Speech Therapy for Kids near Forest Lodge

Building your child’s communication skills.

Communication support shaped around your child

Every child has the right to be heard. Our team supports children to find and use the communication style that suits them, from those needing a gentle bit of extra support to those with developmental differences, disabilities or neurodivergence.

Our Forest Lodge speech pathologists at Inner West Paediatrics build therapy around what each child needs, pairing evidence-based methods with goals set for their speech, communication and literacy.

Ways we support your child’s communication

Our team assesses, diagnoses and provides treatment and intervention for a range of areas, including speech, language, communication, voice, feeding and fluency.

Together with you and your child, we also work through challenges connected to speech sounds, reading, writing, eating, play, self-advocacy, and social participation and inclusion. The speech pathology services we offer include:

In-person speech therapy

Personalised speech therapy services in a welcoming, supportive environment.

Dedicated family advocates

If you’re in Forest Lodge, but can’t come to us, we can come to you.

We work with you

Wherever your child is in Australia, our online speech therapy service aims to make care easier to access.

Areas we can support your child with

Language and Communication

We support children to build the language skills they rely on every day, including vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, and both expressive and receptive communication.

AAC Assessment and Intervention

Access to communication belongs to everyone. Where AAC may make a difference, our speech pathologists guide children and young people through Augmentative and Alternative Communication in a way that suits them, teaming up with families at every step to assess, trial and put the right system in place around each child’s strengths, preferences and needs.

Reading and Writing

Strong literacy opens doors, so we support children to grow the reading, writing, spelling and phonological awareness skills they draw on for learning and daily life. Where suitable, we may also collaborate with your child’s school team to reinforce their literacy development at home and at school.

Speech Sounds

Our team helps children work towards speech that’s clear and confident, so being understood in everyday conversations comes more easily.

Play

Children learn best through play, which is why our sessions are built around play-based activities shaped by your child’s interests and strengths. The result is a fun, engaging and low-pressure space where speech, language, communication and confidence may grow through meaningful interactions.

Stuttering (Fluency)

Using evidence-based, strengths-focused approaches, we support children who stutter to find confidence in their communication. Together with your child and family, we build strategies that make everyday communication feel more comfortable and assured.

Social Communication and Relationships

Meaningful connection matters most in the places children spend their time, so we support them to build it at home, school and in the community. Our strengths-based, neuroaffirming approaches help children develop the confidence and skills to recognise and share their emotions, advocate for what they need, and form positive relationships on their own terms.

Hanen Programs

It Takes Two to Talk®

The It Takes Two to Talk® program supports parents of children aged 0 to 5 who have been identified as having a language delay. In a small, supportive group, parents learn practical ways to weave language development into the natural rhythm of their day together.

The program teaches you how to:

Recognise your child’s stage and style of communication to identify goals and meaningful next steps
Identify what motivates your child to communicate
Use the strategies to encourage interaction and build communication confidence
Adjust everyday routines to help your child take turns back and forth in interactions
Support your child’s understanding and use of language through responsive communication strategies
Use play and book sharing to foster communication, interaction and language development

Email us at info@innerwestpaediatrics.com.au to learn when registrations open for the next It Takes Two to Talk® program.

More than Words

Parents and caregivers of autistic children, or children with social communication differences, are at the centre of the More Than Words program. It offers specific, research-based strategies to support your child’s social communication and play skills, all while strengthening your connection and adding more fun to your time together.

‍Through the program, you will learn:

What motivates your child to communicate
How to use your knowledge about your child to set appropriate and realistic goals
How to make interactions with your child last longer
Tips for using pictures and print to help your child’s understanding
Strategies for how to talk so that your child understands you
Strategies for providing new play opportunities for your child

Get in touch at info@innerwestpaediatrics.com.au to hear when registrations open for our next More Than Words group program.

Learning Language and Loving It®

Learning Language and Loving It® is an evidence-based program for the educators and professionals who work with young children every day. Through it, they gain practical, responsive strategies to encourage language, communication and early literacy within the natural flow of interactions, play and routines. Throughout the program, you’ll learn how to:

Recognise each child’s stage and style of communication.
Create everyday opportunities that encourage language learning and participation.
Use responsive interaction strategies to support communication and extend conversations.
Adapt the learning environment and daily routines to promote communication.
Support children’s social communication and interactions with their peers.
Build language and early literacy skills through play, shared book reading and everyday experiences.

Email us at info@innerwestpaediatrics.com.au to talk through a bespoke package for your education setting built around the Learning Language and Loving It® program.

Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy (PACT)

PACT is an evidence-based, parent-mediated therapy program for autistic children aged 2–11 years and children with social communication differences. The program supports parents and caregivers to better understand their child’s communication style and strengthen everyday interactions through responsive, enjoyable communication strategies that build connection and engagement.

