An Intervention Model for Children with Mild Developmental Delay Using Multi-Stakeholder Co-Design Study and Australia-Wide Survey.

AIMS To co-design an intervention model for 4-year-old children with mild developmental delay, in particular, mild motor delay, in the childcare setting. METHODS An exploratory sequential mixed-methods design via a three-stage co-design approach was used with qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and analysis. Stage 1: a rapid literature review and collaborating with educators, parents, and physical therapists, to identify considerations and preferences for an intervention model. Stage 2: a national cross-sectional online survey collected feedback on intervention from a wider national sample of educators, physical therapists and parents/carers. Stage 3: survey feedback allowed development of the final intervention model. RESULTS Studies evaluating interventions on non-typically developing 4-year-old children with mild motor delay in the childcare setting varied. Seventy stakeholders completed the survey most of whom were physical therapists (n = 57). Stakeholders preferred: a combined treatment approach by multiple professionals within the childcare setting using existing equipment, an intervention to include all children, to alternate between individual and group-based, and to be frequent (30 min, 2-3 times per week, 8-10 weeks long). CONCLUSIONS This co-designed intervention model involves a combined approach, two-to-three 30-min group and individual-based sessions per week over 8-to-10 weeks delivered by health professionals and educators.