EARLY INTERVENTION TEAM AND PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PEDAGOGICAL SUPPORT TEAM: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF INTERDISCIPLINARY ASSISTANCE MODELS FOR A CHILD WITH SEN AND THE FAMILY

Abstract

The relevance of the study is determined by the growing need to ensure continuity between early intervention services for young children with developmental difficulties or risks of their occurrence and the system of psychological and pedagogical support provided in preschool and general secondary education. In the Ukrainian context, both models are developing intensively, yet they are often analysed separately: early intervention is usually described as an interagency family-centred service, whereas the support team is interpreted as an institutional mechanism for organising inclusive education. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the essence of the early intervention team on the basis of current methodological recommendations and regulations and to compare its functions, composition and organisational principles with those of the psychological and pedagogical support team for a child with special educational needs. The study applies theoretical methods, namely analysis and synthesis of Ukrainian scholarly publications, comparison of regulatory and methodological documents, and generalisation of scientific approaches to interdisciplinary assistance for children and families. The results show that the early intervention team is built around the child’s everyday functioning in natural environments and around strengthening parental competence, while the support team focuses on access to education, the definition of support levels, the development of an individual development program, and the implementation of educational adaptations and modifications. The article demonstrates common values of both models, including individualisation, teamwork, family participation and regular monitoring, but also identifies substantial differences in institutional affiliation, target group, service environment, key documentation and expected outcomes. Particular attention is paid to the analytical contribution of Ukrainian scholars, including H. Kukuruza, O. Kryvonohova, I. Orlenko, M. Chaika and A. Starieva, whose works reveal the conceptual, communicative and organisational dimensions of the problem. It is concluded that the two teams should not be treated as mutually exclusive structures; rather, they represent consecutive links in a unified system of support for the child and the family. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of using its conclusions in the training of specialists in special and inclusive education, in the work of support teams, inclusive-resource centres and providers of early intervention services.