Not All Talk Speech Pathology

Oh my...
I had completely forgotten about this webpage feature. Good news is, I've now re-found it and I LOVE a chat.

So let me bring you up to speed with what has been happening and what's in the pipeline.

This year, Speech Pathology services are starting out a little different at Not All Talk SP. Term one (February to April) will be used for assessments only. This will give schools an opportunity to identify students needing extra support and for review assessments to be completed prior to therapy blocks commencing.

All intervention sessions will commence from Term 2.
All families on our database should have received our annual Therapy Questionnaire to assist with planning and timetabling. As mentioned in the questionnaire, therapy preferences do not guarantee a placement but all families are encouraged to complete the survey at their earliest convenience. If you have not received the questionnaire link, please contact me directly at [email protected]

Now for the exciting news -- we're ramping up our resources.
Ramping. It. Up.
After selling therapy resources on TPT for some time and generally being a little disappointed with the quality of AAC-based communication supports that are available on the market (think FB Marketplace, Etsy, etc), I've decided to tip my toe back in the waters of resource development. I say back in because I truthfully began doing this back in 2018 and got a tad overwhelmed- a big tad. But the time is now and you'll be seeing many communication supports being added to this site and our FB page /notalltalksp in coming months. So what can you do? Spread the word and shout it loudly! I appreciate all of your support.

...but that's not all.
Ask anyone and they'll tell you that I'm a fidgeter (a person who fidgets). It calms my anxious brain and helps me learn. If your child attends lessons with me, rest assured, they are more than welcome to move to learn too.
I am not an OT and they remain the absolute gold-standard in assessing your child's sensory needs and preferences. However, as I said, I am a fidgeter. So this is what I've done.... gone shopping.

My son, Harry, has kid-tested a range of fidget toys (and will continue to), to find a collection of favourites... and we will be adding them to this site for you to peruse and purchase. Perfect!

So hang tight while we renovate and refresh our product offerings. Check back in soon and often because we're committed to adding new items to both stores.

We can't wait to show you the refurb.

Have a fabulous term,
Chantelle

Recently, we have begun opening our resource cupboards to our families.
We understand and appreciate that therapy is both a time and financial commitment and it can be difficult to maintain an ever-changing toy and book collection, too.

Although we never expect families to purchase items for therapy practice (to the contrary, we aim for practice to fit into your routines as much as possible!), we see the long faces on your little ones when they need to pack up their therapy toys and return books at the end of the session.

Where possible, we are now offering these resources to families on a short-term loan. Families are able to borrow text books, story books and board games; provided our therapist doesn't need them 'til we see you next!

A small fee to cover (partial) replacement of the item will be added to your invoice if the item is not returned by your next session.

We hope this will help maintain your children's motivation to practice their speech work between sessions. As always, your therapist will provide therapy ideas for equipment you have at home, too.

Warm regards,
Chantelle

Are your child' Speech Sounds 'on track'?

22/4/2016

Recently I've had the pleasure of spending a lot of my time at local preschools and early learning centres. I love it. The innocence, the imagination, and the hilarity of toddlers and preschoolers makes my heart sing. With it though, has come a number of enquiries from parents and teachers about the speech sounds their children/students are using.

I'm often asked whether it is okay to have a lisp when a child starts school (no), if it is okay if 3 year old 'Ruby' says her name as 'Wuby' (yes) and everything in between.

It got me thinking. This needs to be the topic of my next newsletter... and so it is!

Please click below to view our latest free newsletter on the order that speech sounds develop, the sound errors that children may make, and when to refer to a Speech Pathologist. We hope it helps.

http://eepurl.com/bY1A3j

As always, feel free to contact us with your concerns or questions!

- Chantelle

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Speech Sounds - ages and stages

10/4/2016

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Recently, we've been busy screening and assessing the communication skills of preschool and school-aged children. A number of families and teachers have been interested in learning about the general order that speech sounds develop.

Please see below for our latest infographic on Speech Sound Development.
Feel free to share with your families, colleagues and friends.

Remember to keep an eye out for new resources and handouts that will be added to the page in coming weeks.

As always, if you have concerns about your child's communication skills, do no hesitate to contact us.

We hope to hear from you soon.

Chantelle

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NDIS - an update

6/3/2016

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I attended a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) information session this week, to better prepare my families and myself for the launch. The training was provided by Every Australian Counts, a key campaigner for the NDIS. If you'd like to receive a summary of my notes taken from the session, please read on...

What is the NDIS?

A new government policy and approach to nationwide disability services. It will provide disability support to 'all eligible Australians'.
Choice and control: People with disabilities (and their families) should be empowered to set their own goals and choose their own supports. Provides control over their own budget.
Individual and portable funding - not tied up to a specific Local Government Area (LGA).

