Rethinking Early Childhood Intervention and Education

Australia was one of the first countries to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, with its commitment to inclusive education. However, policy and practice shifts in the last decade have seen an increase in the provision of services on the basis of diagnosis, and a fragmentation of the disability service system. The aim of this paper is to examine the unintended consequences of a major policy reform in Australia, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and its implications for the inclusion of young children with disability in education and healthcare. A review of current research and grey literature identifies key structural and operational factors contributing to a shift away from inclusive practices and supports in early childhood education and care and early childhood intervention services. The marketization of disability services and individual budgets through the NDIS have led to an influx of providers with limited understanding, skills, and expertise in children’s inclusion. This shift, driven by consumer choice rather than coordinated service delivery, has created unintended barriers to the developmental and participation outcomes of young children with disability. These issues are discussed in the context of policy changes across the past decade to understand equity, universality, marketization, workforce development, and implementation of services for Australian children with developmental concerns, delay, or disability.