What Is Speech Therapy?
Through speech therapy, children learn to strengthen the skills that allow them to communicate, connect, and grow. The ability to both express themselves and comprehend others fosters meaningful relationships, builds resilience, and encourages participation in learning and daily activities.
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 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?
While every child’s development is unique, speech and language abilities can sometimes be more challenging to build.
While everyday interaction often helps, some children require more guidance to strengthen their skills in a way that suits their learning style. Speech therapy offers this focused support and may make a genuine difference.
It’s common to wonder if your child will simply grow out of their difficulties, but in most cases, these challenges don’t go away on their own. Not because your child isn’t trying, but because they need support to build the skills they’re finding hard right now.
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
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
Every child is unique, and their therapy should reflect that. 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
- Work towards building your child’s confidence, social connection, and independence
In therapy, sessions may involve games, movement, conversations, or practical activities, all chosen to help your child engage in ways that feel comfortable and enjoyable. We keep our approach play-based and interactive, focusing on building everyday communication skills while respecting each child’s unique way of learning. Our work is neurodiversity-affirming, giving children space to grow in confidence, connection, and independence as themselves.
4. Family Support and Coaching
You’re a vital part of your child’s progress. That’s why we coach and support you with practical strategies you can use at home, in the car, or during everyday routines.
Our work isn’t only with children, we partner with families, knowing that when parents feel supported, children benefit as well.
5. Ongoing Monitoring
We track your child’s progress each session, which allows us to respond to their needs in the moment. This ensures therapy remains relevant and achievable for both your child and your family.
Why Families Choose Chatterbox
We practise a neurodiversity-affirming approach that celebrates and builds on children’s strengths
- We take a neurodiversity-affirming and strengths-based approach
- We partner with families to design goals and therapy plans that are flexible and centred around your needs
- Our sessions are fun, engaging, and shaped around what works best for your child
- Children can access help for many areas of development with us, without needing to go elsewhere
- We offer both face-to-face and online speech therapy options
- Our team is made up of skilled therapists who truly care about each child’s progress
These are just some of the things we provide, but the biggest reason goes deeper.
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?
Our goal-setting process starts with a conversation with you to uncover what matters most for your child. We then create smaller, achievable steps that support confidence and make success feel within reach.
When we design goals, we factor in your child’s age, development, and everyday life so the plan is meaningful, practical, and tailored to support their learning.
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.
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, families have the option of 60 minute or 90 minute sessions. We offer weekly therapy sessions in line with the research, with options for additional weekly sessions and intensives (a great idea during school holidays!)
How long will my child need therapy?
There isn’t a single answer to how long therapy might continue, because it depends on individual factors like your child’s age, personality, learning style, developmental level, and diagnoses.
Once your therapist gets to know your child, they’ll be able to provide a clearer sense of how therapy may unfold. It’s important to keep in mind that progress takes time; there’s no instant solution.
Who will be my child’s speech therapist?
Every therapist on our team is registered with Speech Pathology Australia, bringing both qualifications and experience. They’re dedicated to supporting children’s growth with family-friendly, evidence-based care.
Your child will see the same speech pathologist each session, someone who gets to know them well and builds a strong, trusting relationship over time. Consistency aims to help your child feel safe, supported, and understood, allowing us to tailor therapy in a way that truly works for them.
Life can be unpredictable, which is why having a connected team matters. If your clinician is unavailable, you need to reschedule or would like to add another session. We make it simple. Your child can see another qualified clinician, keeping therapy both consistent and flexible.
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 best part? You can do a few simple things at home to boost your child’s therapy and keep their progress moving forward:
- Support progress by attending sessions on a regular basis
- Follow through with practice activities at home between therapy visits
- Whenever you can, move sessions instead of cancelling to support steady progress
- Make the most of therapy intensives during school holidays
- Actively take part in sessions, your support makes a big impact
The steadier and more involved you are, the bigger the potential gains for your child.
Do you offer online speech therapy for children?
Absolutely, we provide both in-clinic appointments and online speech and occupational therapy sessions to fit your family’s schedule. Online therapy is especially helpful for families on the go, children who thrive at home, or those living further away.
What funding options are available?
There are a number of options to help cover therapy costs. You can learn more about funding options here.
You may be able to access different funding options to help cover therapy. 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?
At each of our primary locations in Bella Vista, Kingswood, Oran Park, Parramatta, and Penrith, a dedicated team is ready to assist you and your family, ensuring a seamless experience from start to finish. With free on-site parking available at every clinic, attending assessments or therapy sessions is made easy and stress-free.
While our speech pathologists in Parramatta primarily help people from surrounding suburbs including Parramatta, Rosehill, Westmead, Harris Park, Rydalmere, Merrylands, Granville, Auburn, Newington, Wentworthville, Northmead, Oatlands, Lidcombe, and Guildford, our clinics are more than welcoming to anyone looking to use our services across Sydney.
