Your child learns to communicate best through fun, meaningful interactions with you everyday. If you’re worried about your child’s language development, Hanen ParentPrograms offer a research-backed, evidence based, practical approach to help you nurture essential early communication and social skills. These programs, led by extensively trained Hanen Certified Speech Pathologists are designed for parents of late talkers, autistic children, and children with developmental delays.
What are Hanen Programs?
Hanen Programs were created by The Hanen Centre, a non-profit organisation inCanada that focuses on empowering families to support children with communication challenges. Available globally, including as Hanen Programs inAustralia, these programs equip parents with strategies to help their children build language and social skills during everyday activities.
Delivered by certified speech-language pathologists (SLPs), Hanen Programs bring small groups of parents together, either online or in person, to learn practical strategies that make daily interactions opportunities for communication growth.These programs focus on natural moments—like mealtimes, play, and routines—as the foundation for improving language skills.
All of the Hanen Programs have come about from research and evidence that shows children learn best when they’re having meaningful, enjoyable, and extended interactions with their parents and other important people in their lives. This is why we focus on supporting you, the parents, to encourage interaction and use powerful language-building strategies in everyday moments.
At InnerWest Paediatrics, we proudly offer two effective Hanen Programs: It Takes Two to Talk® and More Than Words®.
The Hanen Approach and Speech Pathology
The Hanen Approach empowers parents to take an active role in their child’s communication journey. By embedding evidence-based techniques into daily life, the programs make therapy a natural part of your family’s routine. From playtime to grocery shopping, every moment becomes an opportunity to support your child’s language development.
Choosing a Hanen Certified SLP means working with a therapist who collaborates with you to tailor strategies to your child’s specific needs. At Inner West Paediatrics, our commitment to being Hanen certified therapists ensures families receive exceptional guidance and support from a professional who knows how to best collaborate with you, so you can play a leading role in your child’s progress.
Hanen: It Takes Two to Talk®
Studies show that the most effective early language intervention involves more than direct therapy with a Speech Pathologist – it involves helping parents gain the skills to play a key role in their child’s language-learning.
It Takes Two to Talk® is ideal for parents of young children with language delays. This 12-week program equips you with tools to enhance your child’s communication skills during everyday activities. The program includes:
● 1 Pre-Program Consultation: An initial session with the Hanen Certified SLP to assess your child’s needs and set personalised goals.
● Eight Parent-Only Group Sessions: Interactive group sessions where you learn aboutlanguage development and how to implement effective strategies.
● Three Individual Visits: Personalised feedback sessions with video analysis of your interactions to fine-tune your approach.
This program seamlessly integrates therapy into your daily life, ensuring consistent and meaningful progress for your child beyond the therapy room.
Hanen: More Than Words®
More Than Words® is designed for parents of autistic children or thoseneeding support with social communication. Over 12 weeks, this program helpsparents understand their child’s unique communication style and use dailyinteractions to foster stronger connections and joyful interactions.
The program is delivered across 12 weeks and includes:
● 1 pre-program consultation: you and your child meet with the Hanen CertifiedSpeech Pathologist to assess your starting point, and set communication goals.
● Eight weeks of parent only group sessions: You attend eight interesting and interactive small group sessions, led by the Hanen certified SLP. In these sessions, you learn about communication and language development, as well as how to use the program strategies.
● Individual visits with you and your child: You participate in three personalised sessions with the SLP, that include a video-recording of you and your child interacting together, followed by discussion with and feedback from the SLP.
How to Start – Identify Your Child’s Stage ofCommunication
The first step to supporting your child’s communication development is to recognise what they already do. This will help you identify your child’s current Stage ofCommunication.
The Hanen Centre’s research-based ItTakes Two to Talk® parent program organises children’s early communication development into four stages: Discoverer,Communicator, First Words User and Combiner. Each stage includes the reasonswhy your child communicates, how your child communicates, and what they understand. You can find more information about the Stages of Communication in the It Takes Two to Talk® parent guidebook.
Are Hanen Programs right for my child?
Research shows that you are the ideal person to build your child’s early communication skills because:
● You spend the most time interacting with your child.
● Your child is most comfortable communicating and interacting with you.
● You know your child’s interests and preferences that will make interactions motivating and fun.
● You can use communication strategies naturally throughout your child’s day – so your child is learning in situations that are meaningful to them.
Hanen Programs are perfect for families who want to actively support their child’s language development. Benefits include:
● Leveraging natural interactions for learning.
● Creating a comfortable environment for skill-building.
● Empowering parents to be the primary agents of change.
Inner West Paediatrics Hanen Program Sydney
At InnerWest Paediatrics, we are dedicated to empowering families through Hanen Programs. From our clinic inLeichhardt, Sydney, or online using telehealth, our Hanen Certified SpeechPathologists deliver It Takes Two to Talk® and More Than Words® programs to support your child’s communication development. Contact us today to learn how the Hanen Programs can transform your family’s journey.
