National Guidelines Project Expert Advisory
Committee – Terms of Reference
For enquiries related to the National Guidelines Project please contact:
Dree Ballardin Project Lead – Eastern Australia
E Dree.Ballardin@eciavic.org.au
Leah Temme Project Lead – Western and Central Australia
E Leah.Temme@eciavic.org.au
Early Childhood Intervention Australia (Victorian Chapter)
T 03 9819 5266 W www.eciavic.org.au
Background
Early Childhood Intervention Australia (ECIA) is the peak national organisation promoting the interests of
young children with disabilities and developmental delays and their families. ECIA is dedicated to
ensuring that young children of all abilities can fully participate in family and community life.
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has asked ECIA to provide recommendations for a set
of national guidelines for minimum standards in Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) service delivery for the
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The NDIS is new to disability service provision in Australia
and provides a set of agreements which ensures that there is a single consistent scheme for the provision
of disability support services across all Australian states and territories. It provides funding directly to
individuals who are able to choose their own services and purchase directly to providers. The NDIS will
essentially mean the end to ‘block funding’ from government to service providers.
Current models of service delivery in Australia vary across and within states and territories. Whilst
diversity of practice is valued for its contribution to innovation and its capacity to tailor NDIS support to
individual children and their families, there is a need to focus more on outcomes for children. As a
national scheme the NDIS requires guidelines that may be consistently applied in all states and territories,
so children and families are not treated differently because of their location. The national guidelines will
be based upon national and international best practice evidence in ECI service delivery.
Purpose of the Expert Advisory Committee
The purpose of the Expert Advisory Committee is to provide technical advice to the Project Team and
support the National Guidelines project as needed. The Expert Advisory Committee will bring together a
collection of individuals who bring expert knowledge and skills within the field of ECI which complement
the knowledge and skills of the National Guidelines Project Team.
The Expert Advisory Committee will not have formal authority to govern the project nor issue directives
that must be followed. Rather, the Expert Advisory Committee serves to make recommendations and/or
provide key information and materials to the National Guidelines Project Team.
The Expert Advisory Committee role includes:
 Providing advice on best practice in ECI nationally and internationally.
 Providing an overview of current models of ECI service delivery across all Australian states and
territories.
 Assisting with identifying key ECI stakeholders for the consultation workshops.
 Provide independent, unbiased insights and ideas from a third point-of-view.
 Incorporate additional layers of diversity and new perspectives within the Project Team.
 Advocating for the project.
Proposed Members and Roles
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Chair (Dree Ballardin and Leah Temme)
National Guidelines Project Leads.
Academic Representative
Current contributor to research on best practice in Early Childhood Development and Intervention.
Parent/Carer Representative
Including Parent/Carer advocacy groups who are able to represent the views and experiences of
parents/carers who receive ECI support.
Federal Government Representative
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Able to represent the Federal Government policy, legislation and views on ECI service provision
and funding.
State/Territory Government Representative
Able to represent State/Territory Governments policy, legislation and views on ECI service
provision and funding.
Service Provider Representative
Current provider of ECI services and able to represent views of both large and small Service
Provider organisations.
Sole Provider Representative
Current provider of ECI services.
ECI Professional Representative
Currently delivering ECI therapy or represents an ECI professional body.
Rural and Remote Australia Representative
Provides expertise in identifying current challenges and potential issues with delivering ECI
services in rural and remote settings.
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Representative
Provides expertise in identifying challenges and potential issues in providing ECI services to
culturally and linguistically diverse children and families including Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander communities.
Expert Advisory Committee Members should:
 Understand the strategic implications and outcomes of the National Guidelines project.
 Appreciate the significance of the National Guidelines project for some or all major stakeholders
and represent their interests.
 Be genuinely interested in the initiative and the outcomes being pursued in the National Guidelines
project.
 Be experts in their domain and well regarded within their community of practice.
Expert Advisory Committee members are also expected to communicate with those they represent on
issues and to carry the group’s perspective to Committee meetings and discussions.
Task and Time Requirements
The reference group will operate from March 2015 until July 2015 (membership may vary over this time)
Task
Read and respond to email information
Group discussion via teleconference
Seek ideas and information from peers and provide information back to the
Steering Committee as appropriate
Time
required
4 hours
monthly
2 hours
monthly
Where
As
appropriate
Local
Local
Local
Group rules
1. Each member commits to all tasks listed.
2. All participation time is self-funded however teleconferencing costs are covered via the project
budget.
3. Each member will seek reflections and suggestions from their peers in preparation for each
meeting.
4. Group discussions will be facilitated with all participant expected to contribute.
5. Each member will declare any conflicts of interest upfront in all meetings, discussions and
correspondence.
Meeting procedures
The reference group will determine its own specific meeting procedures at the first meeting however
procedures will include:
 Meetings will be chaired by the Project Lead or a nominated person.
 Minutes will be taken by a Project Team member or a nominated person.
 Meeting notes will be kept to enable an understanding of how decisions and outcomes were made.
The minutes of meetings will be emailed to members as soon as practicable after the meeting.
 The meeting notes of the previous meeting, agenda, and all relevant documents will be distributed
to members at least one week before the next meeting.
 The group will use whatever means of communicating with each other between meetings that is
most appropriate including email/personal contact/telephone/ etc.
Code of Conduct
The Code of Conduct for the reference group includes:
 Respect others’ opinions and remain issues-focused on the key area.
 Recognise that two people can perceive the same set of circumstances differently.
 Be flexible, listen robustly and value other members’ views.
 Be constructive and topic focused.
 Feel free to contribute within the scope of the focus area.
 Be concise in presenting views.
 Discuss issues within the agenda and timeframes.
 Consult within the group regarding all conversations and contribute with honesty and a
commitment to trust.