What Is Speech Therapy?
Speech therapy aims to help children build the communication skills they need to connect, learn, and thrive. Being able to express themselves and understand others enables children to connect with their world. Their confidence grows, and so does their ability to make friends, manage emotions, participate in learning, and navigate daily life.
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.
Whether your child is a late talker, struggling to be understood, or finding it hard to join conversations at school, we want to help.
Why Might My Child Need Speech Therapy?
Children all progress differently, and for some, speech and language skills take a little longer to emerge.
For some children, simply being exposed to language isn’t enough, they may benefit from structured support that builds skills gradually and aligns with their unique way of learning. Speech therapy may provide that crucial guidance.
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.
The concern is that without support, the gap can widen. As children grow, so do the expectations at school, in friendships, and in everyday life. That’s why early intervention matters. It helps lay strong foundations early, giving your child the best chance to thrive and reducing the risk of those challenges becoming a barrier later on.
How Speech Therapy Works at Chatterbox
Taking the first step into speech therapy can feel challenging, but we make it easy to understand and reassuring from the very beginning.
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
Once the assessment is complete, we collaborate with you to set practical and motivating goals that reflect what’s most important in your child’s everyday life, whether that’s joining friends in play, keeping up with classroom instructions, or communicating clearly 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
- Highlight and grow your child’s strengths, while guiding them through the skills they find harder
- Focus on growing confidence, connection, and independence
Our therapy sessions may use games, movement, chats, or hands-on experiences, whichever approach helps your child feel safe, engaged, and ready to learn. Sessions are always play-based and focused on real-world communication. We practise a neurodiversity-affirming model that encourages every child to develop confidence, connection, and independence in a way that embraces their individuality.
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.
Our work isn’t only with children, we partner with families, knowing that when parents feel supported, children benefit as well.
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
Our therapy is grounded in a strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming philosophy
- 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
- Therapy is designed to be enjoyable, interactive, and personalised for your child
- Our team helps children grow across different areas of development, all under one roof
- Speech therapy is available with us either face-to-face or via Telehealth, giving families choice and convenience
- We’re therapists with skill and heart, committed to making a real difference
All of this is included in what we do, but do you know the most important reason?
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 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 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?
Based on the latest research and your child’s needs, your clinician will suggest a therapy schedule designed for the best outcomes.
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.
Some therapies, for example the maintenance stage of stuttering intervention, may involve reduced intensity with fortnightly or monthly sessions, but this is rare rather than standard.
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 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.
With time, your therapist can offer a more detailed idea of what therapy might look like. But progress requires patience, learning takes time, and there is no overnight solution.
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 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.
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.
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?
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:
- Attend sessions consistently
- Do the recommended practice tasks in between sessions to support progress
- If possible, rebook appointments instead of cancelling to keep consistency
- Take advantage of holiday intensives
- Get involved during sessions — your input makes a difference
When you stay consistent and actively engaged, your child could make the greatest progress.
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?
Our main clinics are strategically located in Bella Vista, Kingswood, Oran Park, Parramatta, and Penrith, each with an approachable admin team available to assist you and your family every step of the way. Free parking is offered at every location, making your experience for assessments or therapy smooth and convenient.
While our speech therapists in Bella Vista primarily support people from surrounding suburbs including Bella Vista, Norwest, Kellyville, Stanhope Gardens, Glenwood, Rouse Hill, Baulkham Hills, Seven Hills, Castle Hill, and Kings Langley, our clinics are more than welcoming to anyone looking to use our services across Sydney.
