Early Intervention at MercyCare
Children are at the heart of everything we do
Our focus is on ensuring every child in our care has the best start to life, by upskilling our educators, partnering with families, and now, through a new partnership with allied health provider Therapy for Kids.
Why Does Early Intervention Matter?
Early intervention matters because the early years shape a child’s lifelong development. According to the 2024 Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) Australia’s most comprehensive national snapshot of early childhood development – almost 1 in 4 children (23.5%) start school with a developmental vulnerability in one or more areas.
The right support during this window can have a lifelong impact, strengthening a child’s ability to communicate, build relationships, regulate emotions and engage in learning.
When support is delayed, small challenges can become more complex over time. Children who are supported early are more likely to:
- Participate confidently in learning environments
- Build positive relationships
- Transition successfully into school
- Experience improved long-term wellbeing
What Is MercyCare’s Partnership with Therapy for Kids?
MercyCare has partnered with Therapy for Kids, a leading multidisciplinary allied health provider, to bring speech pathology, occupational therapy and other allied health expertise directly into MercyCare Early Learning centres.
The partnership combines expertise in early childhood education and allied health to build more inclusive, supportive environments where every child can thrive.
A Shared Commitment to Better Outcomes
This partnership reflects MercyCare’s ongoing commitment to early intervention, collaboration and holistic support for children and families. By combining expertise across education and allied health, MercyCare and Therapy for Kids are working together to ensure every child feels supported, included and able to succeed.
MercyCare supports early intervention by building the knowledge and confidence of the people around each child, educators and families alike.
- Upskilling educators: We equip our educators with the knowledge and expertise to work with children who have developmental vulnerabilities or display challenging behaviours.
- Partnering with families: Early intervention works best when delivered in partnership with families. We offer parents and caregivers the chance to build their own skills and knowledge through carefully selected webinars and in-person training.
If you’d like to learn more about early intervention at MercyCare, speak with your Centre Manager, they’re happy to help.
Rather than one-on-one therapy sessions, the program takes a whole-of-environment approach – supporting children in the spaces they already know: classrooms, play areas and daily routines.
Therapy for Kids clinicians, including speech pathologists and occupational therapists, work alongside MercyCare educators to:
- Observe children and educators within their learning environment
- Share practical strategies with educators
- Provide insights into child development and behaviour
- Recommend simple, effective adjustments to support engagement and inclusion
These strategies might include small but impactful changes, such as adapting routines, modifying the physical environment, or introducing new ways to support communication and participation. At the heart of it all is a focus on building the capability and confidence of our educators, so they can apply what they learn every day.
The in-centre program doesn’t include individual assessments or one-on-one therapy, but families can choose to access these services separately and directly through Therapy for Kids, including:
- Speech pathology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and psychology
- Multidisciplinary developmental and diagnostic assessments (including autism and ADHD)
- Parent consultations, coaching and advocacy support
- Group therapy programs and school holiday sessions
Services can be delivered at MercyCare Early Learning centres, at Therapy for Kids clinic locations across Perth, or at home.
Note: all individual one-on-one therapy services, bookings, fees and related communication are arranged directly between Therapy for Kids and families, separately from the in-centre partnership program.
