Who we see

We work with children and young people who:

• are late to talk or have limited words

• are hard to understand

• have trouble understanding instructions or questions

• find it difficult to put words and sentences together

• use or are exploring Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), such as iPad-based systems, communication books or key word sign

• have differences in social communication, play or interaction

• have developmental conditions such as autism, developmental language disorder, intellectual disability or ADHD

• have complex communication needs and need support to communicate in more than one way

If you are unsure whether speech pathology is appropriate, you can contact us to discuss your child and we can advise whether our service is likely to be a good fit.

What we help with

Speech sounds and clarity

We support children who are difficult to understand or whose speech sounds different from what is expected for their age. This includes:

• unclear speech that family and others struggle to understand

• sound errors like saying “tat” for “cat” or “wabbit” for “rabbit”

• speech sound disorders such as phonological delay or disorder

• suspected childhood apraxia of speech

Therapy focuses on helping your child be understood by the people who matter to them, in ways that feel achievable and respectful.

Language - understanding and using words and sentences

We support children who have difficulty:

• understanding words, questions and instructions

• following routines that rely on spoken language

• learning and using new vocabulary

• putting words together into longer sentences

• telling stories or explaining what happened

We work on both receptive language (understanding) and expressive language (talking), using activities that are meaningful for your child at home, kindy or school.

Early communication (0–3 years)

We provide early intervention for infants and toddlers who are:

• not yet using many words

• mostly using gestures or sounds to communicate

• finding it hard to copy actions, sounds or words

• not pointing, showing or sharing interests as expected

Sessions focus on coaching parents and carers, building early communication skills through everyday routines and play, and supporting the child to connect in the ways that work best for them.

AAC and alternative communication

We see many children with complex communication needs who use, or may benefit from, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), such as:

• iPad-based systems like TD Snap

• communication books and boards

• key word sign and gesture

• visual supports and schedules

We can support with:

• AAC assessment and trials

• set-up and customisation of systems

• training for families, support workers and educators

• ongoing therapy that integrates AAC into daily life

Our goal is to build a robust, reliable communication system so the child can express themselves across settings, not only in therapy.

Social communication and play

We support children who find social interaction challenging, including those who:

• prefer to play alone or find group play difficult

• struggle with turn-taking, sharing attention or reading social cues

• have trouble understanding joking, sarcasm or indirect language

• want to connect but are unsure how

Intervention is tailored to the child’s profile, interests and goals, and may focus on play skills, self-advocacy, understanding others and building comfortable ways of connecting.

Our process

It's easy to get started with us. Please complete the online referral form, or simply give us a call or send an email.

Once we have the referral information, we will work with you to organise an initial appointment.

Session one is an information gathering session. The therapist will be asking lots of questions to get to know the child better, explain what therapy may look like, and go through the service agreement.

The next few sessions are all about building a connection with the child, assessment (informal and/or formal) and working with you to develop therapy goals.

If needed, the therapist will create a plan and book in regular appointments that work for you.

1. Get in touch

2. schedule a session

3. first session

4. collaboration & goal setting

5. ongoing support

Our fees and funding options

NDIS:
Our fees are in line with the NDIS 2023 pricing guidelines.
First Stop Speech Pathology is currently servicing self-managed and plan-managed participants.

MEDICARE REBATES:
If you are not eligible for the NDIS, you may be able to get a GP referral to cover a portion of the cost of therapy.

Chronic Disease Management Plan (CDM): For children with a "chronic condition" (including communication delay/disorder). Medicare rebates are available for a maximum of five allied health services per client, per calendar year. Referral must be made by a GP.

PRIVATE PAYING:
Please contact us if you would like more information about our fee structure.

PRE-NDIS PACKAGE
First Stop Speech Pathology can support your child to access the NDIS if eligible with a pre-NDIS assessment and report package. Please contact us if you would like to know more about this service.

NDIS FUNDED

PRIVATE PAYING

MEDICARE REBATES