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  Background NECIC

In 2003, John Foster, the CEO of Noah’s Ark Victoria Australia (a leading early childhood intervention service provider) visited Malaysia and this led to the development of a staff exchange program between Malaysia and Australia in the field of early childhood intervention.

This exchange involves Australia sending one or two professionals over to conduct training workshops in various locations for a duration of 2-3 weeks. And in 2004, our first 2 candidates from Malaysia (Asia Community Service and Malaysia Care) were hosted by Noah’s Ark for over three weeks in Victoria. They visited 13 centres and attended the 24th OMEP World Organisation for Early Childhood Education) Conference and the 6th Biennial National Early Childhood Intervention Australia (ECIA) Conference. 

The idea of gathering interested people together to discuss early childhood intervention issues in Malaysia was then mooted in 2005 by a group of seven NGO service providers in this field. They were Asia Community Service, Bethany Home, JJ Resources, Malaysian Care, New Horizons Society, Persatuan Kanak-Kanak Istimewa Kajang and Wings Melaka, The Early Childhood Intervention Symposium was held at the Grand Bluewave Hotel in Shah Alam from 12th -14th August 2005 and attended by over 100 participants.
 
This has led to several national conferences being held in Penang (2006), Kota Kinabalu (2008), Melaka (2010) and Sibu(2012).The NECI Conferences seem to have good stream of followers basing on the number of participants. In order to provide direction and consistency for future conferences, it was felt that a national council should seriously be established. The role of the National Council would be to advocate on early childhood intervention matters arising from the conferences and also provide a voice on current issues. A protem committee consisting of representatives from various states was set-up to look into the constitutional and the formal registration of this National Council.
 
Soon after the Malacca conference, the National Early Childhood Intervention Council received its formal registration approval in February 2011. The first office bearers of the National Council were
 
President: Dato’ Dr Amar Singh HSS (Malaysian Paediatric Association)  www.mpaweb.org.my
Vice President: Ms Khor Ai-Na (Asia Community Service, Penang)  www.asiacommunityservice.org
Secretary: Dr Wong Woan Yiing (Network Ipoh, Perak)
Assistant Secretary: Ms Chew Siok Cheng (Methodist Care Centre, Sibu) www.agapesibu.org/mcc
Treasurer: Ms Michelle Lai (New Horizons Ipoh, Perak)
Members: Dr Toh Teck Hock (ACSN, Sibu) www.agapesibu.org/acsn
Ms Kong Lan Lee (Persatuan Kanak-Kanak Istimewa Kajang Selangor [PKIK]) www.pkik.tripod.com
Ms Pauline Wong (Malaysian Care, Kuala Lumpur) www.malaysiancare.org
Dr Lim Boon Hock (Wings Melaka)
Dr Tan Liok Ee (BOLD Association for Children with Special Needs, Penang)
Ms Angela Yek (CHILD Sabah)
   

The National Council works in collaborative effort with local organisers of the hosting state to carry out the National Conference.