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.
Our paediatric speech pathologists at Chatterbox provide support for children of every age. We assist toddlers as they find their first words, guide preschoolers as they expand their language, and help school-aged children navigate speech, literacy, and social communication.
Children can receive guidance from our skilled speech therapists in:
- 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 slow to develop speech, struggles with clarity, or feels left out of conversations at school, our team is ready to provide support.
Why Might My Child Need Speech Therapy?
Children all progress differently, and for some, speech and language skills take a little longer to emerge.
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.
Parents often wonder whether their child will just catch up in time, but difficulties with speech and language usually don’t resolve without help. This isn’t about your child not trying; it’s about giving them the right support to succeed.
Without the right support, children’s difficulties may grow over time. Expectations increase with age, in the classroom, with peers, and in daily routines. Early intervention is important because it aims to build strong foundations and lowers the risk of challenges becoming bigger obstacles later.
How Speech Therapy Works at Chatterbox
It’s normal for starting speech therapy to feel daunting when you don’t know what to expect. That’s why we keep things straightforward and supportive from day one.
1. Initial Assessment
The first step is a relaxed, play-based assessment where we get to know your child. This helps us gain insight into their communication abilities, highlight what they do well, and understand the challenges they face.
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
No two children learn in the same way, so therapy must be individualised. At Chatterbox, our therapists:
- Adapt each session to suit your child’s individual way of learning and stage of development
- Incorporate proven, research-backed methods into each session
- Highlight and grow your child’s strengths, while guiding them through the skills they find harder
- Focus on growing confidence, connection, and 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
We know parents are central to their child’s growth, so we offer guidance and easy-to-use strategies that fit into home life, car rides, and daily routines.
We don’t just work with children, we commit to families. Because when you feel supported, your child does too.
5. Ongoing Monitoring
In every session, we monitor your child’s progress so we can adjust and respond right away. This keeps therapy practical and meaningful for your child and your family.
Why Families Choose Chatterbox
We practise a neurodiversity-affirming approach that celebrates and builds on children’s strengths
- We follow a neurodiversity-affirming philosophy, building on each child’s strengths rather than focusing only on challenges
- We work with you to set family-centred goals and flexible therapy plans
- We ensure therapy is playful, motivating, and adapted to your child’s needs
- We provide support for a range of developmental needs in the one place
- We provide flexible options for speech therapy, available both in clinic and online
- 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?
What makes families choose Chatterbox is knowing their child is in the hands of people who combine skilled therapy with genuine care.
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.
When setting goals, we also consider your child’s age, developmental stage, and everyday needs to make sure the plan is realistic, meaningful, and tailored to how they learn best.
How many sessions will my child attend each week?
Your clinician will recommend a therapy schedule based on current research and what’s likely to be most beneficial for your child.
In most cases, therapy works best when it’s regular and consistent. The more chances children have to practise and strengthen their skills, the greater the progress tends to be. Ideally, this would involve several hours of therapy each week, though that isn’t always practical for families.
There are a few therapies, such as the maintenance stage of stuttering treatment, that may only need less frequent sessions, fortnightly or monthly, though this is uncommon.
At Chatterbox, you can choose between 60-minute and 90-minute sessions. We provide weekly therapy based on research recommendations, with the flexibility to add extra weekly sessions or take part in intensives, which may be especially useful during school holidays.
How long will my child need therapy?
We would love to be able to provide an exact answer to this question; however, a number of factors come into play when discussing how long your child may attend therapy, such as your child’s age, personality, learning style, developmental level and diagnoses.
Your therapist will be able to give more guidance after spending time with your child, but remember that learning takes patience and consistency. There isn’t a quick or easy 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.
We ensure your child sees the same speech pathologist each session, so they may form a strong, trusting bond. With that consistency, your child may feel safe and supported, and therapy can be tailored more precisely to their needs.
We know schedules aren’t always perfect, so our connected team is here to help. If your usual clinician can’t make it, or you want to move or add sessions, your child can see another qualified therapist, ensuring therapy stays on track.
Our clinicians collaborate closely, sharing strategies and progress so sessions stay consistent, even if another therapist steps in. Experiencing a new clinician from time to time may also help your child practise flexibility, strengthen generalisation, and gain confidence communicating with different people, just like in everyday life.
How can I get the most out of our therapy sessions?
Good news! There are straightforward strategies you can use to support your child’s therapy and help them keep building skills:
- Attend sessions consistently
- Follow through with practice activities at home between therapy visits
- Whenever you can, move sessions instead of cancelling to support steady progress
- Use holiday breaks as an opportunity for intensive therapy sessions
- Be part of the sessions, because your involvement really counts
Your child may benefit most when you’re consistent and take an active role in their therapy journey.
Do you offer online speech therapy for children?
Yes! Families can choose between in-clinic appointments and online speech and occupational therapy sessions, depending on what works best. Online sessions are ideal for busy households, kids who prefer home, or families in regional or rural locations.
What funding options are available?
There are a number of options to help cover therapy costs. You can learn more about funding options here.
Several options are available to help with the cost of therapy. You can find out and learn more about 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?
Our primary clinics in Bella Vista, Kingswood, Oran Park, Parramatta, and Penrith are designed for ease of access, with friendly administration staff on hand to support you and your family. All locations offer free parking, providing you with a stress-free transition into assessments or therapy sessions.
While our speech pathologist in Kingswood primarily support people from surrounding suburbs including Kingswood, Cambridge Park, Werrington, Claremont Meadows, Jordan Springs, St Marys, Colyton, and St Clair, our clinics are more than welcoming to anyone looking to use our services across Sydney.
