Overland Speech Therapy

27/08/2025

🌟 Speech Pathology Week 2025 – Day 5 🌟
💬 Opportunity through Communication

Speech pathologists open doors to learning, work, independence, and community life.

💬 Communication creates opportunities — for authentic connection, belonging and taking part in the community with confidence.

26/08/2025

🌟 Speech Pathology Week 2025 – Day 4 🌟
💬 Empowerment through Communication

Speech pathologists help people express their needs and make choices — giving them the tools to share their voice, personality, and individuality with the world.

25/08/2025

🌟 Speech Pathology Week 2025 – Day 3 🌟
💬 Inclusion through Communication

Speech pathologists make communication accessible for everyone. They empower people to communicate in the way that works best for them, which may include (but not limited to):
✨ using their voice to speak
✨ accessing devices like Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
✨ or using unaided supports such as Auslan or Key Word Sign.

25/08/2025

🌟 Foundational Supports for Children – Community Consultations 🌟

Today I had the privilege of attending a community consultation ran by NSW Department of Communities and Justice on the future of Foundational Supports for Children. I attended alongside a group of passionate families and professionals from community, education, health, early childhood, early intervention and disability sectors.

These consultations focus on children aged 0–8 years with developmental delay or autism who have low to moderate support needs. The aim is to shape how foundational supports are designed and delivered in NSW.

If you’re a parent, carer, or professional in this space, I highly recommend attending an in-person or online session - it is a chance to have your voice heard. These consultations give the community an opportunity to share ideas, provide feedback, and advocate for services that meet the real needs of children and families in NSW.

📅 Upcoming consultation dates and locations: https://dcj.nsw.gov.au/community-inclusion/disability-and-inclusion/foundational-supports-for-children.html
🗣️ A dedicated Have Your Say webpage will also go live soon at nsw.gov.au, where you can provide feedback directly.

It is so important that we continue to advocate for the needs of our kids and the wider community. 💬

All Australian governments have committed to significant reforms to build an inclusive Australian society where people with disability can access the support they need.

24/08/2025

🌟 Speech Pathology Week 2025 – Day 2 🌟
💬 Confidence through Communication

Speech pathologists support people to express themselves clearly, confidently, and proudly.

24/08/2025

🌟 Speech Pathology Week 2025 🌟
💬 Connection through Communication

Today marks the start of Speech Pathology Week — a time to recognise the vital role speech pathologists play in helping people of all ages thrive. Around 1.2 million Australians need support with communication. From young children to older Australians, speech pathologists support wellbeing, confidence, connection, independence, inclusion, and opportunity.

Speech pathologists work across homes, schools, hospitals, and communities, helping people live fuller, more connected lives. As university-trained allied health professionals, they partner with individuals, families, and communities to achieve meaningful communication goals. Speech pathologists help people build
and sustain relationships that matter.

Overland Speech Therapy is proud to support people in the community to build stronger relationships, live more connected lives, and communicate, engage, and participate as their authentic selves.

👉 Follow along with us this week as we share how speech pathologists make an impact through confidence, inclusion, empowerment, opportunity, wellbeing, and independence.

20/08/2025

Thank you to Every Australian Counts for this summary of Minister Mark Butler's address at the National Press Club today.

Big changes are coming to the NDIS. Here’s what we know.
Minister Mark Butler announced major NDIS changes today. One significant change will be the government building a new program called Thriving Kids, for many children with developmental delay and autism, in future.
This unexpected change has left many people with disability, families and carers feeling upset or unsure. You might be one of them.
We’ve put together an explainer of what’s been announced, and what it could mean:

📖 Read it here: https://everyaustraliancounts.com.au/minister-butlers-ndis-announcement-august-2025/
📩 You can email us at info@everyaustraliancounts.com.au, or tell us what you think in the comments below. We’ll take your messages directly to the Minister.

If this news is upsetting, you are not alone. Support is available:
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
Carer Gateway: 1800 422 737
Disability Gateway: 1800 643 787

[Image description: Graphic with red background and white box. Text: “News: What Minister Butler’s NDIS Announcement Means for You.” Includes Every Australian Counts logo and red megaphone graphic.]

19/08/2025

~ Clinical Supervision for Speech Pathologists ~

In addition to providing speech pathology services, Alannah offers external clinical supervision for Speech Pathologists.

With a diverse background in both clinical practice, advocacy, and allied health leadership, Alannah brings a practical, real-world approach to supervision. She supports clinicians working in complex disability, mental health and early intervention. Alannah provides a supportive space for Speech Pathologists to reflect upon, gain confidence, and strengthen their clinical practice.

Her supervision has a strong focus on family-centred, trauma-informed and neurodiversity-affirming practices and includes guidance on supporting functional and authentic communication, supporting capacity building and working effectively with families.

In-person supervision is available across the Nepean, Blue Mountains, and Hawkesbury areas, with all other sessions delivered via Zoom or Microsoft Teams. One-off or ongoing supervision services are available.

19/08/2025

📚✨

18/08/2025

Overland Speech Therapy has always been committed to providing a safe, respectful, and inclusive space for people of all neurotypes, genders, sexualities, body types, abilities, and cultural backgrounds. We uphold every person’s right to dignity, autonomy, self-determination, and freedom from discrimination — because communication belongs to everyone!

We are also proud to be a member of the ACON Welcome Here Project! As part of the Welcome Here Project, we welcome and include LGBTIQ+ people and celebrate diversity in all its forms. The project also aims to mobilise the LGBTQ+ community to engage with registered Welcoming Places and share feedback on their experiences — helping us grow, learn, and strengthen inclusivity. 🏳️‍🌈

More infomation about ACON's Welcome Here Project can be found at https://www.welcomehere.org.au.

13/08/2025

💬 ✨ Have your say on the future of early intervention supports for children ✨ 💬

The NSW Department of Communities and Justice is running a community consultation in Western Sydney to shape Foundational Supports for children under 9 with developmental delay or autism.

It’s open to parents, carers, people with disability, and professionals in early childhood, disability, and early intervention services. This is our chance as a community to share ideas, provide feedback and advocate for future services to meet the real needs of children and families.

I’ll be there to listen, learn, and contribute – hope to see you there!

🗓 Mon 25 Aug 2025 | 9:30am–1:00pm
📍 The Hudson Hotel, Seven Hills
💲 Free to attend

🔗 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/community-consultation-on-the-design-of-foundational-supports-for-children-tickets-1579319470049?aff=eemailordconf&ref=eemailordconf&utm_campaign=order_confirm&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eventbrite&utm_term=viewevent

If this date or location doesn’t suit, keep an eye out for future events and other opportunities to have your say.

HaveYourSay

Share your ideas on how Foundational Supports can meet the needs of children under 9 and their families.

28/07/2025

A wonderful resource and free to sign up!

Is your child starting kindergarten in 2026? 🎒

Pocket Speechie offers weekly speech, language and literacy tips to help children get ready for kindergarten.

Written by speech pathologists, Pocket Speechie delivers helpful information and activities to build your child's speech, language and literacy skills straight to your phone 🤳

Register for free: https://ow.ly/NO1U50UFOLA