"Make it a childhood memory and not a therapeutic memory": Young people's experience of early childhood intervention in Australia.

BACKGROUND

Young people with developmental concerns, delay or disability should have a voice in issues that are important in their lives. While many young people have expressed that early childhood intervention (ECI) was necessary and beneficial, some have reported having distressing experiences. Understanding and responding to the perspectives of young people contributes to improved services and outcomes for children with disability and their families.

OBJECTIVES

(a) To explore and describe the experiences of young people (15 - 32 years) who received ECI services in Australia during childhood, and (b) to learn about young people's perspectives and ideas about 'best practice' in ECI.

METHODS

Following an expression of interest phase, semi-structured interviews (n = 21) were conducted with purposively selected young people. Interview transcripts were analysed using an inductive thematic qualitative analysis approach.

FINDINGS: The data were organised into six key themes: (1) Upholding children's rights; (2) Understanding children and supporting them to learn about themselves; (3) Helping families find the supports they need; (4) Functional, meaningful and individualised; (5) Holistic, family-centred and collaborative supports; and (6) Positive and negative impacts.

CONCLUSION

Insights from young people increase our understanding of the way that ECI is experienced by children, as well as the longer-term outcomes of ECI. Findings are relevant for informing policies, guidelines and education initiatives. These measures ensure that children with disability and their families receive services that are safe, effective, and lead to optimal outcomes.