What to Expect?

Assessment

To begin with, information about the child’s development and a case history will be gathered.

Depending on the age of the child and the difficulties identified, assessment may be formal or informal and include any combination of standardised tests; direct observation of play and interaction with caregivers; report by parent, teacher, or physician; and collection and detailed analysis of spontaneous speech samples.

The clinician will then write a detailed report based on the child’s assessment information, which will then be forwarded to the parent and any relevant teachers or professionals they have agreed upon.

Treatment

From the results of the evaluation, goals and a treatment plan will be discussed and written with the parent.

Therapy sessions may be weekly or fortnightly and are generally 45-60 minutes for speech pathology intervention and 60 minutes for occupational therapy intervention.

Every child and their goals are different which makes estimating the length of therapy challenging. Your child’s progress will continually be discussed with you session to session.

Smart Talk believes that children are more engaged in learning that is fun. Our sessions are positive, fun and tailored specifically to your child’s needs, in a way that enables them to reach their potential.

Home Practice

Success in intervention relies on a collaborative approach between the client, the clinician and the parents.

Parents play a crucial role in their child’s progress towards their goals, and their involvement in daily home practice is essential for achieving lasting results.

Home practice activities are designed to reinforce the skills learned during therapy sessions and provide opportunities for consistent, targeted practice. These activities, while simple and fun, will help your child build confidence and strengthen the skills they are working on.

By incorporating these exercises into daily routines, parents provide valuable reinforcement, which accelerates progress and helps the child generalise skills to everyday situations.

We understand that life can be busy, so our goal is to make home practice manageable and integrated seamlessly into your family’s schedule. Spending only 5-15 minutes each day on home practice, or implementing strategies provided by the clinician, makes a significant impact on a child’s progress towards their goals.