What is early intervention

Early intervention is when a child gets support:

  • As early as possible in their lives
  • While they grow and develop.

Early intervention is important for children with hearing loss. Engaging in early intervention supports children who are deaf of hard of hearing to reach their communication and developmental potential. You will have specialised care provided by a range of health professionals to suit your child’s needs.

For children who are deaf or hard of hearing, early intervention services can help with your families’ goals including:

  • your child’s communication development,
  • Auslan sign language and/or speaking and listening skills,
  • social and emotional support and development

Where to go

Queensland has early intervention and family support services for children who have a hearing loss, and their families. This is important to support your child’s speech and language development, and to enhance the health and wellbeing of children and their caregivers. If your child has a hearing loss you can receive early intervention for free at:

Deaf Connect

Deaf Connect provide early intervention and therapy support for Deaf and hard of hearing children and adults. Services are available state-wide and can be provided face to face at Deaf Connect locations across Queensland, as well as remotely using telehealth.

Hear and Say

Hear and Say provide early intervention and therapy support for people with hearing loss. Services are available state-wide and can be provided face to face at Hear and Say locations across Queensland, as well as remotely using telehealth.

Department of Education

The Department of Education provides early intervention services for children who have a hearing loss and their families. Contact your local state school for more information.

Deaf Children Australia

The Deaf Children Australia Parent Mentor Program offers parents ongoing support from a Parent Mentor who has lived experience of raising a child with a hearing loss. The program aims to offer unbiased information to all newly diagnosed families, and to provide a peer support relationship to assist them in navigating their hearing loss journey.

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

Some children with a hearing loss and/or other developmental concerns are eligible for NDIS funding which can be used to access early intervention supports. You can speak to your doctor, audiologist, or Family Support Clinician about your child’s eligibility. You can contact the NDIS to be supported to apply for NDIS funding:

Healthy Hearing Monitoring Assessments

Queensland children with a permanent hearing loss are eligible for regular speech pathology assessments to monitor their communication development until they are 6 years of age. Free (Queensland state-funded) community-based speech pathology assessment services are available through the following services:

Deaf Connect - Therapy Services

Hear and Say

Last updated: August 2024

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