Launch

July 2016 - service transition will commence for South West Sydney (including Bankstown, Fairfield, Liverpool and Campbelltown LGAs.
2018-2019 - rest of NSW
2020 - nationwide

Costs and reach

Approx. $9billion in current national disability budget (pooled state resources)
Approx. $22billion will be needed to fund the NDIS when it is implemented nationally
Approx. 220,000 people currently receive a disability service (nationally)
Approx. 460,000 people will receive a disability service when NDIS is at capacity

Financial/ Employment benefits of NDIS

^ Specialists at an organisational level will be needed to meet demand
Carers may return to the workforce
People with a disability may trial employment
If early intervention is provided ASAP, people with a disability might meet milestones and not be NDIS participants for life

People with high support needs who are 'known' to services will be given priority (with initial transfer)

Local Area Coordinators (through NDIA and supporting organisations - Uniting and St Vincents de Paul) are encouraging organisations to help people with a disability transition to NDIS.
- will seek English as a Second Language/Non-English Speaking Background groups that need NDIS support
Ability Links and Early Links (and others) will be helping people with disabilities who are in the community and not yet accessing services, to be more active.
Basically: if you are an existing service user (i.e. receiving ADHC services), NDIA will contact you. You will receive information on what to do from your current service.

Eligibility

Have a permanent and significant disability
Be an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident
Enter the Scheme before 65 years of age
NDIS is not means-tested (does not change carer's allowance, etc)

Assessment process

Functional questions will be asked re: 'how does your disability affect you?', 'what does your disability make it hard to do? Remember to talk about how you access the community, the degree in which you live independently, etc.
Bring information re: disability diagnosis to the assessment
There is an 'auto-entry' list of disabilities on the NDIS website.
'Yardstick' - if you are currently receiving support and services, you will be in the NDIS and transfer first
If you have not been receiving services:
- NDIS expects to cater for you, too
- Make contact with NDIS or support agency for notification of transfer to NDIS
Shopfronts will be available before scheme rolls out - for enquiries, etc

Supports that will be available (not exhaustive)

Aids, equipment, home and vehicle modifications
Personal care
Support community inclusion
Federal Packages (HCWA, Better Start)
- If currently receiving this package - use allocated funds before transitioning to NDIS
Respite
Special housing support
Domestic assistance
Transport assistance
Therapies
- Budgets are currently in blocks of 6K, 12K, 16K
Guide/assistance dogs
Case management and coordination
Employment services
Crisis/emergency support (block funds available to be moved into packages, if needed

Packages

Ask for supports during assessment and planning meetings
- If not in the plan, will need to be self-funded
Criteria for approval in plans: support needs to be 'reasonable and necessary'
- Won't buy you a car but may approve modifications
Plans are currently up for review every 3 months (in trial sites), annually, or as circumstances change
Trial site data
- Average package cost is $36,000 a year
- There is 'no cap' on package costs, dependent on need
Funds are a mix of fixed and flexible amounts
- Fixed cost example: vehicle modifications
- Flexible cost example: community inclusion/ respite
Service providers implement based on signed agreements - work in arrears now
Education: schools still pay for assistance teachers, NDIS will fund if extra support required
Can change service providers mid-service if not meeting need
^ in sole traders (within therapy)
- Have to be registered providers with the NDIS
- There is a state-based quality and safeguards system - not yet nationwide

More information

www.everyaustraliacounts.com.au
www.ndis.gov.au
www.ndis.gov.au/nsw
www.ndis.nsw.gov.au
search for the Facebook group 'NDIS Grassroots Discussion Group'

I still have many questions but hope this has answered some of yours.
Exciting times ahead for people with disabilities - and their families!

- Chantelle

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Newsletters available!

4/3/2016

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We have begun adding our communication newsletters to the site.
The first two editions for 2016 can now be accessed by visiting our newsletters page.
This includes our latest newsletter on Easter language activities and the bonus Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) newsletter.

We are about to update our visual aids store with even more resources. Keep checking back for new items and contact us directly to place an order.

Feel free to share our newsletters with your friends, families and colleagues.
If you have any questions or concerns about your child's communication skills, please c ontact us.

Chantelle Mortimer

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An update!

14/2/2016

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Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read our January newsletter on early reading skills. We hope you have some fresh ideas to try when next sharing a book with your child or student.
For those that have missed it, you can access our January newsletter here.

We've been busy putting together the final touches on our next newsletter - a special edition about Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and some strategies that may help support the understanding of children with ASD. We've chosen this topic ahead of Autism Awareness Day (on April 2) and the International Autism Month (being April). We hope to raise awareness of the difficulties and signs of ASD so that families may feel empowered to seek the right supports for their children. Please sign up to or share our newsletters to keep the education and awareness going.

In the meantime, feel free to keep checking in on our webpage. We've added information on the benefits of using visual supports - for all children, not only those on the 'Spectrum and we're gradually adding items to our store that can be purchased from your lounge room or classroom - how good is that?! You can see what we currently have available by clicking here.

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend and week ahead.

Chantelle

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