Speech Pathology
Supporting children, teens, and young adults to communicate, connect, and express themselves with confidence.
Speech, language and communication are important ways we connect, learn, participate, and express ourselves throughout childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. Our Speech Pathologists work with children, teens, and young adults to understand their individual communication strengths, preferences, and support needs, and to help them communicate in ways that work for them. Using evidence-based, personalised approaches, we provide in-clinic and telehealth sessions, and work collaboratively with families, schools, and other support networks. Support can be tailored to everyday environments, helping individuals participate and communicate with confidence at home, at school, at work, and in the community.
Our Speech Pathologists provide personalised speech pathology support for children, teens, and young adults, with a focus on communication that is meaningful, accessible, and aligned with each individual’s goals.
How We Can Help
Speech, language, and communication can influence how children, teens, and young adults learn, connect with others, and participate in everyday life.
Everyone communicates differently, and some individuals may benefit from additional support to communicate in ways that work for them.
Our Speech Pathologists work with children, teens, and young adults to provide personalised, evidence-based support that builds on their individual strengths, goals, communication preferences, and support needs. We support a wide range of speech, language, communication, and literacy needs across childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood.
Our team can support areas including speech sound development, language development, social communication, stuttering, voice and fluency, literacy, learning, and school-readiness skills.
Using a neuroaffirming approach, we focus on meaningful communication, practical strategies, confidence, and participation in real-life settings. Sessions can take place in-clinic, online via telehealth, or in-home and school environments, helping individuals access and use communication strategies across everyday situations. Families and carers are welcomed as partners, while the individual’s voice, preferences, goals, and communication needs remain at the centre of support.
Locations
Areas of Support
Speech and Articulation
Articulation is how we produce speech sounds using the lips, tongue, teeth, jaw, and vocal folds. Children develop speech sounds gradually over time, and there is natural variation in how speech develops. Some teens and young adults may continue to have differences in speech sound production that affect how clearly they are understood, particularly in fast-paced, unfamiliar, or complex conversations.
Speech sound differences can include articulation differences, such as difficulty producing specific sounds, or phonological patterns, which involve differences in how speech sounds are organised and used. Factors that may contribute can include hearing differences, past ear infections, family history, or learned speech patterns.
Our Speech Pathologists work with your child, teen, or young adult to understand their individual communication needs and develop personalised strategies that can be used at home, at school, or at work. Support can help individuals communicate with greater confidence and comfort, and develop clearer speech when this is a goal for them.
Language (Receptive and Expressive)
Language is how we understand and use words and other forms of communication to share ideas, feelings, and information. It includes:
- Word meanings and vocabulary
- Grammar to create meaning
- Combining words to form sentences
- Using language in different ways across situations and social settings
Children, teens, and young adults may experience differences in receptive language (understanding spoken or written language) or expressive language (sharing thoughts and ideas through speech, writing, or alternative communication such as signing or AAC).
Receptive language differences may look like:
- Finding multi-step instructions harder to process or remember
- Finding questions or complex sentences harder to understand
- Finding figurative language, jokes, or sarcasm harder to interpret
- Benefiting from information being repeated, rephrased, or presented in different ways
- Becoming overwhelmed or frustrated when processing language in conversation or learning environments
Expressive language differences may look like:
- Finding the right words or expressing ideas using a range of vocabulary
- Finding it harder to organise words or sentences to express ideas
- Finding it harder to share thoughts or tell stories in a way that communicates their intended meaning
- Finding it harder to participate in discussions or group work
- Benefiting from additional time, support, or different ways to communicate with unfamiliar people
Our Speech Pathologists work with each individual to understand their strengths, communication preferences, and support needs. Therapy is personalised and can take place in-clinic, at home, at school, or online via telehealth. Sessions focus on practical strategies that support individuals to understand and express themselves confidently in everyday life, learning, and social situations.
Literacy
Literacy involves reading, writing, and spelling. Early speech and language skills support literacy development, while people can experience differences or challenges with literacy at any age. Literacy differences can affect learning, participation at school or work, confidence, and engagement in everyday life.
Literacy differences may look like:
- Finding it harder to accurately read some letters, words, or sounds aloud
- Finding it harder to distinguish between similar-looking or similar-sounding words
- Finding it harder to remember or understand what they have read
- Guessing words based on their shape or first letters
- Skipping words or lines when reading
- Finding it harder to recall the spelling of familiar words or express ideas in writing
- Feeling frustrated with or choosing to avoid reading and writing tasks
We can work with your child, teen, or young adult to understand the specific areas they find challenging and develop personalised strategies to support their reading, writing, and spelling. Sessions can take place in-clinic, at school, or online via telehealth, and we can collaborate with teachers and other educators to support access and participation in the classroom. With the right support, individuals can build confidence, develop their literacy skills, and participate more fully in learning, work, and social activities.
Functional Communication
Functional communication is how someone communicates their needs, feelings, wants, preferences, ideas, and choices in ways that work for them. This might include messages like “I need help,” “I’m hurt,” or “I don’t want that.”
Children develop communication in different ways, using gestures, sounds, facial expressions, signs, words, AAC, and other forms of communication. Some children, teens, or young adults may benefit from additional support to communicate in ways that work for them. This could involve gestures, pictures, signs, or technology-based communication tools, often referred to as Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC).
Beam takes a personalised approach, working closely with individuals to understand their communication strengths, preferences, and goals. We create multimodal communication systems that fit their life and collaborate with families, schools, and support networks to ensure communication is available and supported across everyday environments. Access to effective communication supports individuals to express themselves, make choices, and build independence and confidence.
