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.
Our qualified speech therapists aim to help 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?
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.
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
Beginning speech therapy may seem overwhelming, particularly if you’re not sure what will happen. We make the process clear and supportive right from the start.
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
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:
- Adapt each session to suit your child’s individual way of learning and stage of development
- Rely on evidence-based practices supported by up-to-date studies
- Focus on what your child does well, while giving extra help in the areas that are more challenging
- Help your child grow in confidence, build meaningful connections, and gain independence
Therapy can take many forms, from games and movement to conversation and practical activities, chosen to help your child engage and learn comfortably. All sessions are designed to be play-based, enjoyable, and meaningful, strengthening everyday communication skills. By taking a neurodiversity-affirming approach, we ensure your child feels supported to grow in confidence, connection, and independence, just as 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.
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
We work in a way that affirms neurodiversity and highlights every child’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 make therapy fun, engaging, and tailored to your child
- Children can access help for many areas of development with us, without needing to go elsewhere
- 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
All of this is included in what we do, but do you know the most important reason?
Families come to Chatterbox for the reassurance that their child is supported by people who care as much as they do, not just by therapists delivering sessions.
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.
Therapies are generally most effective with frequent, consistent sessions. Each opportunity to practise helps children build on their skills and achieve stronger results. While the ideal might be multiple therapy hours every week, this isn’t 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.
At Chatterbox, sessions are available in 60 or 90 minute formats. We deliver weekly therapy consistent with research, with opportunities for extra sessions or intensive blocks, a great option for 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.
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.
Seeing the same speech pathologist every session allows your child to build a close, trusting connection. That consistency aims to provide a sense of safety and support, making therapy more meaningful.
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.
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:
- Attend sessions consistently
- Follow through with practice activities at home between therapy visits
- Try to shift appointments rather than cancel them outright
- Boost progress by joining holiday therapy intensives
- Join in during therapy sessions, your participation helps your child progress
When you stay consistent and actively engaged, your child could make the greatest progress.
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.
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 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.
