Frequently Asked Questions
Does my child need speech therapy?
It is hard to determine this without meeting your child and completing, at least, an informal assessment. We can answer this question during an initial consultation.
If you are unsure, you can check your child’s communication development against the Speech Pathology Australia “Communication Milestones”: https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/Public/Public/Comm-swallow/Speech-development/Communication-milestones.aspx
If there are concerns by you or anyone who knows your child, then don’t ‘wait and see’. Some children don’t ‘catch up’ without support. Waiting means your child may miss out on learning the skills they need, especially during their crucial early years of development.
Do you have a clinic we can come to?
No. We are strictly mobile services.
- What's provided in a session?
- We provide intervention in the environments that are meaningful to you and your child. For example, at home and at school etc.
- We provide trauma-informed therapy and neurodiversity-affirming practices. This means that we often modify our sessions as needed for the child’s wellbeing and provide a therapy approach called “child-led” therapy.
- We provide child-led therapy for young children or children with attentional and regulation challenges.
- We target our speech goals by following your child’s lead, including their interests, and prioritising their regulation, motivation, and well-being.
- We provide structured-play sessions for children who have adequate attention and regulation.
- We provide structured (i.e., sitting at a table) sessions for older children. As well as direct therapy with your child, we also provide:
- Regular collaboration and consultation with your child’s parents, educators and teachers, and other therapists in your child’s team (e.g. occupational therapists).
- Parent support and coaching during sessions, we can attend school meetings if requested, and we can provide joint therapy sessions with other therapists.
Do you work in schools and early education settings?
Yes- with prior approval by the school or centre, if access is free for the speech pathologist (i.e., we will not pay money to enter a premises), and if there is a quiet space to work in if we need to (e.g., just outside the room).
Can I leave my child with you and leave the session?
No. Our services require a caregiver to be present during the session time. You may be in another room listening in or may join in the session and learn some of the skills yourself!
Can other children or siblings join in the therapy session?
Yes, sometimes. If we are working on language skills or social communication skills, group therapy can be beneficial at times. If we are completing an assessment, working on speech sound skills, or working on skills that require a more structured approach, then it is usually better to have one on one time with the child in a quiet space.
Do you provide notes after sessions?
Yes. If you cannot attend the child’s session because it is held at a school or early education centre, we may provide you with some notes via email or text message to keep you informed, if requested. Phone calls or ongoing text messaging time to discuss a previous session attract an extra fee. Notes are recorded after every session, are stored in a file, and are included in the session fee.
What does a therapy assistant (allied health assistant) do?
Therapy assistants are provided for your child to have more practice of the skills they are learning in therapy with the speech pathologist. This is especially important for families who have limited time to provide follow-up practice of therapy at home. Our therapy assistants do not have the qualifications nor the skill set to assess your child and recommend home strategies or therapy techniques, nor answer questions about your child’s progress.