Speech Pathologists Harris Park | Paediatric Speech Therapy

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.

Our qualified speech therapists aim to help children with:

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?

Each child grows and learns in their own time, though speech and language may not always develop smoothly.

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.

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

Speech therapy can seem like a big leap at first, especially if the process feels unfamiliar. Our role is to make it simple and supportive from the outset.

1. Initial Assessment
To begin, we use a fun, play-based assessment that aims to help your child feel comfortable. It gives us a clear picture of their communication development, showing strengths and challenges so we can tailor the right support.

2. Setting Individual Goals
Following the assessment, we partner with you to establish goals that truly matter for your child’s daily experiences, such as making playtime more inclusive, succeeding with school instructions, or being understood by family.

3. Fun, Personalised Therapy That’s Evidence-Based
No two children are the same, and therapy shouldn’t be either. At Chatterbox, our therapists:

Customise therapy to match your child’s learning style and current developmental needs
Incorporate proven, research-backed methods into each session
Support your child by building on their abilities and working through the tricky parts together
Support your child to develop greater confidence, stronger connections, and more independence

Therapy might look like games, movement, conversation, or hands-on activities, whatever helps your child engage and learn in a way that feels safe and enjoyable. Our sessions are play-based and engaging, designed to build real-world communication skills while honouring your child’s unique learning style. Everything we do is neurodiversity-affirming, so your child can feel supported to develop confidence, connection, and independence just as they are.

4. Family Support and Coaching
Your role in your child’s progress is crucial. That’s why we equip you with practical strategies to support learning at home, while travelling, or in everyday activities.
We believe in working with both children and families, because when families feel confident and supported, children grow stronger too.

5. Ongoing Monitoring
We regularly check your child’s progress during sessions, allowing us to respond immediately to their needs. This way, therapy stays achievable, impactful, and suited to your family’s goals.

Why Families Choose Chatterbox

Our approach is neurodiversity-affirming and focused on building from each child’s strengths

We practise in a neurodiversity-affirming way, focusing on strengths and respecting every child’s individual style of learning and connection
Our approach involves working alongside you to develop family-centred goals and therapy plans that can adapt as needed
We ensure therapy is playful, motivating, and adapted to your child’s needs
We support multiple areas of development all in one place
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

These are just some of the things we provide, but the biggest reason goes deeper.

Families choose Chatterbox because they want to feel confident their child is in good hands with people who don’t just deliver therapy, but genuinely care.

What’s the Next Step?

Frequently Asked Questions

How are therapy goals set?

We set goals by talking with you. Together, we’ll figure out your big goals: what matters most for you and your child. From there, we break things down into smaller, achievable steps so your child can build confidence and experience success along the way.

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?

Drawing on current research, your clinician will recommend a therapy schedule that suits your child’s needs and supports progress.

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?

We can’t give a one-size-fits-all answer to how long therapy will take, as it depends on many factors including your child’s age, personality, learning style, developmental stage, and any 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.

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.

Since life isn’t always predictable, we keep therapy flexible. Whether you need to change an appointment, book extra sessions, or your clinician is away, another member of our experienced team can step in to keep therapy consistent.

Since our team works hand in hand, your child’s goals and progress are always shared, making each session seamless even with a new therapist. Meeting different clinicians now and then may actually benefit your child, potentially helping them adapt, generalise skills, and build confidence across varied communication partners.

How can I get the most out of our therapy sessions?

Here’s the good news, there are easy ways you can support your child to get the best out of therapy and keep progress on track:

Ensure therapy sessions are attended consistently to build momentum
Follow through with practice activities at home between therapy visits
Try to shift appointments rather than cancel them outright
Use holiday breaks as an opportunity for intensive therapy sessions
Get involved during sessions — your input makes a difference

The more consistent and involved you can be, the more your child may benefit.

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.

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.