Ed Johnson is a speech pathologist and co-founder of Umbo - a social enterprise that helps families access speech and occupational therapy in areas that struggle to reach these services. Ed's approach to therapy involves creating a team around the child, including the family and educators, to adopt a 24/7 approach to therapy and speed up early intervention.

Ed's main tip for educators was to get in there and start helping, even if there isn't a therapist around. He pointed to the CDC as a great source for recognising developmental delay: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/checklists/Checklists-with-Tips_Reader_508.pdf

Umbo actively seeks partnerships with early education services, and partnering with organisations like Umbo is great for NQS element 6.2.2 i.e. supporting inclusion and participation through effective partnerships.

If you'd like to partner with Umbo or refer a child to their services, you can get in touch by emailing [email protected].