Kickstart Collective

14/05/2026

Today is Apraxia Awareness Day, and May is Apraxia Awareness Month.

Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is a neurological speech disorder that affects a child’s ability to plan and coordinate the movements needed for speech. Children with CAS may know what they want to say, but have difficulty getting the words out clearly and consistently.

Speech pathologists play an important role in assessment, therapy and support for children with CAS and their families. Early identification and support can make a meaningful difference over time.

For Samuel and his family, that support helped change the course of his communication journey.

Samuel first came to speech pathology when he was 3 years old. He wasn’t able to use any words and relied on gestures, sounds and the people closest to him to communicate what he needed.
Samuel has childhood apraxia of speech and his mum, Kathy, said the frustration of not being understood was hard. At daycare and kinder, this affected the way he interacted with other children because he did not yet have the words he needed.

His speech pathologist, Jane, worked with him for 8 years, building sessions around keeping him engaged, motivated and supported.

Progress took time. The early years of primary school were still difficult, and communication did not change overnight. But by grade 4, Samuel had developed more words, more confidence and more ways to express himself.

Kathy says his world became easier as he was able to verbalise more, and years later, Samuel made a speech at his 21st birthday.

“If it weren’t for Jane, he wouldn’t have made that speech,” Kathy said. Jane was invited to Samuel’s 21st birthday celebration and saw first-hand the confidence he had built over the years.
On Apraxia Awareness Day, we celebrate Samuel, and every person with childhood apraxia of speech, and the speech pathologists who support people with apraxia and their families every day.

For additional resources, visit the Communication Hub at https://bit.ly/4u9kmst.

06/05/2026

We are looking for participants for our 2026 Kickstart to Kindy group! A school readiness group which will be run by an OT and Speech Pathologist. If you have a child who is starting school in 2027, and would benefit from extra support with school readiness skills, please contact us!

To register your interest please contact ruby@kickstartcollective.com.au or talk to your Kickstart therapist🌟🌈📚

19/02/2026

It is with incredibly heavy hearts that we say goodbye to our boy, Phoenix.

For 12 years, Phoenix was such a big part of Kickstart. He brought light, laughter and that unmistakable cheeky energy we could always count on. Mischievous in the best possible way, he loved a good prank and had a quick wit that kept us all on our toes, usually followed by that classic grin.

He had a way of making everyone feel like his best mate within minutes of meeting him. So friendly, so easy to love, and an absolute legend when it came to making people laugh. The place feels noticeably quieter without him.

We are devastated by this sudden accident, but deeply grateful for the years of fun, chaos and joy he shared with us. We’ll miss you more than words can say 💙

17/12/2025

Lots of Christmas craft and cooking happening at Kickstart over the past few weeks! This is a great way to support the development of fine motor skills, auditory processing, following/giving directions and problem solving 🎄🎅🎁

14/12/2025

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​After an act of terrorism, one of the most important steps you can take is to help your children express their feelings and feel safe. This information can help you talk about the situation and answer questions you and your children may have.

03/12/2025

The 3rd of December every year is the International Day of People with Disability. This is a day to raise community awareness, understanding and acceptance of the 5.5 million Australians living with a disability.

At Kickstart, we follow the social model of disability. This model shifts the focus from 'fixing' people to fixing spaces, systems and attitudes. We strive to remove barriers to participation because access is not a privilege, it is a basic human right.

Happy International Day of People with Disability! 🧡⭐️

26/11/2025

The 25th November - 10th December 2025 mark 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. This human rights campaign creates global solidarity to end violence against women and girls everywhere.

Join Rotary Maitland and other local services on the 28th November for the march through Maitland to say NO to domestic violence and YES to respectful relationships. 💜

Show your support to put an end to Domestic Violence - be part of the march through Maitland Levee this Friday - gathering at Maitland Library at 11.45am to march through the Levee to the Town Hall. Join us as we raise our voices to say NO to Domestic Violence.

22/10/2025

Our 6th and final week of Kickstart to Kindergarten!! ⭐

This week our wonderful friends completed dinosaur themed activities - dinosaur free play, digging for dinosaur bones and playing T-rex says!

OT Ruby and SP Eilish have loved running the Kickstart to Kindergarten group. It has been an absolute pleasure to watch these wonderful children learn and grow 🌈📚💫

19/10/2025

Meet speech pathologist Chloe! 🌈

Chloe is passionate about all things paediatrics and loves supporting children and their families through all modes of communication. When Chloe isn't at work you might find her at the beach, camping or listening to music.

We are so happy to have you on our team Chloe! 🌟

17/10/2025

At Kickstart, we believe there’s no “right” way to communicate — whether it’s with words, pictures, devices, or gestures, every voice counts! 💬🧡

October is AAC Awareness Month, an opportunity to celebrate the incredible communicators, families and therapists who use AAC everyday. AAC facilitates not only communication but learning, engagement, creativity, emotional expression and connection.

Let’s keep finding fun, meaningful ways to help everyone be heard — because communication is for all. 🙌