Early Intervention
Services
Support for your child
If your child has a disability, or you’re concerned that they are not meeting developmental milestones, then Early Intervention health and education services may be able to provide support for your child.
Read on to find out how CCS Disability Action can support your child.
Content on this page
[ccs-a1] Support for your child’s early development
[ccs-a1] Who are Early Intervention Services for?
[ccs-a1] Who delivers Early Intervention support in New Zealand?
[ccs-a1] How do CCS Disability Action Early Intervention services look in different parts of New Zealand?
[ccs-a1] What we offer at CCS Disability Action
[ccs-a1] How we can work with you through our Early Intervention service
[ccs-a1] About CCS Disability Action
[ccs-a1] Frequently asked questions
Support for your child’s early development
In New Zealand, Early Intervention services are delivered or funded by several government ministries. The most common providers are the Ministry of Social Development’s Disability Support Services and Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga Learning Support.
Ministry of Social Development’s Disability Support Services is available for children with complex medical and/or developmental needs.
The Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga Learning Support provides support for children with significant learning or developmental delays, disabilities, or behavioural or communication difficulties that impact their ability to learn.
Who are Early Intervention Services for?
Early Intervention support in New Zealand is typically available for families with a child aged 0 to 6.
Your child will need to be assessed as eligible. To be referred to CCS Disability Action, your child will have a range of significant support or health needs.
If your child has high and complex needs in a range of areas of developmental need – such as speech and language delays, eating or feeding challenges, motor skill challenges, or social-emotional difficulties – they may qualify for our Early Intervention support.
Most referrals come from a Paediatrician or one of Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Child Development Services.
Who delivers Early Intervention support in New Zealand?
At CCS Disability Action, we understand that parenting a disabled child comes with distinct challenges. We are here to walk alongside your whānau with warmth, expertise, and care.
CCS Disability Action is one of a range of providers contracted to support disabled children through Early Intervention across New Zealand.
In Auckland CCS Disability Action is contracted to deliver Early Intervention by Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga.
In Christchurch and Canterbury we offer support through both the Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga and Ministry of Social Development’s Disability Support Services.
In Dunedin and Otago we deliver through the Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga.
How do CCS Disability Action Early Intervention services look in different parts of New Zealand?
While our values and approach to support are consistent, the way to access our Early Intervention services will vary slightly depending on your location:
Auckland
Most referrals come from Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora’s Child Development Service.
You can find out more about our Auckland Early Intervention services in our brochures here:
Or contact our Auckland branch:
09 625 9378 or
0800 227 2255
Auckland
Christchurch and Canterbury
Referrals come from a Paediatrician and go through the Early Intervention Coordinating Service (EICS). CCS Disability Action offers two distinct programmes:
Early Intervention Programme: For children with high and complex needs in two or more areas of need.
Assessment and Monitoring Programme: For children at risk of developmental delay, due to extreme premature birth (born under 30 weeks gestation and/or under 1000 grams), significant neonatal surgery or heart surgery.
You can find out more about our Christchurch and Canterbury Early Intervention and Assessment and Monitoring Programme services in our brochures here:
Or contact our Christchurch branch:
03 365 5661 or
0800 227 2255
03 372 9507
Canterbury
Dunedin
Referrals come through various pathways including Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora’s Child Development Service, Ministry of Education and Early Childhood Education providers.
You can find out more about our Dunedin and Otago Early Intervention services in our brochures here:
Or contact our Dunedin branch:
03 477 4117 or
0800 227 2255
Otago
Referrals from other agencies
We can accept referrals from some social services agencies in Auckland but cannot accept self-referrals or referrals from other social service agencies for Early Intervention.
Other support
We know how important support for disabled children is in the early years. If you’re interested in support but have not been referred to CCS Disability Action’s Early Intervention services, we are happy to guide you toward other options that may be right for your whānau.
What we offer at CCS Disability Action
Our Early Intervention support services are designed to help children with a range of needs - physical, sensory, behavioural, communication, and cognitive. We work in partnership with families to create individualised plans that support your child’s development at home, in early learning settings, and during the transition to school.
Our approach is family-focused and aligned with the Enabling Good Lives principles. We believe that inclusive early support for disabled children starts with listening to families and building on their strengths.
How we can work with you through our Early Intervention service
Once we receive your referral, we will meet with you to discuss our service.
Early Intervention teams are multi-disciplinary and may include a range of specialists.
Depending on your child’s needs and where you are in the country, our team may include:
Early Intervention Teachers
Speech-Language Therapists
Occupational Therapists
Physiotherapists
Education Support Workers
Family Support Workers.
