Description of the service: Supporting Learning for Children with Needs (SLCN) is a paediatric therapy service that provides assessments, therapy, parent programs, group programs, and support to schools.
Therapist: Brent Connolly. Allied health assistants: Lisa Connolly & Anmol Idnani
Phone number: 03 80 880 527
Appointments: Appointments generally last 45 minutes. The time and frequency (weekly, fortnightly) are discussed and set with your therapist. Rescheduling outside this set schedule is limited. Parent programs can last longer.
Attendance and punctuality: You are required to be present in appointments. You know your child the best and you are their best teacher. As such, part of therapy is helping you to help your child. Please be on time to appointments. If you are running late, please call 03 80 880 527. If you arrive late, the appointment will still end at its original finishing time. This is because of other appointments straight after.
Cancellations: Cancellations are accepted up to 7 days before the appointment without incurring any cost. Cancellations within 7 days will mean full payment for the appointment is required. This is the NDIS recommended cancellation policy.
Location: Appointments take place at your home, your child's school, a clinic in Derrimut, or online via Zoom. You are required to be present in appointments. You know your child the best and you are their best teacher. As such, part of therapy is helping you to help your child.
Referrals: We accept referrals from a GP, paediatrician, NDIS, allied health professionals and medical specialists. However, a referral is not required to make an appointment.
Fees: Appointments are charged at the rate for a therapist or allied health assistant based on the amount of time for the session and associated non-face-to-face time (currently $193.99 for a therapist and $86.79 for an allied health assistant for 45-minute appointments). Travel to your home or your child's school is also charged at the NDIS rate based on the travel time. Travel distance is also charged at the NDIS rate per kilometre. Travel from your home back to base may also apply.
Payment of fees: Payment of fees is due at the end of the session. When you sign up with us, you will enter your payment and/or funding information. Payment surcharge applies for credit card transactions. You can also opt to pay via invoice (bank transfer or online link). We accept National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants whose funds are agency managed, plan managed, or self-managed.
Rebates: Some children are eligible for a Medicare rebate through the Chronic Disease Management program and/or Helping Children with Autism or Better Start Initiative. Access to these programs is through your child's GP or paediatrician. Some private health insurance extras packages will provide a refund for speech pathology services. Please advise the therapist which health fund you are with so that they can provide you with the appropriate receipt.
Initial session: The initial session allows the therapist to gain background information about your child and your child's current skills. Information is gathered by discussing your child's birth, developmental and medical history, as well as your observations of your child's speech and language skills. How the therapist assesses your child's current skills depends on your child's age.
Therapy questionnaire: You will complete a therapy questionnaire after your initial session and every twelve months as a review to show your child’s progress and to provide new goals and skills to develop in therapy. The questionnaire gathers information about your child’s skills and abilities to identify and track important goals and outcomes for your child in five areas: communication, social skills and relationships, daily living skills, physical activity, and behaviour. It will take around 20-30 minutes to complete. You will be provided a report based on the initial therapy questionnaire and progress reports based on the twelve-month review therapy questionnaires.
Assessment report: Assessment reports for one assessment are $193.99 and for more than one assessment are $290.99. Reports generally take up to 2 weeks to produce.
Consent form: You will sign a consent form to allow us to collect information about your child. The SLCN Privacy Policy and Collection Statement describes how we protect your data and the ways we use the information you give to us.
Video consent and video feedback: You may sign a video consent form to allow us to take photos of or video or audio record you and your child in therapy sessions. The clinic premises is video recorded for everyone's safety. In giving permission to SLCN it is understood that the photos, video or audio recording will only be used for those purposes and that the principles of the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Commonwealth Privacy Act will be followed, including for storing the recordings.
Code of conduct: You will sign the SLCN Code of Conduct for families and participants and agree to follow and uphold by the code of conduct and follow any disciplinary actions resulting from inappropriate behaviour. This is to ensure appropriate communication and interaction for everyone.
