Early Intervention – Practical suggestions to support your child’s development and inclusion Theme: Speech and language therapy Audience Parents, whānau, educators. speech and language therapists and other professionals With Lee Bennetts Speech-Language Therapist at the Champion Centre in Christchurch Lee’s presentation will begin by looking at why communication is essential for inclusion. It will be a very practical discussion on how best to support children’s development when access to Early Intervention may be difficult. She will share tips gathered from her multidisciplinary teams offering suggestions of practical activities or strategies that can be incorporated into everyday home life. Lee will also discuss how to make the most of any support you receive from services. Biography Lee was born and raised in Christchurch and now lives there with her husband and their three children. After graduating from Canterbury University, Lee worked for the Ministry of Education with school-aged children with a variety of developmental needs. During this time Lee provided therapy support for a number of children with Down syndrome. In 2003 Lee spent two years working in the UK piloting an Intensive Speech and Language Programme within a school for children with special needs. Here too she gained experience with children with Down syndrome. In 2005 Lee returned to NZ and took a role at Champion Centre, a centre-based early intervention provider in Christchurch. Here Lee is part of multidisciplinary teams providing intervention to children with Down syndrome from birth to 6 years. Lee provides both Speech and Language Therapy and also leads the process for transitioning children into their school setting.