With your permission, we may also work with or refer you to other professionals to assist your child’s development.
We can offer home visits, support in early childhood centres, and guidance through school transitions. Together, we’ll develop a plan that reflects your child’s strengths and your family’s goals.
Our services are free for eligible families.
About CCS Disability Action
With decades of experience supporting disabled people and their families, we are proud to walk alongside whānau with care, respect, and deep understanding.
Our Early Intervention teams bring considerable experience and align with the Enabling Good Lives principles to ensure your child receives the best possible support.
Frequently asked questions
What is Early Intervention?
Early Intervention is a service that supports young children with significant developmental, learning, or behavioural needs.
Who qualifies for Early Intervention Services in New Zealand?
Children must meet the eligibility criteria set by the Ministry of Social Development’s Disability Support Services and Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga.
Referrals are usually made through a health or education professional. If you’re unsure if you’re eligible, please contact your General Practitioner (GP), Paediatrician, Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Child Development Service or the Ministry of Education.
To qualify for CCS Disability Action’s Early Intervention support your child will have a range of significant development and support needs.
Do CCS Disability Action offer Early Intervention services all across New Zealand?
No. We only offer Early Intervention support in Auckland, Christchurch and Canterbury and Dunedin and Otago. Unfortunately, we cannot offer Early Intervention services outside these areas.
If you are seeking support outside these places, you should talk to your child’s medical professional to discuss your support options.
How do I get Early Intervention support for my child?
If your child does not have a medical diagnosis and you are concerned about their development speak with your Plunket Nurse, or Early Childhood Teacher or GP in the first instance.
If you are already under the care of a Paediatrician or Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora’s Child Development Service, ask about your referral options – your medical practitioner will be best placed to advise you on the services available in your area.
What can I do if I do not qualify for Early Intervention with CCS Disability Action?
We know how important support for disabled children is in the early years. If you need support with advocacy, connecting with your community, funding application etc we are happy to guide you toward other options within our organisation that may be right for your whānau.
What is a Child Development Service?
Child Development Services are provided by Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora and The Ministry of Social Development Disability Support Services. They work with children who have an intellectual, sensory or physical disability that is likely to last longer than 6 months, or children who are suspected of having an impairment.
Child development teams usually involve a range of professionals and may include Occupational Therapists, Speech-Language Therapists, Dieticians, Physiotherapists, Social Workers, Psychologists and Cultural Support Workers.
Most referrals to CCS Disability Action’s Early Intervention service come from a Child Development Service or Paediatrician.
I am eligible for Early Intervention services. Can I choose which support provider I work with?
It will depend on your child’s support needs and the range of accredited providers in your area.
In Auckland and Dunedin, you will have the choice between CCS Disability Action and other providers.
In Christchurch, your child’s referral will be presented to the Early Intervention Coordination Service for review. You will be referred directly to a service provider who is assessed as best meeting your child’s support needs. It may also depend on the capacity of providers in your area to take on new families.
If you feel a particular provider might be a better fit for your whānau, the best person to ask is the medical practitioner who is referring you. They will understand the eligibility criteria and ability of providers to take on new families in your area and amount of time you may need to wait for support.
I am currently supported by another Early Intervention service provider. Can I refer myself directly to CCS Disability Action?
It is important that you feel well supported and that any professionals in your life are a good fit for your whānau.
To qualify for CCS Disability Action Early Intervention support, your child will be identified as having a range of significant developmental and support needs.
If you are unhappy with your existing provider, we recommend you try and work with them to resolve any concerns in the first instance, or you may like to talk with us about other supports we can offer.
If you would still like to enquire about our Early Intervention support, please contact us and see if we might be a good fit for your child. If we are able to provide support for you and your child, your current service provider will need to support a transfer to our service. This is also dependent on the capacity of the Early Intervention team in your area to take on new families.
I work with a social services agency and have a family who would like Early Intervention support, can I make a direct referral?
Referrals generally come through a child’s Paediatrician or Child Development Services.
We can take some referrals in Auckland through social services agencies but cannot accept direct referrals in the rest of the country.
The Ministry of Education may be another helpful agency to reach out to – particularly if challenges have been identified within an education setting like early childhood education.
Depending on a child’s needs, CCS Disability Action may be able to offer alternative support. If you feel your child is not likely to meet the criteria for Early Intervention, but you would like to find out more about your support options you can contact your nearest branch directly.
Is Early Intervention free in New Zealand?
Yes, Early Intervention support is free for eligible families.
Our services are funded by the Ministry of Social Development and Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga.