Therapy in Childcare: Integrating the National Best Practice Framework for Early Childhood Intervention

A Practical Guide for Therapists and Educators in Childcare Environments

The Australian Government’s National Best Practice Framework for Early Childhood Intervention (NBPF-ECI) provides clear, evidence-based guidance for supporting children with developmental delay or disability in the early years. This guide shows how to align therapy in childcare with the Framework; through neuroaffirming, family-centred and collaborative practice.

At Autism Inclusive we are frequently working in collaboration with Childcares using best practices to integrate therapy alongside early childhood education.  We are thrilled the guidelines are released and have included some of the great resources below that can be used to integrate goals to support each child to thrive. 

1. Start with Relationships

Framework Principles: Rights-based, Relationship-based, Family-centred

The foundation of successful therapy in early childhood settings starts with strong relationships, particularly with centre leadership.

Therapists and centre directors should begin by clearly outlining:

• The goals and focus of therapy within the childcare context

• How sessions will look in practice (individual vs group, coaching vs direct therapy)

• How information will be shared while maintaining privacy and confidentiality

• Shared goals that align therapy and educational outcomes

When leadership understands and supports therapy, educators are empowered to see visiting therapists not as “add-ons,” but as part of their team’s professional growth and the child’s holistic support network.

• Build trust with centre leadership and educators.

• Discuss privacy, expectations, and shared goals.

• Use the Practice Guidance – Relationship-based Practice fact sheet to shape collaboration.

• Make therapy part of the team’s professional growth, not an external service.

Try: Joint goal-setting meetings using the Framework’s Decision-Making Guide.

2. Observe, Co-Design and Focus on Strengths

Framework Principles: Strengths-based, Child- and Family-centred

Observe First, Then Collaborate on a Plan

Before intervention begins, therapists should conduct an initial observation of the child within their natural childcare routine.

This allows for:

• Understanding the child’s strengths, interests and areas of challenge.

• Identifying what’s already working well within the environment.

• Designing realistic, embedded strategies that build on daily routines.

From this, we create an This is Me profile. A simple one-to-two-page fillable PDF developed with input from both families and educators. It provides a quick, visual snapshot of the child’s communication style, sensory preferences, strengths and supports. 

We will be launching these templates shortly. Subscribe to our mailing list to be among the first to get them! Educators can laminate and share this with staff, including relief educators, ensuring consistency across the week and across transitions.

Refer to the Framework’s “Looks Like / Doesn’t Look Like” tools to model what effective, strength-based planning looks like.

 3. Embed Therapy in Everyday Routines

Framework Principles: Everyday Settings, Inclusion, Participation

• Integrate therapy goals into mat time, play, meal routines and transitions.

• Model sensory regulation strategies within play activities.

• Start with least intrusive adjustments, a key concept in the Framework.

• Support Educators to create an observational snapshot and how to identify key challenges and strengths for each child. This give the educators critical frameworks for observation of children with developmental challenges. 

Resource: Practice Guidance – Everyday Settings

 4. Embed Neuroaffirming Practice

Framework Principles: Diversity-affirming, Rights-based, Cultural Safety

• Honour every child’s identity and communication style.

• Focus on regulation, autonomy and emotional safety over compliance.

• Use affirming language: “Let’s help you find what feels calm,” rather than “Use your quiet hands.”

• Model acceptance and curiosity for educators.

Try: Create a “Neuroaffirming Practice Checklist” for educators aligned with the Framework’s diversity-affirming principle.

 5. Coach and Empower Educators

Our team at Autism Inclusive, work alongside educators to support them according to their individual need.  We also work and support leadership in childcares to provide ideas and strategies for the whole centre, to create a sustainable culture of inclusion. While working alongside educators, therapists can offer real-time coaching. This might include standing together while observing the child, discussing what’s happening and sharing insights about why certain behaviours or patterns are occurring. This approach helps educators interpret the child’s behaviour through a developmental and sensory lens, rather than as “challenging.” It builds understanding and confidence, creating educators who feel capable and supported.