Our PACT-trained therapists draw on video feedback so you may better recognise and respond to the way your child communicates. Along the way, you’ll pick up practical, evidence-based strategies that build on your child’s own strengths, preferences and needs, woven naturally into everyday family routines and interactions.

Email us at info@innerwestpaediatrics.com.au to learn when registrations open for the next PACT program.

Finding communication tricky for your child?

No matter where your child is on their communication journey, our experienced team is here to walk alongside you with evidence-based, family-centred care.

The therapy techniques we use

Every child is different, so our speech pathologists personalise a wide range of therapy techniques to suit you and your child. As well as being fully qualified and accredited, our therapists have extensive training and experience across the following:

- Hanen Programs® (It Takes Two to Talk, More Than Words, Target Word, Talkability, Learning Language and Loving It)
- Key Word Sign
- SOS Feeding Approach
- The Lidcombe Program
- DIR Floortime Principles
- Learn to Play approach
- Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy (PACT)
- Responsive Feeding Approach
- Sounds~Write
- Meaningful Speech for Gestalt Language Processors
- Occupational Performance Coaching
- High and Low Tech AAC implementation
- DTTC and ReST

The ways speech pathology supports your child

Speech clarity

Our speech pathologists support children to develop clear, confident speech so they can be understood more easily in everyday conversations.

Language Development

We work with children to build the language skills they need for understanding others, expressing themselves and communicating confidently.

Fluency

We support children who stutter or experience other differences in fluency to communicate with confidence using evidence-based, strengths-focused approaches.

Social communication

Our support helps children develop the confidence and skills to communicate, connect and participate on their own terms.

Self-confidence and self-advocacy
By supporting your child’s communication in ways that work for them, speech pathology can help build confidence, foster meaningful connections and encourage participation in everyday life.

Speech therapy FAQs answered

What is speech pathology?

At its core, speech pathology involves the assessment, diagnosis and management of speech, language, voice and fluency disorders, along with their possible prevention.

What does a speech pathologist support?

Speech pathologists support children to communicate on their own terms, providing assessment and evidence-based support for speech, language, communication, voice, fluency, literacy, feeding and swallowing, all of which helps children participate more confidently in daily life.

Do you offer toddler speech therapy in Forest Lodge?

Yes. We support children from infancy through to 18 years, including toddlers who are developing their early communication, language and speech skills. If you have concerns about your toddlers’ communication, early intervention can make a meaningful difference.

What kinds of conditions and disabilities do you support?

We recognise that children need support with their communication and language skills for a variety of reasons. Our speech pathologists work with a wide range of disabilities, including autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, global developmental delay, ADHD, social-emotional difficulties, trauma, behavioural differences, and other neurological disorders. We also support children with articulation and stuttering difficulties.

Can speech pathology support my child's education?

Yes. Since strong communication underpins learning, our speech-language pathologists can, where suitable, collaborate with teachers and educators to support your child’s progress at school and at home.

How long will my child need speech pathology?

No two children are the same. Our dedicated team keeps a close eye on your child’s progress and adjusts their therapy plan together with you as they grow, so the support they receive may always match where they are at that moment.

What speech and occupational therapy approaches do you provide?

To make therapy meaningful, our Forest Lodge paediatric speech therapists continually broaden their skills through additional training in many areas. The services and approaches we may draw on include:

Hanen Programs® (It Takes Two to Talk, More Than Words, Target Word, Talkability, Learning Language and Loving It)
DIR Floortime Principles
Learn to Play approach
Key Word Sign
Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy (PACT)
SOS Feeding Approach
Responsive Feeding Approach
The Lidcombe Program
Sounds~Write
Meaningful Speech for Gestalt Language Processors
Occupational Performance Coaching
High and Low Tech AAC assessment, trial and intervention
Handwriting Without Tears programs
Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP Approach)
Toileting interventions
Zones of Regulation
Alert Program
Regulation and sensory supports

What funding options can I access?

A number of funding options for therapy may help the cost of speech pathology support, including the NDIS, Medicare and private health insurance.

Other ways we can help your child

Occupational Therapy

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Speech Pathology

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Feeding Therapy

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Group Programs

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Orofacial Therapy

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Key Worker Service

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Allied Health Assistants

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Support Work

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The Inner West Paediatrics approach

Support you can count on

With more than 5,000 children and families supported since 2015, we bring years of experience to each and every session.

Multidisciplinary care

With a range of services under one roof, we can support your child across multiple areas of need.

Flexible therapy delivery

At home, at school, in childcare or online, our team is here to support your child in the setting that suits them.

Speech therapy in Forest Lodge to support your child's communication

Every child communicates in their own way. Whether your child needs a little extra support or has more complex communication needs, our experienced speech pathologists are here to help. We’ll work alongside your family to build on your child’s strengths and provide practical, evidence-based support that helps them communicate with confidence in everyday life.