Early Intervention Programme
The earliest years: birth to five, are a period of extraordinary brain development, when sensory, motor, communication, and emotional foundations are laid down. It is also the time when therapy has the greatest potential to make a difference: easing difficulties before they compound, building skills before frustration sets in, and giving families confidence in how to support their child.
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Early intervention is a core specialism at Hopscotch, delivered through a dedicated set of services for children aged 0 to 5 years old.
Our Approach
Early intervention at Hopscotch is grounded in three principles:
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Multidisciplinary by design: In the early years, sensory, motor, communication, feeding, and relational development are deeply interwoven. Our work is led by Occupational Therapists and Speech and Language Therapists together, with input from psychology, paediatric physiotherapy, and feeding specialists as needed.
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Family-centred: Young children cannot be supported in isolation from their family. Our work focuses as much on coaching parents and embedding strategies into daily life as it does on direct therapy with the child.
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Play-based and developmentally sensitive: Therapy with a two-year-old should not look like a clinic appointment. Our sessions are play-based, child-led, and meet each child where they are developmentally.
What We Specialise In
Sensory processing in infancy and toddlerhood
Early identification of sensory differences affecting feeding, sleep, regulation, and motor development, delivered by Occupational Therapists trained in Ayres Sensory Integration®.
Early communication and pre-linguistic skills
Eye contact, shared attention, gesture, vocalisation, turn-taking, and play, supported by our Speech and Language Therapists.
Motor development and milestones
Tummy time, rolling, sitting, crawling, walking, and fine motor skills, in partnership with paediatric physiotherapy where helpful.
Parent–infant attachment and interaction
Supporting bonding, responsive feeding, calming, sleep, and early interaction, with psychology input where helpful.
Early signs of autism and differences in neurodevelopment
Recognising and supporting early markers without waiting for a diagnosis, and helping families navigate diagnostic pathways.
Feeding and eating difficulties
From breastfeeding and bottle-feeding to weaning, fussy eating, and sensory-based food aversions, delivered alongside specialist feeding partners.
Premature babies and NICU follow-up
Sensory regulation, motor development, feeding, and early communication for babies with complex neonatal histories.
Children with diagnosed conditions
Including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and genetic conditions identified in the early years.
School readiness and EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) transition
Preparing children for nursery and reception by building self-care, attention, regulation, and foundational learning skills.
How Early Intervention Works At Hopscotch
Our early intervention work is delivered through a combination of:
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Initial assessment: a comprehensive clinical assessment across sensory, motor, communication, regulation, and feeding domains, forming the foundation for everything that follows. Click here to learn more about our assessments.
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Clinic-based therapy: at our purpose-built Gower Street clinic, with sensory-rich, play-based therapy spaces designed for the youngest children.
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Home visits: therapy in your child's natural environment, observing daily routines and working with families on strategies that fit real life.
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Nursery and Early Years Foundation Stage outreach: nursery visits, observation, and consultation with early-years staff to ensure consistent strategies across settings. Click here to learn more about our nursery support.
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Parent/Carer coaching and training: dedicated sessions, training, and ongoing support to help families embed therapeutic strategies into daily life. Click here to learn more about our parent/carer training.
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Multidisciplinary working: joined-up care across Occupational Therapy, Speech & Language Therapy, psychology, physiotherapy, and feeding specialists, so families aren't navigating fragmented appointments.
Get Started
For families already engaged with Hopscotch, early intervention services can be discussed and arranged through your lead therapist.
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For new families, the first step is an initial assessment to understand your child's developmental profile. We will then talk through with you the right combination of clinic-based therapy, home visits, parent coaching, and outreach for your child and family. Click here to learn more about our assessments and to book the right assessment for your child. If your child has already had an assessment done elsewhere, and you have a report outlining the findings and/or recommendations, click here to refer your child directly to our Early Intervention Programme.