Press Releases

Intervention Programs Help Families

HALIFAX - February 9, 2001 - The Early Intervention Association of Nova Scotia is a registered charity administered by a volunteer board of directors. The association was created in 1996 to represent Early Intervention programs in Nova Scotia as well as staff, board members, families and other individuals interested in Early Intervention services in Nova Scotia. The Association's goals are to provide a voice for Early Intervention issues, to promote public awareness and education about the value of Early Intervention and the value of the children and families served, and to promote professional development in the field of Early Intervention.

Early Intervention in Nova Scotia involves the provision of specialized services and support to families with children between birth and school entry who have a developmental delay. These delays can be due to any number of factors. Programs assist families with children who have Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Autism/PDD, other more rare disorders or diagnoses, as well as children who are at risk for developmental delays due to prematurity and other birth complications. Many of the families served encompass children who are delayed for undiagnosed reasons. The program is essentially focussed "in-home" and is family-centered as our philosophy is that the most critical environmental contribution to child development is the nature and quality of parent-child, or indeed family-child relationships. Services may be extended to community-based programs to support the inclusion of children with special needs with their peers in their community. Early Intervention promotes the worth of all children in the belief that each belongs.

Early Intervention focuses on equipping children with the necessary skills for leading a normal, independent life and providing parents with the resources they need to acquire this. The focus is not to 'do for' the families but to provide them with support and resources which enable them to problem solve for themselves. Interventionists strive to provide families with current information on their child's diagnosis, information on child development, access to local programs and resources and information on more widespread resources, assistance in contacting and communicating with other parents and professionals, assistance in transitions to new programs or into school and access to developmentally appropriate equipment, toys, games, books and activities.

There are currently seventeen Early Intervention programs in existence in Nova Scotia and through expansion of programs we hope that Early Intervention will become an universal service in Nova Scotia in 2001. In 1998-1999 Early Intervention services were provided to an average of 342 families per month with more than 4000 home-visits made by interventionists to families over the year. Staff also accompanied families to more than 660 therapy sessions and other clinic visits and made in excess of 680 visits to support inclusion in child care centres. These programs are funded partially through grants from the Nova Scotia Department of Community Services but also must access funding from within their own communities.

For more information you may contact the Early Intervention Association of Nova Scotia at 14 Court Street, Suite 200, Unit 129, Truro, Nova Scotia, B2N 3H7, or phone the Provincial Program Administrative Officer at (902) 424-6286 for information on the Early Intervention program in your area.

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