families and providers alike. The aim of the proposed study is to examine the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on ECI service provision and to provide guidance to families and providers on how to ensure effective support and maintain best practice, with a particular focus on their experience of tele-practice delivery.