Services for Children and Adults

Assessment tools and techniques are used to understand participant concerns and skills at the beginning of services, throughout for progress monitoring, and towards the end of an NDIS plan for funding purposes. Assessment can involve surveys, reports, observations as well as formal and informal tests. 

At Communico Speech Language and Swallowing Therapy, we will work with you to develop therapy goals based off your assessment data, reported needs and preferences. This will form an individualised therapy plan that we will work towards together. 

We assess and provide therapy in the areas of: 

• Dysphagia / Swallowing Disorders 
• Feeding Difficulties/ Fussy eating
• Voice Disorders (quality, pitch, and volume of an individual's voice)
• Fluency/stuttering (the smoothness and rhythm of an individual's speech)
• Speech sounds and clarity 
• Understanding/ receptive language 
• Using/ expressive language 
• Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) 
• Functional Communication
• Literacy / reading and spelling 
• Pragmatics and social communication 
• Pre-linguistic skills (non-verbal communication including joint attention, turn taking etc.  
• Oral musculature assessment (the strength, coordination, and movement of an individual's speech muscles)

Reports and documents are developed for the purposes of record keeping,  therapy planning, funding applications, clinical handover, client correspondence and legal matters. Our reports are considered medico-legal documents and include: 

• Assessment Reports
• Assessment Summary Letters
• NDIS Funding Report/ Progress Report
• Assistive Technology Form 
• Referral Letters
• External correspondence Letters 

As a service provider, we understand that participants with disabilities and from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD) may face unique challenges when it comes to accessing and participating in therapy. We believe in tailoring our services to meet the individual needs of our participants wherever possible, and are committed to providing a supportive and inclusive environment for everyone. By doing so, we aim to ensure that all participants have better access to therapy and are able to achieve positive outcomes. Please inform us of any additional supports you may require to assist in your access to our services. 

Interpreters and translators are available to support access to our services. We use the National Translating and Interpreting Service Additional fees apply for this service.  

Communico Speech Language and Swallowing Therapy services involve a variety of evidence-based approaches and elements to each suit each participant's needs. This also involves essential indirect therapy tasks and activities that fall outside of the 1:1 direct therapy session. Our approaches and intervention elements include: 

• Traditional 1:1 therapy sessions with the participant, their carer/support person and speech pathologist. 
• Consultations with the participant, carer/parent and wider team discussing progress and concerns or explaining therapy items. 
• Telehealth involving email, phone or video conferencing regarding therapy plan, coaching a support person to deliver the intervention.
• Training staff, family members, other team members and supports on how to implement the participant’s therapy program or strategies/accommodations to support the participant’s communication and safe mealtimes. 
• Allied Health Assistants (AHA)– using an allied health assistant to deliver the therapy as directed by and under the supervision of the speech and language pathologist.
• Report writing, documentation and progress monitoring and summaries 
• Funding reports, progress reports and AAC applications
• Resource development including therapy home practice and resources to assist meeting therapy goals such as visuals, worksheets etc.
• Collaboration with the wider external team (allied health professionals, doctors, teachers).