Unveiling the Answers: FAQ about ‘Talk Joy’

Here at Talk Joy we see a range of children needing speech assistance from all areas of Ipswich, Queensland. When parents enquire about speech therapy, it is often not something they have had experience with before. So we have created this blog in order to hopefully answer some of our most frequently asked questions in case they apply to you as well.

What age clients do you see?

• 2- 10 year old's

  
  

Allanah, our Speech Pathologist, specialises in younger kids from 2-10 years old. It is important to keep in mind that if a child is placed on the waitlist and they are 9 or already 10, they might grow out of what we can offer here at Talk Joy.

Do you have availability for speech therapy?

• Our waitlist is around 9-12+ months

  
  

Due to the high demand for Speech Pathologists in Ipswich, our schedule is completely full as of now. If you would like to be put on the waitlist, we will get some details from you to ensure we are able to help your child’s needs and will follow up regularly to check in and see if you are still wanting to be kept on the waitlist every few months. We encourage those on the waitlist to still search around to see if other clinics have availability as we understand the urgency of finding a Speech Pathologist.

If in need of a speech assessment, we can do one off assessments to determine if therapy is needed. The wait for this may be within 1 -2 months of the enquiry date.

How long is our waitlist and how is it managed?

Currently, our waitlist is roughly 9-12 months. However, due to the complexity of operating a mobile practice, we allocate and triage clients so it can be hard to determine exactly how long the wait we be.

We allocate clients to therapists based on:

• Client/parent availability

• Client location

• Client presentation and needs from therapy, matching them with the therapist with the best skills to help

We offer clients appointments based on the time they have been waiting, we arrange it in date order so the longest waiting is offered the first available spot so long as the therapist can get to the client location at the time they have available and as long as the client is available for therapy at that time. For example, if a therapist had a 1pm appointment open up on a Wednesday, a client who is at a school that wouldn’t allow a therapist on site won’t be offered this spot. It will then be offered to the next client on the waitlist who might be available at that time.

Why has my child been on the waitlist for so long?

We have a long waitlist that gets new clients added to it on a weekly basis. We currently only have 1 speech therapist here at Talk Joy but we are advertising for a new therapist to join our team. We are unsure how long the hiring process will take as we want to find the best fit for our team. Currently, Allanah only has capacity to see a new client when an existing client finishes therapy, as therapy can be an evolving process, we never know how often new clients will be seen.

We share your frustration and disappointment when the wait is so long for an appointment, but please know that we are always thinking about you and we are working to have you and your child seen as soon as possible.

What can you expect in an initial consultation?

Firstly, two forms will be sent out via email before booking an initial consultation. First, is a case history form, asking for lots of details about your child and their history as well as your concerns. Second, is a service agreement which will require you to read through the documents provided and fill them out.

Then once the forms are received back, you’ll be booked in for a time that suits the therapist and the family. This appointment goes for no longer than 1 hour. We go over the case history form and talk about your concerns and make a plan for intervention. We will also talk about what therapy will look like or what assessments are needed to determine the therapy we get involved in. Then we speak about and confirm on-going appointment times (if this is what is wanted). Finally, we will go over how therapy operates at Talk Joy. There will be plenty of time for questions as well.  

How much is speech therapy at Talk Joy?

Standard sessions of 45 minutes at billed at $193.99 but funding options are available (see below). Travel charges also apply beyond 5kms from Silkstone – we will work this out for you and let you know before booking in appointments.

Do I need a referral to see a speech therapist at Talk Joy?

No, you do not need a referral to see a speech pathologist at Talk Joy Speech Therapy. If you wish to claim a Medicare rebate, you will need to consult your GP or Paediatrician first to determine if your child’s difficulties meet the rebate criteria. This is something the team at Talk Joy can give you more information and help with but it will need to be obtained through your GP or Paediatrician.

What funding options do we accept at Talk Joy?

• Medicare (you can get a Medicare rebate from up to 5 sessions per calendar year across all allied health)

• Private Health Insurance

• NDIS (Plan managed or Self-managed participants)

Why does my child need an assessment? Why can’t we just start therapy?

Unless your child has had a recent speech therapy assessment done by a certified practicing speech pathologist (within 12 months) we will need to do an assessment. Sometimes assessments are brief, other time this can take a few sessions. It depends on your child’s presentation and difficulties.

We pride ourselves in being thorough and creating therapy for your child that is targeted towards their needs. We use our case history from your initial appointment, yours and your child’s goals and any assessment results to give us a good understanding of your child so we can address their needs. We want the support that we give your child to be unique to them and to help them meet their goals.

What happens in a therapy session?

• Every session is different though there might be repeated activities or games depending on the client goals

• Sessions ALWAYS include games – who doesn’t love a game!

• We will often do 2-5 therapy based activities/tasks depending on the child and their needs

• We will spend some time checking in with families to see how things have been since their last appointment, to give us to time to discuss home practice tasks

• We will then spend time at the end of the session going over some activities or tasks parents can do with their child between sessions – this is where the biggest impact happens.

Can you do sessions to my child’s school or childcare facility?

• Yes definitely, as a mobile practice we are more than happy to come to you (or your child) wherever they are on the day of their appointment. We know children engage best when they are comfortable and kids are most comfortable in familiar environments.

• Prior approval from the school of childcare centre needs to be obtained prior to appointments starting.

• Parents will need to be in regular contact with their therapist to ensure that home practice tasks and support is consistent. Therapy is only as effective as what’s done between sessions so regular practice is vital. Sometimes having sessions without the parents present makes home practice challenging, in these cases we may recommend home visits instead.

Be kind and share joy!

-Allanah (Speech Therapist)