Clever Bees Paediatric Occupational Therapy

19/08/2025

What this space 👀

🚨 In the news: Foundational Supports may shift to National Approach

Reports this week suggest that foundational supports will no longer proceed under individual agreements with each state and territory. Instead, reports indicate that the Australian Government is considering a national approach to accessing essential supports and services for children with developmental delay deemed ineligible for the NDIS, and their families.

While the final design and funding arrangements (including the $10 billion cap on contributions) are still being negotiated, it is anticipated that states and territories will still be expected to contribute 50% of funding.

DoHDA has yet to confirm the shift to a national model, but OTA has reached out to the Department to seek confirmation and clarification.

OTA will continue to closely monitor for further developments and advocate to ensure that children with developmental delay and disability do not miss out on timely access to vital services. We will also advocate strongly for the essential role of OT in delivering these supports.

28/07/2025

Here are a few tips for supporting young children with separation anxiety

Are you getting ready for the week ahead and filling with dread thinking about tomorrow's drop off??

Back-to-school separation anxiety is really common—even for children who’ve previously adjusted well. We need to think about how we are changing their routine again, and how this can bring up big emotions. With supports in place, it is likely that this will be a phase your child moves through in adjusting to the new school term.

Here’s a few thoughts on how to support your child with care:
💬 Give a loving but brief goodbye—avoid long lingering, and where possible, pre-arrange for drop off to be done with a trusted adult (eg. dropping off your child at the classroom with their class teacher - rather than just in the playground).
📖 Use a visual “pick-up promise” or goodbye ritual (like a photo in their bag or hand signal at drop-off)
🧘 Regulate your own nervous system—your calm is contagious

23/07/2025

How has the week/term started back for you? 🫶

✅ Let’s not make this week about cramming in “what we didn’t get done.”
Let it be about holding space for calm.
💛 The more regulated you feel, the more regulated your child will be.
You can enter Term 3 from a place of rest—not stress.

06/07/2025

Happy Holidays everyone 🕶☕⚽⛷
Wishing you all a safe and relaxing School Holidays, with some time for rest, rejuvenation and connection with your family.
Just a reminder, I will be taking some time off over the holidays to do the same 💕
I am looking forward to seeing you all in a couple of weeks for another action-packed Term 3 🐝

I will be checking my emails intermittently over the next 2 weeks, if you do need to get in touch 🫶

14/06/2025

For any family of a child participant of the NDIS.

This is something I am so very passionate about - therapy needs to happen in the home (school or community). Clinic environments just aren’t good enough. Research supports that best practice when working with children is to work with them in their natural environments to achieve their goals.

But if the NDIS review prices are implemented, this will stop thousands of families having access to these supports.

That’s why therapists are getting loud.

12/06/2025

What a week! 🤒
It was my turn to be hit with one of the nasty bugs going around, which completely wiped me out this week — meaning I had to cancel all my appointments. Fingers crossed for a sunny, healthier week ahead so I can get back to doing what I love! ☀️💛

This week has been a action-packed one on the NDIS front as well - I wanted to take a moment to share some of the changes with you all.
This week, the NDIS released its latest Pricing Review Report. For many providers — not just OTs — the news has been incredibly tough.
➡️ Therapy prices remain frozen for the seventh year in a row (yes, seventh!).
➡️ Some allied health colleagues (including Physios and Dietitians) will see a $10/hr cut to their services.
➡️ Travel rates have been cut by 50% — a huge blow to mobile providers like myself, especially when supporting families in rural areas.
These decisions, made without consultation, are causing many of us to question whether our small businesses can continue in this space.
At the same time as these pricing freezes and cuts, over the past 7 years we have seen continued increases in cost of living, wages, super and business expenses.

