What Is Speech Therapy?
Speech therapy aims to empower children to develop vital communication skills, helping them interact with their world more confidently. As they learn to express their needs and understand others, they gain self-assurance, make friendships more easily, manage emotions, and take part fully in both school and daily routines.
At Chatterbox, our paediatric speech pathologists work with children at every stage of development. We support toddlers learning to talk, preschoolers building their language skills, and school-aged children managing speech, language, literacy, and social communication challenges.
We provide speech therapy that may assist children with:
- Understanding and Using Language
- Speech Clarity and Pronunciation
- Stuttering and Fluency
- Reading and Spelling (Literacy)
- Lisps
- Childhood Apraxia of Speech
You can learn more about the conditions we address here.
If your child is taking longer to start talking, having trouble being understood, or finding it difficult to connect in conversations at school, we aim to support them.
Why Might My Child Need Speech Therapy?
While every child’s development is unique, speech and language abilities can sometimes be more challenging to build.
Not all children pick up speech and language through daily experiences alone. Many need targeted support that may help them develop step by step, tailored to how they learn best. This is where children’s speech therapy could be life-changing.
Many parents hope their child will eventually outgrow speech or language difficulties, but often these challenges persist without help. It’s not a lack of effort; children simply need support to develop the skills they’re struggling with.
If support isn’t provided, the gap may become larger as children get older and demands rise at school, with friends, and in life. Early intervention aims to ensure children have the tools they need to thrive and may help prevent ongoing challenges from limiting them in the future.
How Speech Therapy Works at Chatterbox
Starting speech therapy can feel like a big step, especially if you’re unsure what to expect. Here’s how we make it simple and supportive from the very beginning.
1. Initial Assessment
Our process starts with a warm, play-focused assessment designed to make your child feel comfortable. It allows us to see their communication skills in action, recognise strengths, and note any areas where support is needed.
2. Setting Individual Goals
After learning more about your child, we’ll work together to design goals that are relevant, achievable, and meaningful to their everyday life, like engaging in play, managing school directions, or expressing themselves at home.
3. Fun, Personalised Therapy That’s Evidence-Based
Because each child develops differently, we believe therapy should be tailored to their needs. At Chatterbox, our therapists:
- Adapt each session to suit your child’s individual way of learning and stage of development
- Use evidence-based strategies backed by current research
- Build on your child’s strengths while supporting the areas that are tricky
- Help your child grow in confidence, build meaningful connections, and gain independence
Speech therapy can include play, movement, talking, or hands-on activities, depending on what best supports your child’s learning. Every session is designed to be playful, engaging, and grounded in real-life communication needs. With a neurodiversity-affirming approach, we support children to build confidence, connect with others, and become more independent while celebrating who they are.
4. Family Support and Coaching
Because your involvement is key to progress, we provide coaching and practical tools you can apply at home, in the car, or during regular routines.
We believe in working with both children and families, because when families feel confident and supported, children grow stronger too.
5. Ongoing Monitoring
By tracking progress at each session, we adapt to your child’s needs as they arise. This approach makes therapy focused, achievable, and valuable for the whole family.
Why Families Choose Chatterbox
We practise a neurodiversity-affirming approach that celebrates and builds on children’s strengths
- Our therapy is guided by a strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming approach that celebrates differences and supports growth
- We partner with families to design goals and therapy plans that are flexible and centred around your needs
- We ensure therapy is playful, motivating, and adapted to your child’s needs
- Children can access help for many areas of development with us, without needing to go elsewhere
- Families can choose between face-to-face or virtual speech therapy, depending on what works best
- We are a group of dedicated, experienced therapists who care deeply for the families we support
Yes, we offer all of this, but would you like to know the most important reason why?
Chatterbox is chosen by families who want confidence that their child is receiving therapy from professionals who also truly care about them.
What’s the Next Step?
Frequently Asked Questions
How are therapy goals set?
We work with you to set meaningful goals by first identifying what’s most important for your child and family. Then we break those goals into smaller, practical steps, helping your child grow in confidence and celebrate success along the journey.
Goal setting involves looking at your child’s age, developmental progress, and everyday routines so the plan is achievable, valuable, and aligned with how they learn.
How many sessions will my child attend each week?
Your clinician will create a therapy schedule guided by evidence and tailored to what may work best for your child.
For most therapies, that means regular, consistent input. The more opportunities a child has to practise and build on their skills, the better the outcomes tend to be. In an ideal world, this would mean multiple hours of therapy each week. But let’s face it, that’s not always realistic for every family.
In certain cases, like when a child is in the maintenance phase of stuttering therapy, sessions may be less frequent (fortnightly or monthly), but this isn’t typical.
We offer both 60-minute and 90-minute sessions at Chatterbox. Weekly therapy is our standard, guided by research, and families can also access extra weekly sessions or intensive programs, ideal during the school holiday period.
How long will my child need therapy?
It’s difficult to predict exactly how long therapy will last, as factors such as age, learning style, personality, developmental progress, and diagnoses all play a role.
Your therapist can give you a clearer idea once they know your child better, but it’s important to remember that learning is a process, and it takes time. Unfortunately, there is no ‘quick fix’.
Who will be my child’s speech therapist?
Our therapists are not only qualified and experienced, but also registered with Speech Pathology Australia. They’re committed to guiding children’s development with evidence-based strategies and supportive, family-focused care.
Your child will work with the same speech pathologist each session, building familiarity and trust. This consistency may help them feel secure and understood, making therapy more personalised.
Because life doesn’t always run to plan, our team-based approach makes a difference. Should your clinician be away, or if you’d like to shift or add an appointment, another skilled clinician can step in so therapy continues smoothly and flexibly.
Because our clinicians collaborate, they pass on progress notes, strategies, and goals, so sessions remain connected regardless of who’s in the room. Exposure to different people may benefit your child by helping them to adapt and learn new skills.
How can I get the most out of our therapy sessions?
The good news? There are simple things you can do to help your child make the most of therapy and keep things moving forward:
- Support progress by attending sessions on a regular basis
- Help your child by completing practice activities between each therapy session
- If possible, rebook appointments instead of cancelling to keep consistency
- Boost progress by joining holiday therapy intensives
- Get engaged during therapy time, your input truly supports your child’s learning
Consistency and involvement from you may lead to the best outcomes for your child.
Do you offer online speech therapy for children?
Yes, we offer flexible options with both in-clinic appointments and online speech and occupational therapy sessions. Online sessions work well for busy families, children who feel secure at home, or those based in rural or remote areas.
What funding options are available?
There are a number of options to help cover therapy costs. You can learn more about funding options here.
There are different ways to make therapy more affordable. Discover the available funding options here.
Is there a waiting list?
Good news! We currently have no waiting list, which means your child can likely get started straight away. Early support can make a big difference, and we know that delays can be frustrating. That’s why we’ve made it a priority to keep access to therapy as smooth and timely as possible.
Where are you located?
With our primary clinics based in easily reachable locations across Bella Vista, Kingswood, Oran Park, Parramatta, and Penrith, you’ll find a friendly administration team on-site to help guide you and your family. Enjoy the convenience of free on-site parking at all clinics, making your visit for assessments or therapy as simple and stress-free as possible.
While our speech therapists in Penrith primarily support people from surrounding suburbs including Penrith, Emu Plains, Emu Heights, Glenmore Park, Cranebrook, Jamisontown, Glenbrook, and Blaxland, our clinics are more than welcoming to anyone looking to use our services across Sydney.
