Terms of Reference

Communication, Collaboration & Partnerships 

1. To provide a forum for the promotion of psychological best practice for young children (0-8 years) with developmental delays and disabilities, their families and service providers in Australia.
2. To provide a forum for discussion, peer contact, support and information sharing for psychologists working in Early Childhood Intervention and/or those interested in issues around early childhood intervention. (The aim is that psychologists and interested professionals in the sector will advance their skills within a supportive professional network.)
3. To provide advice to the Australian Psychological Society on issues related to early childhood intervention.
4. To liaise with like-minded groups and organisations whose aims are congruent with those of the Australian Psychological Society Limited.
5. To create and contribute psychological knowledge and expertise to professional activities which facilitate a multidisciplinary approach enhancing the psychological wellbeing, education, participation and inclusion of young children with disabilities and developmental delays, their families and service providers in all aspects of family and community life. Collaboration with all those working directly with young children with disabilities and developmental delays and their families is particularly important.
6. To provide information about psychology in an early childhood intervention context, to share evidence about children, families, services and interventions within this context and to develop documents related to quality practice. The subject matter for these activities could include emerging issues in early childhood intervention, research, ethics, practice guidelines and policy.

Research and Professional Development

1. To encourage psychological research into young children with disabilities and developmental delays, their families and service providers.
2. To foster and facilitate ongoing professional development in psychology about issues impacting on young children with disabilities and developmental delays, their families and service providers.
3. To provide a clearinghouse for new information about psychological issues associated with early childhood intervention.
4. To support psychologists and psychologists-in-training who wish to become involved as citizens of the broader community in activities which promote the wellbeing of young children, their families and early childhood intervention service providers (e.g. through employment, volunteer work, advocacy campaigns).