When I started my business, it was with one simple goal: to help children and families thrive. Over the years, I’ve adapted my business many times (too many to count!) to keep up with the changing NDIS landscape, whilst aiming to provide the best support to the families I work with — and I plan to continue to do so, because I am so passionate about supporting the children and families I work with and I love my work 💕
But I will be honest — like many providers, I am tired and burnt out - I know I don’t always respond to new enquiries as quickly as I would like… I lie awake at night trying to find ways to support more families while continuing to offer the best possible support to those I already work with.
I choose to remain a Registered NDIS Provider — because I believe that every NDIS participant deserves access to safe, quality, and regulated services. This choice comes with thousands of dollars in audit costs and strict pricing limitations that non-registered providers aren’t bound to — but I believe it is the right thing to do.
🚗 The cut to travel rates hits particularly hard. As many of you know, I am a passionate advocate for mobile therapy and delivering services in children’s natural environments — because this is where the biggest outcomes happen. For rural and remote communities in particular, these cuts threaten access to the supports that make the biggest difference. 🌾
Like many of my OT and allied health colleagues, this week I’ve been writing to senior NDIS staff and Federal MPs. 📧 We are tired, we are hurting, and we are worried — not just for ourselves, but for the children, families and communities we support. The NDIS is at serious risk.

If this is something you care about too, please be loud. 📣 Talk about it in your networks, contact your local MP — every voice matters. We are hopeful that there is still time to make change.
I’ll keep you updated as I hear more. Thank you, as always, for your understanding and support. 🫶🙏

11/05/2025

Happy Mothers Day to all the mums, mum figures and caring women I work with 💐

💐 Happy Mother’s Day 💐

Mother’s Day stirs up so many mixed feelings for me.

As a child, I loved watching my mum open the handmade gifts I’d crafted with so much pride—she always looked so impressed (even if she was probably wondering what on earth it was meant to be!).

As a young adult, I spent years quietly worrying that this might never be a day I’d get to celebrate. I remember the hope I held when I was pregnant on Mother’s Day—wondering if, by the next year, I’d finally feel like a “real mum.”

I remember my first Mother’s Day.
I remember my mum’s last Mother’s Day, and the conversations we shared.
I remember the Mother’s Days we spent navigating infertility and IVF.
I remember my first Bereaved Mother’s Day—trying to survive that first milestone without one of my children in my arms.

Mother’s Day holds a lot.

Today, there will be moments where I will ground myself in the present—soaking in the wonder of my two daughters and how incredibly lucky I am to be their mum. There will also be waves of sadness and grief—for the spaces that feel empty. For our son, Jimmy. For my mum. For my Mater.

And there will be deep gratitude too—for the other incredible women in my life and in the lives of our children. My sisters, aunts, cousins, and friends. The village that holds us. The ones I call when I’m uncertain, or when I just need to feel less alone.

I’ll also take a quiet moment to appreciate the partner I share this life with—someone who truly sees and values what it what I do as a mum.

So, wherever you find yourself today—whether you’re celebrating, grieving, navigating, or just getting through—I see you.

I hope you can find a moment of gentleness for yourself today.
You deserve it. x

04/05/2025

Today, I am thinking of all the bereaved mothers, mother figures and carers who share the unimaginable pain of the loss of a child.

I see you 🦋

Today is International Bereaved Mother’s Day.
As a bereaved mother myself, I always have mixed feelings on this day each year. However, I love and embrace any opportunity to normalise the experience I have as a bereaved mum.
Today I am sending love, strength, kindness and visibility to all the mums, mother figures and carers who are grieving the loss of their precious child.

I see you 🦋

19/04/2025

Happy Easter - I hope you all have a restful day 🌸 🐣🐰

14/04/2025

Happy Holidays everyone 🏝🕶☕

Wishing you all a safe and relaxing Easter and School Holidays, with some time for rest, rejuvenation and connection with your family.
I will be taking some time off over the holidays to do the same 💕

I am looking forward to seeing you all in a couple of weeks for another action-packed Term 2 🐝

08/04/2025

Clever Bees Paediatric Occupational Therapy is excited to offer the fully funded ENVISAGE Families program, starting on 17th April 2025 at 7:30pm!
This program is tailored for parents and caregivers of children aged 0-8 with developmental concerns, a disability or who are neurodiverse.
Across 5 x sessions of up to 90 minutes each, we will cover:
✨ What is health and well-being in early child and family development?
✨ Child and family development
✨ Parenting is a dance led by the children
✨ Looking after myself
✨Communication, Collaborating and Connection
You don’t need a diagnosis or NDIS plan to join. It is fully funded therefore no cost you.

To register, head to:
https://redcap.acu.edu.au/surveys/?s=AARYYNXCTXETKRJM&workshop_id=CLB_NSW_170425_O5_634
or contact the ENVISAGE team who can walk you through.
☎️ (07) 3861 6079
📧 envisage@acu.edu.au