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Speech Pathology Perth

Speech Pathologists specialise in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of a range of language and communication disorders.

Through the Child Wellbeing Centre (Midland) Speech therapy and language support includes:

• Assessment and intervention for articulation delays/disorders
• Assessment and intervention for language delays/disorders
• Support for Verbal Dyspraxia
• School readiness
• Treatment of stuttering
• Bilingualism
• Support for communication difficulties associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Occupational Therapy For Children

Our Perth Occupational Therapists specialise in the assessment and treatment of a range of motor, developmental and sensory difficulties.

Through the Child Wellbeing Centre (Midland), Occupational Therapy services are available to address the following issues:

• Handwriting skills
• Drawing skills
• Play skills
• Fine motor skills
• Gross motor skills
• Visual learning strategies for the classroom
• Planning and organisation

Applied Behaviour Analysis Child and Adolescent Services (ABACAS)

What do we do?

Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is defined as the systematic application of behavioural principles in order to change socially significant behaviour  Socially significant behaviour includes skills such as language, self-help, play, social and emotional awareness/regulation, as well as academics (e.g. maths and reading).

The principles of ABA can be used to help children develop skills in their everyday life, from greeting others to playing with peers, from putting on shoes to brushing their teeth. Put simply, whenever there is behaviour the principles of ABA can be applied. As well as helping individuals to acquire skills, ABA uses a functions-based approach to also reduce challenging behaviours that may be serving as barriers to your child’s learning and development.

Our ABACAS team work collaboratively with the Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists and Psychologists in the Centre. An integrated combination of ABACAS services and individual therapies (Speech, Psychology and/or Occupational Therapy) can be negotiated based on the needs of your child.

Why ABA?

The research consistently tells us that ABA is an effective intervention!

In April 2015 the National Autism Center (NAC) released Phase 2 of The National Standards Report. This report was designed to offer parents reliable information and comprehensive resources to help them make informed choices about the most effective interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

The report reviewed interventions for ASD based on research published between 2007-2012. The results strengthen the findings from The Nationals Standards Project Phase 1, showing overwhelming empirical support for interventions that are behaviourally based.

Behavioural interventions formed the largest category of those labelled as, ‘Established Interventions.’ This means that the report depicts that there is sufficient evidence to confidently conclude that behavioural interventions are effective for individuals with ASD.

Click this link, for more detailed information on the NAC’s National Standard’s Report: http://www.nationalautismcenter.org/resources/

How we work with families

Full Services Model

This is where ABACAS allocates you a Program/Case Manager and Behaviour Therapist (s) to work with your child. The Program/Case Manager is the person responsible for meeting with you and determining therapy goals. They then write the therapy program that the Behaviour Therapist is responsible to implement. The Program/Case Manager will periodically check with how the therapy is being implemented (Program Evaluation Sessions) and update programs (Program Reviews) as required.

Program Managers and Case Managers are also able to offer parent and school consultancy services.

We recommend (particularly with the younger children) at least 10 hours of Behaviour Therapy per week. Therapy can take place in the home, school and at our centres.

All of our Behaviour Therapists have access to training and ongoing supervision and are required to maintain registration as a Registered Behaviour Technician.

Supervision Model

Much like the above model, ABACAS allocates you a Program/Case Manager to work with you and your child. However, in this model, parents are responsible for finding their Behaviour Therapist. Our Program Manager can train family members, support workers and other therapists to work as Behaviour Therapists. This model allows families to have greater flexibility and more hours of therapy.

Again, we recommend at least 10 hours of Behaviour Therapy a week. ABACAS can also provide ongoing supervision for Behaviour Therapists employed by families.

Our Team of Behaviour Therapists

ABACAS has a team of highly dedicated and enthusiastic Behavioural Therapists. All therapists hold an allied health or education degree and are experienced in delivering ABA therapy sessions to individuals with developmental disabilities. Many are also working on their registration as psychologists or undertaking post graduate studies in Applied Behaviour Analysis.

All therapists are active Registered Behaviour Technicians under the Behaviour Analyst Certification Board (BACB). They are required to be currently practising and to have 5% of their work time supervised by a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) or Board Certified Assistant Behaviour Analyst (BCaBA).

All therapists in the team undergo continual supervision and training, with regular in-session observations to ensure high quality service delivery to our families.

For More Information

Please contact the Centre for more information on our services on 9274 7062.

Social Skills Programs

At Child Wellbeing Centre we offer a range of group programs for children and parents. Groups are typically small, no more than four to six children at a time and run after school hours.

We also regularly provide information on up and coming programs through our Facebook page.

The Friendship Club

Each term the Centre runs small  group social skills programs for children between 4 and 11 years of age. Our team of behaviour therapists and psychologists make these sessions fun and motivating. Programs are tailored to meet the needs of the children participating in groups.

In each group we employ a four-part training approach using modelling, role-playing, performance feedback, and generalisation to teach essential pro-social skills to children.

Amazing Amigos

Early Primary School Social Skills Program

The early primary school social skills program will help to identify your child’s specific areas of social skill needs and will provide them with opportunities to develop these abilities and apply their learning to real-life situations.  With this age group, we focus on a range of skills including listening to others, greeting others, asking for help, joining in, sharing, and turn-taking.

This is a 10-week program, each session is 60 minutes long.

Best Buddies

Middle Primary School Social Skills Program

The middle primary school social skills program will help to identify your child’s specific areas of social skill deficit and will provide them with opportunities to develop these abilities and apply their learning to real-life situations.  With this age group, we focus on a range of skills including introducing yourself, conversation skills, play skills, helping a friend, sharing, and turn-taking.

This is a 10-week program, each session is 60 minutes long.

Fantastic Friends

Upper Primary School Social Skills Program

The upper primary school social skills program will help to identify your child’s specific areas of social skill deficit and will provide them with opportunities to develop these abilities and apply their learning to real-life situations.  With this age group, we focus on a range of skills including starting and maintaining a conversation, introducing self and other people, asking questions, and apologising.

This is a 10-week program, each session is 60 minutes long.

Secret Agent Society

Secret Agent Society is an evidenced based social skills program for high functioning children on the autism spectrum. Groups are typically small and include parent training and teacher liaison to help children develop and use their social skills.