Framework Principles: Capacity-Building, Outcomes-focused, Evidence-informed

• Coach in real time: observe, reflect, and plan together.

• Reframe behaviours as communication or sensory needs.

• Use the Outcome Measures Guide from the Framework to review progress together.

  
  

Try: Incorporate Framework language into feedback:

“We’re focusing on participation outcomes, not just task completion.”

6. Empower Families and Build Bridges

Framework Principles: Family-centred, Inclusive, Transparent

Therapy in childcare is not only about the child, it’s about connecting the team around the child. Childcare may be the first environment the family transitions to from the family home. Families need to feel safe and supported by the childcare team and therapists, helping them to navigate the supports their child needs and creating a safe and secure childcare experience. Therapists can act as a bridge, fostering open communication and shared problem-solving between families and educators. When everyone is aligned, families feel supported and reassured that their child is understood, safe and cared for.

• Engage families in every step, from goal-setting to feedback.

• Share the Glossary for Families to demystify terms.

• Use shared decision-making tools to ensure families are co-leaders, not bystanders.

Try: End each term with a three-way “review conversation” using the Framework’s language and principles.

7. Create Inclusive Environments

Framework Principles: Participation, Everyday Settings, Least-Intrusive Supports

Build Centre-Wide Capacity

Beyond individual therapy, therapists can help strengthen the whole centre’s knowledge base. This might involve:

• Delivering professional development sessions on regulation, sensory processing or communication.

• Supporting leadership to apply for Innovative Solutions funding for staff training.

• Helping create long-term sustainable strategies that benefit all children.

  
  

These collaborations extend the impact of therapy beyond one child, building inclusive environments that support every learner.

Support Early Identification and Pathways to Help

Therapists play a key role in early identification of developmental differences. Working with educators, we can:

• Recognise early signs of developmental delay

• Guide families gently toward early intervention

• Help connect them to funded or community supports

Early action reduces the trajectory of disability, helping children access the right supports as early as possible.

Environmental Adaptations

Environmental adjustments can make a world of difference for all children, neurodivergent and neurotypical alike. Some simple but powerful strategies include:

• Calm corners for children to take breaks and co-regulate.

• Visual supports for daily routines, toileting and transitions.

• Mat time visuals showing “what’s next” and helping children understand when activities start and finish.

• Transition cards for moving between indoor and outdoor play.

• Use Practice Guidance – Inclusion and Everyday Settings for environmental adaptations.

These tools promote independence, predictability, and emotional safety.

8. Foster Peer Understanding

Framework Principles: Relationship-based, Diversity-affirming

Many of the neurotypical children when we visit childcares, are so interested in wanting to support their friend who has challenges with communication, making friends.  Therapists can provide support to educators to look for opportunities to teach incidentally how to help their friend.  It is important to do this as the children want to learn and we are creating a future that is more inclusive for all learners.

• Help children learn that differences are normal and valued.

• Use storytelling and role-play to build empathy.

• Encourage peer participation in shared routines using visuals and buddy systems.

Try: A “Kindness and Inclusion Week” in childcare linked to the Framework’s participation principle.

 9. Reflect, Review, and Sustain

Framework Principles: Evidence-informed, Outcomes-focused, Capacity-building

• Reflect regularly with educators on what’s working.

• Involve the family.

• Use what has been learnt to prepare for any new transitions to school, new rooms etc.

• Use the Measurement Tools & Guides to review outcomes collaboratively.

• Embed training and reflection time to sustain strategies long-term.

Tip: Celebrate wins (Highlight success stories that demonstrate participation, connection and inclusion).

Recommended Resources

In Summary

When therapy in childcare reflects both the National Best Practice Framework and neuroaffirming principles, we create environments where every child:

• Is seen, heard and supported for who they are.

• Participates meaningfully in everyday routines.

• Is surrounded by confident, capable adults working as one team.