Paediatric Speech Pathology Ivanhoe East
Clinically reviewed by Tim Angel, AHPRA-registered Occupational Therapist and Director of Ability Rehab — last reviewed June 2026.
About Paediatric Speech Pathology
Paediatric speech pathology supports children who find speech, language, communication, social interaction, feeding, or literacy difficult. At Ability Rehab in Ivanhoe East, our speech pathologists work closely with children and families. Together, we build confident communication skills that support learning, relationships, and everyday life.
We provide evidence-based speech therapy for kids, from toddlers and preschoolers through to school-aged children. Above all, therapy stays play-based, family-focused, and tailored to each child's stage of development.
Ability Rehab provides paediatric speech pathology for children and families anywhere across Melbourne. In particular, we concentrate on the inner-north-east — Ivanhoe East, Heidelberg, Kew, Doncaster, Bundoora, Eltham, Greensborough, and Balwyn. NDIS-funded supports are available. Therapy can take place in our Ivanhoe East clinic, via telehealth, at home, at school, or in the community.
For adult speech pathology services, visit our main speech pathology page.
Three Ways to Access Therapy
We offer three ways to access therapy, so you can choose whichever works best for your family.
What Does a Children's Speech Pathologist Do?
A children's speech pathologist, also called a paediatric speech therapist or speech path, helps children build communication skills. For example, that might mean producing speech sounds clearly or understanding what's being said. It can also mean using language to express ideas, or having conversations with peers. Some children use alternative communication systems instead. Above all, the work is play-based and targets whatever is getting in the way for that child.
What a children's speech pathologist does in a session depends on the child's age and goals. For example, a 2-year-old with limited words might get play-based language modelling and parent coaching. A 5-year-old with speech sound difficulties might do targeted articulation and structured sound practice. Meanwhile, a school-aged child on the autism spectrum might focus on social communication and conversation skills. Therapy can also build confidence in self-expression.
Speech pathologists also work alongside parents, teachers, and other professionals. Together, they make sure strategies translate into everyday life, not just the therapy room. At our Ivanhoe East clinic, we build sessions around each child's interests. As a result, engagement comes naturally and progress carries over to home and school.
How Speech Pathology Supports Children
Paediatric speech pathology builds the communication skills children need at home, at school, and in the community. Specifically, speech therapy for kids addresses the underlying skills behind language, social interaction, learning, and self-expression. As those skills grow, children take part in daily routines far more confidently.
A children's speech pathologist helps children develop practical communication skills in an engaging, age-appropriate way. In practice, we tailor every activity to the individual child. Therapy is often play-based, and it targets the functional outcomes that matter to the whole family.
Speech therapy for kids may support areas such as:
- Developing clear speech sound production and articulation
- Building expressive and receptive language skills
- Supporting social communication and conversation skills
- Building literacy foundations including reading and writing
- Supporting children using AAC (alternative and augmentative communication)
- Providing early intervention for toddlers with delayed speech or language
- Supporting feeding and mealtime participation where appropriate
Paediatric speech pathology is collaborative and family-centred. Therapists work closely with parents, caregivers, educators, and other health professionals. Because everyone uses the same strategies, children transfer skills into everyday life more easily.
How a Children's Speech Pathologist Can Help
A children's speech pathologist supports children who find communication, language, or social interaction harder than expected. These challenges show up in different ways. In turn, they can affect a child's confidence, learning, and participation in daily routines.
Paediatric speech pathology can help children experiencing:
Speech pathologists take a holistic approach, considering the child's strengths, environment, and daily demands. Support may involve direct therapy, environmental adjustments, and parent coaching. Families can then use those practical strategies at home, at school, and in the community. Every child's needs are different, so we develop therapy goals collaboratively with families. Furthermore, we review those goals regularly as the child grows.
NDIS Paediatric Speech Pathology
Ability Rehab is a registered NDIS provider, and we support children who are NDIS participants. Our speech pathologists work with children and families on goals that are meaningful and practical. Importantly, those goals align with each child's NDIS plan.
NDIS-funded paediatric speech pathology may support communication, language, and social interaction. It can also cover AAC use, literacy foundations, and participation in daily activities. In addition, we tailor support to the individual child and respect family priorities and routines.
Our therapists can assist with:
- Initial assessments and ongoing therapy supports
- Speech, language, and communication goals aligned with NDIS plans
- AAC assessment, trial, and recommendations for funding requests
- Collaboration with families, educators, and support networks
- Therapy delivered in the clinic, at home, school, or in the community where appropriate
We work closely with families, and we explain every service clearly. Likewise, we deliver supports in line with NDIS guidelines. Our team works across different types of NDIS plans. Specifically, that includes self-managed, plan-managed, and NDIA-managed funding.
Accessing therapy through the NDIS? Visit our NDIS for Families page.
Specialised Training and Approaches
Our paediatric speech pathology team has invested in training across a range of approaches and frameworks. Consequently, we can support children with diverse needs. That ranges from straightforward speech sound development through to complex communication, autism, or AAC needs.
Meet Our Paediatric Speech Pathology Team
Our team consists of Speech Pathology Australia (SPA)-registered speech pathologists with broad paediatric experience. Specifically, that covers early language intervention, speech sound disorders, and social communication. It also covers AAC, paediatric literacy, and neurodevelopmental support. Furthermore, our team includes bilingual Mandarin/English practice. We then match each child with the therapist best suited to their goals and stage of development.
Our speech pathologists work collaboratively with families, educators, and other health professionals. As a result, therapy strategies translate into everyday life — at home, at school, and in the community.
