Speech Pathologists assess and support children and young people with communication, speech, language, literacy, voice, fluency, feeding and swallowing needs. They also consider how communication connects with play, learning, behaviour, movement and social development.

• Early language development and late talking
• Understanding and using language
• Speech sound development
• Social communication
• Stuttering and voice
• Phonological awareness, reading and spelling
• Feeding and mealtime management

Occupational Therapy helps children participate more confidently and independently in everyday activities at home, school and in the community. An Occupational Therapist may assess your child’s abilities and environment, then provide practical strategies, therapy or equipment to support participation.

• Sensory processing
• Fine and gross motor development
• Daily living skills, including dressing, eating and toileting
• Play and social participation
• Handwriting, attention and classroom participation
• Emotional regulation
• Equipment prescription and assistive technology
• Feeding and mealtime support

Paediatric Physiotherapists help children and young people develop movement, strength, balance, coordination and confidence in physical activity. Therapy is shaped around the child’s development, health, interests and family routines, often using play to make practice meaningful.

• Gross motor development
• Balance, coordination and motor planning
• Strength and physical participation
• Musculoskeletal development and rehabilitation
• Neurological and developmental conditions
• Sensory-motor development
• Youth fitness and healthy movement

Our Dietitians provide family-focused nutrition support for infants, children and young people. They help families understand nutritional needs, navigate feeding challenges and build more positive experiences around food and eating.

• Infant feeding and introducing solids
• Fussy or selective eating
• Food allergies and intolerances
• Reflux, diarrhoea and constipation
• Coeliac disease and irritable bowel syndrome
• Growth or weight concerns
• Nutrient deficiencies
• Specialised feeding needs, including tube feeding

Our Mental Health team includes Psychologists, Mental Health Occupational Therapists and Social Workers. We provide holistic, culturally responsive support for children, young people and families, focusing on the areas they would like to change, strengthen or better understand.

• Anxiety, depression and persistent sadness
• Emotional and behavioural difficulties
• Trauma, grief and loss
• Self-esteem and confidence
• Social and emotional development
• School refusal, bullying and school-related anxiety
• Youth, adolescent and family support

Literacy Specialists are trained educators with additional expertise in evidence-based literacy instruction. They work alongside Speech Pathologists where needed to support the connected skills involved in oral language, reading, spelling and writing.

• Reading and spelling development
• Phonological awareness
• Systematic synthetic phonics, including Sounds-Write
• Language skills that support literacy
• Individualised literacy programs
• Handwriting support

Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is a person-centred approach for understanding behaviours of concern and the needs those behaviours may be communicating. Its primary goal is to improve quality of life by making sure the person is understood and appropriately supported; reducing behaviours of concern is a secondary goal.

• Understanding the purpose and context of behaviours of concern
• Working with the individual, family, carers and support network
• Developing practical, person-centred behaviour support strategies
• Reducing risk and improving participation and quality of life
• Collaborating with other clinicians when specialist input is needed

Continence Physiotherapy supports children experiencing bladder, bowel and toileting difficulties. Assessment considers the child’s development, routines and physical needs, with practical strategies designed for the child and family.

• Constipation
• Delayed toilet training or toileting independence
• Daytime wetting or soiling
• Bedwetting in children over five
• Other childhood bladder and bowel concerns

Allied Health Assistants deliver therapy activities and programs developed by your child’s treating clinician. They work under regular supervision from an Allied Health Professional and can help children practise therapy goals more frequently in face-to-face sessions, often at a lower service cost.

• Practising therapy activities designed by the clinical team
• Supporting one or more agreed therapy goals
• Helping children build skills through regular repetition
• Providing feedback to the supervising clinician

Our Aboriginal Community Liaison builds relationships with Aboriginal families and communities and helps create culturally safe connections with Connect’s allied health services. They can support families to understand available services, navigate the NDIS and communicate with clinicians.

• Connecting Aboriginal families with the right services
• Supporting access and engagement
• Helping families understand the NDIS
• Providing cultural guidance to the clinical team
• Strengthening relationships with community