Social Communication
Social communication is the way we use language and other forms of communication in social situations. It includes starting and maintaining conversations, exploring different ways of communicating across people and contexts, and interpreting and responding to communication such as facial expressions and gestures. Some children, teens, or young adults may find aspects of social communication challenging, which can affect how they connect with others, participate in groups, or join classroom and workplace activities.
We support individuals to:
- Use language for different purposes, like requesting, sharing, or explaining
- Explore different ways of communicating across people, settings, and situations
- Explore ways to participate in conversations, express their ideas, respond to others, and navigate the flow of interaction
Support can take place in-clinic, at home, at school, or online. Social groups also provide safe, encouraging environments for exploring communication with peers, building confidence, and forming meaningful connections.
Fluency and Stuttering
Fluency refers to the flow and rhythm of speech. Stuttering is a difference in the flow of speech and can include:
- Repeating sounds or syllables: “I I I can do it”
- Prolonged sounds: “ssssister”
- Blocks, where there may be a pause or moment when speech feels stuck
- Broken words: “mon…key”
Some children, teens, or young adults may also experience physical tension or movements while speaking, such as blinking, facial movements, or head movements.
Our Speech Pathologists can help individuals understand their stuttering patterns and communication experiences, and explore strategies that support comfortable and effective communication. Support is personalised, practical, and empowering, with a focus on helping individuals express themselves confidently and in ways that work for them at school, work, and in everyday life.
Meet our Speech Pathology Team
FAQs
What does a Speech Pathologist do?
A Beam Speech Pathologist can help children, teens, and young adults develop their speech, language, and communication skills. They can support you with:
- Articulation (clarity of speech sounds)
- Language (understanding and expressing ideas)
- Social communication (conversation skills, making friends, turn-taking, eye contact)
- Stuttering (fluency)
- Voice difficulties
- Literacy (reading, writing, and spelling)
How much does it cost to see a Speech Pathologist?
Do I need a referral to see a Speech Pathologist?
No referral is required to see a member of our Speech Pathology team. However, to access Medicare rebates, a referral from your GP or specialist may be required. Your GP can help you determine eligibility.
Can I get a Medicare rebate?
You may be eligible for Medicare-rebated speech pathology assessment and therapy sessions if you:
- Are under 25 years of age
- Have a referral from a GP, consultant physician or specialist
- Are suspected of, or diagnosed with, an eligible condition under the eligible Medicare M10 conditions
Rebates may also be available through private health insurance, depending on your level of cover.
How long are the sessions?
Standard sessions are 50 minutes, though some may be shorter or longer depending on your goals. Your clinician will discuss what works best for you, so each session is tailored to provide meaningful, practical support.
How many sessions will my child, teen or young adult need?
The number of sessions depends on individual needs. Some may need only a few sessions, while others benefit from ongoing support. Your Speech Pathologist will work with you to develop a personalised plan and help you understand what to expect.
How involved are parents in sessions?
We encourage parent and carer involvement whenever possible. Parent and carer involvement can help reinforce communication strategies at home, school, or work. Some children or teens may prefer to work independently during sessions, which is fine. We will update you on progress and strategies afterwards.
Do you offer telehealth appointments?
Yes. We offer secure and convenient telehealth sessions, including initial appointments. If attending in person is difficult, telehealth ensures therapy continues uninterrupted.
What if my child is nervous about seeing a Speech Pathologist?
It is normal to feel nervous about new experiences. It may be helpful to explain that seeing a Speech Pathologist is similar to visiting another health professional who helps people communicate and express themselves more confidently. A Speech Pathologist helps with communication, speech, language, and confidence in expressing thoughts and ideas. We see many people for all sorts of reasons.
Most people start to feel more comfortable after their first session, discovering that it is a safe, supportive space. Sessions are tailored to their interests and strengths, making it easier to practice new speech and language skills while building confidence in everyday communication.
Are you a registered NDIS provider?
Yes. Beam Health is a registered NDIS provider for a range of supports, including Improved Daily Living and Improved Relationships. If you have NDIS funding, your plan may cover sessions with an eligible clinician. We also welcome privately funded clients and can guide you on available options.
Does my child, teen, or young adult need to see a Speech Pathologist?
Speech and language development varies for each individual. A Speech Pathologist can help determine if support would be beneficial. Some signs include:
- Frustration when trying to communicate
- Difficulty learning or using new words
- Trouble pronouncing certain sounds clearly
- Challenges following instructions or understanding routines
- Difficulty expressing needs, emotions, or ideas
- Trouble interacting with peers or making friends
- Repeating words or sounds, or getting stuck while speaking
- Challenges with reading, writing, or spelling
- Hoarse or unusual voice quality
Early support helps individuals communicate more confidently and comfortably.
Do you work with schools, preschools, and early learning centres?
Yes. Our team collaborates closely with educators and professionals through:
- Individualised plans with schools and health providers
- Preschool and school screenings
- Workshops for educators
- Parent information sessions and webinars
Do you work with children, teens, or young adults with Autism?
Yes. Our Speech Pathologists have extensive experience supporting children, teens, and young adults with Autism.
We take a neuroaffirming approach that recognises and respects each individual’s strengths, preferences, and ways of engaging with the world. Support is personalised and may focus on areas such as sensory processing, daily routines, emotional regulation, and participation in meaningful activities.
Where helpful, we can also work alongside your child’s broader support team to provide consistent, coordinated care.
What age groups do you support?
Our Speech Pathologists work with children, teens, and young adults up to age 25. We support individuals at all stages of development, from early speech and language learning through to complex communication skills, social communication, and literacy. Each session is tailored to the person’s age, strengths, and goals, helping them communicate confidently and effectively in everyday life, at school, or in social and work settings.
Can you assess my child?
Yes. We complete assessments across a range of communication areas, and set meaningful goals in collaboration with the child and family to create an individualised therapy plan.