Meet our full clinical team. View bios, qualifications, and clinical interests for every Ability Rehab clinician on our Our Clinicians page.
Our Children's Services
Paediatric speech pathology is one part of our broader children's service offering. So, depending on your child's needs, our team can also support across:
Paediatric Speech Pathology Across Melbourne
Our clinic is based in Ivanhoe East. However, we work with children and families anywhere across Melbourne. Specifically, we offer three service modes — in-clinic, telehealth, and mobile home visits. Most of our in-home, school, and community sessions happen across Melbourne's north-east, including:
Therefore, location-based support keeps our recommendations relevant to the child's home, learning environment, and community.
Why Choose Ability Rehab for Speech Therapy for Kids?
Choosing the right speech pathologist for your child is an important decision. At Ability Rehab, we start by understanding each child's individual needs, strengths, and environment.
Our therapists take a child-centred, family-focused approach. Working with parents and caregivers, they keep therapy goals meaningful and practical. Because support fits naturally into daily life, families feel confident using strategies between sessions.
Families choose Ability Rehab for speech therapy for kids because we offer:
- Experienced paediatric speech pathologists
- Individualised, goal-focused therapy plans
- Bilingual speech pathology in Mandarin and English — a rare service in our area
- A supportive and collaborative approach with families and educators
- Flexible therapy options across clinic, telehealth, home, school, and community settings
- Registered NDIS provider services with clear communication and guidance
Our team values clear communication, consistency, and positive relationships with children and families. Similarly, we pace therapy to suit each child's development while respecting family routines and priorities.
Getting Started With Paediatric Speech Pathology
Getting started with paediatric speech pathology begins with understanding your child's needs and goals. At Ability Rehab, we keep the process supportive, clear, and tailored to each family.
First, we have an initial discussion to learn more about your child. Where appropriate, an assessment follows. From there, we develop therapy goals collaboratively with families. Consequently, support stays practical, meaningful, and aligned with daily routines.
Our team explains therapy options, funding pathways, and next steps clearly, including NDIS supports where applicable. Meanwhile, we encourage families to ask questions and stay actively involved throughout.
Ready to get started, or want to talk through whether speech pathology is the right fit for your child?
Helpful Reading for Parents
If you're thinking about paediatric speech pathology for your child, these articles may be useful starting points:
See all our latest articles on speech pathology.
Paediatric Speech Pathology – Frequently Asked Questions
What is paediatric speech pathology?
Paediatric speech pathology helps children build the speech, language, and communication skills they need every day. Specifically, that covers home, school, and the community. First, a speech pathologist assesses how a child speaks, understands language, and expresses themselves. They also look at social interaction and, where relevant, alternative communication systems. Then they work with the child and family to build practical skills through play-based intervention.
How do I know if my child needs speech therapy?
Common signs include limited words for their age, or not combining words into phrases by age 2. Similarly, some children are hard to understand outside the family, or get frustrated when communicating. Others struggle to follow simple instructions. Social communication with peers can also be challenging. Finally, some children find reading and literacy foundations hard at school. If you notice any of these, a paediatric speech pathology assessment can help. The same applies if your child's communication feels out of step with peers.
At what age can a child start speech therapy?
Speech pathology supports children from infancy through adolescence. Early intervention, typically from around 18 months through age 5, is particularly impactful. Because young children's brains respond strongly to targeted communication support, earlier help often goes further. That said, speech therapy helps at any stage when communication challenges affect daily life, learning, or relationships.
What does a paediatric speech therapy session look like?
Sessions are play-based and tailored to each child's goals. For example, a session might involve play-based language activities or structured speech sound practice. It might also include conversation games, AAC modelling, or parent coaching. Typically, parents and caregivers join in so strategies can carry over at home. Sessions may take place in our clinic, via telehealth, at home, at school, or in the community.
What's the difference between a "late talker" and a speech delay?
"Late talker" generally describes a toddler whose vocabulary sits below age expectations. However, their understanding is age-appropriate and they are otherwise developing typically. Some late talkers catch up without intervention. Others go on to develop a more persistent speech or language delay. Therefore, a speech pathology assessment can help identify which path is more likely. It also shows whether early support would be beneficial. Our Speech Delay vs Late Talker article covers this in more detail.
Do you offer speech therapy in Mandarin?
Yes. Ability Rehab is one of a small number of clinics in Melbourne's north-east offering bilingual paediatric speech pathology. Specifically, we work in Mandarin and English. Our bilingual speech pathologist supports culturally and linguistically diverse children and families. Therapy runs in either or both languages, covering language development, social communication, AAC, and parent coaching.
How is paediatric speech pathology funded?
You can access paediatric speech pathology at Ability Rehab through NDIS funding or private health insurance, depending on your policy. You can also use Medicare's Chronic Condition Management (CCM) plan with a GP referral, or attend as a private client. We're a registered NDIS provider, so we work with NDIA-managed, plan-managed, and self-managed participants. Visit our NDIS for Families page for more detail.
Do I need a GP referral to see a paediatric speech pathologist?
No. Private clients and NDIS participants do not need a referral. However, you do need a GP referral if you access therapy through a Medicare CCM plan. You can make a referral online, or contact our team directly.
Where is your paediatric speech pathology clinic located?
Our clinic is at 1/223-225 Lower Heidelberg Road, Ivanhoe East, VIC 3079, with on-site parking. We see children from anywhere across Melbourne. In particular, we work across Melbourne's north-east, including Heidelberg, Kew, Doncaster, Balwyn, Bundoora, Eltham, and Greensborough. Telehealth, home, school, and community sessions are also available, depending on funding and clinical need.