Consultations

Upskilling, training and coaching parents, other professionals and teachers is a crucial part of speech pathology services and facilitates skills to generalise outside of regular therapy sessions by supporting others to learn and use strategies.

Some of the best coaching strategies include:

Direct teaching involves sharing information about a specific strategy, routine, or aspect of development with a parent/caregiver, to help them understand how to support their child (or student, in the case of teachers).

Guided practice supporting the parent/ caregiver to practice a strategy in an in-the-moment play routine. The therapist guides and supports as necessary.

Feedback- can be general or specific- is given throughout the session and at the end, following observation and practice of skills and strategies.

Problem-solving a discussion of ways to implement, or improve, a routine/strategy/outcome.

Reflection- this is a key part of coaching and consulting and can help to solidify knowledge/learning. Asking questions and encouraging comments support the parent/ caregiver or teacher to reflect on a strategy or outcome to further develop skills and review effectiveness.

Consultations including tailored training sessions can be requested at any time by parents, professionals or by schools.