What are 'Early Intervention Services'?

When your child is diagnosed with a disability, or if there are concerns about a possible disability, you may be referred to an 'Early Intervention Team'. The referral can be made by your G.P. or Public Health Nurse, through a maternity or paediatric unit in the hospital, or you can contact your local Early Intervention Team directly.

When your child is referred to an agency for early intervention services, a group of people will work with you and your child. In some areas this team is called 'Early Services' and in some areas it is called the 'Early Intervention Team'. The aim of the Early Intervention Team is to provide support for your child and your family, to maximise your child's potential and development.

Each Early Intervention Team is made up of a variety of different professionals together with the family, and not all professionals will be present on each team. Some of the professionals that work on Early Intervention Teams include:

  • Psychologists
  • Speech and Language Therapists
  • Physiotherapists
  • Occupational Therapists (OT's)
  • Paediatricians
  • Social Workers
  • Educationalists

You can find out what each of these, and many other professionals do by clicking on our page about the professionals you may meet.

While the specialists and therapists are considered experts in their fields, they are not the most important element of early intervention. The most important element is you the parents. You know your own child best. You are the most essential members of your child’s Early Intervention Team.

 

 

Page Details:
Author:Informing Families Project Co-ordintor and Informing Families Information Working Group
Date Created1 October 2009


 

 

Snippet Content 5

Health Service Executive Logo Health Services National Partnership Forum Logo National Federation of Voluntary Bodies Logo 
 

  • Informing Families Project, National Federation of Voluntary Bodies,  Oranmore Business Park,  Oranmore, Galway
  • Phone: +353 (091) 792316
  • Fax: +353 (091) 792317
  • Email: info@informingfamilies.ie
© 2024 Informing Families

Search

Search - Use spaces to separate your keywords
03  Thumbnail1