Cootharinga North Queensland Allied Health Service for Children
Cootharinga North Queensland Allied Health Service for Children
About us
Cootharinga North Queensland has been supporting people with a disability across North Queensland for over 60 years. We provide services in Townsville, Cairns, Mackay and regions in between.
The Allied Health Service for Children is a dedicated team of professionals providing occupational therapy and speech pathology specialising in children. We are committed to unlocking and maximising the potential of children with a disability or developmental concerns.
What sets us apart?
- We offer therapy in our relaxed child-friendly centre or at your choice of school, childcare centre, community and home setting.
- We work with you to achieve functional and practical outcomes for your child.
- We are an experienced multidisciplinary team of therapists specialising in children with a disability and developmental delay.
- We offer a comprehensive assessment and develop an individualised therapy plan.
- We offer value for money at very competitive rates. Funding is available.
How to get started?
Step 1 - Call or email us if you hae concerns about your child on 07 47592060 or jan.finmore@cootharinga.org.au
Step 2 - An initial conversation should establish whether it is likely we can help.
Step 3 - A consultation will be arranged to carry out a full assessment.
Step 4 - Follow up sessions will be offered if it is appropriate.
Our Team
Cootharinga’s Children Allied Health Service is a team of dedicated therapists that are committed to helping children in North Queensland. Our team has over 16 years experience working with children. We are enthusiastic and innovative, and provide family centered practice.
Our team comprises of two occupational therapists and one speech pathologist. Our team has worked in a wide range of places including government and non-government organisations in Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
Our speech pathologist Jess has undergone training in Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Hanen and The Listening Program. She is committed to working with children with special needs.
Sara, one of our occupational therapists, has extensive experience working with children with physical disabilities, including cerebral palsy, and is passionate about furthering her skills in this specialized area with training in Bobath. Sara is accredited in The Listening Program.
Nicole is an occupational therapist who enjoys juggling being a mother, teaching at the university, studying her masters and working with children with special needs. She has several years experience working with children with autism spectrum disorders, physical impairments and intellectual impairments (including Down’s syndrome and Fragile X).
We endeavor to make therapy fun and enjoyable experience for the children and their parents
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Nicole Brown Sara Barnett Jessica Blight
Senior Senior Speech Pathologist
Occupational Occupational
Therapist Therapist
What to Speech Pathologists do?
Speech Pathologists aim to improve communication skills of children by working collaboratively on the areas of speech, language and literacy. Speech Pathologists can also assist with eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties.
Speech Pathologists assess each child to determine their strengths and limitations and develop recommendations. We can then provide intervention whether it is therapy, home and school programs or a review.
Speech Pathologists can work on the following:
- Articulation (speech)
- Receptive language (understanding of instructions, basic concepts, word knowledge)
- Expressive language (vocabulary, grammar, sentence construction)
- Pragmatics (non-verbal communication such as turn-taking, social skills)
- Fluency
- Vocal quality
- Phonological awareness (pre-literacy skills such as rhyming)
- Swallowing (food and drink)
What do Occupational Therapists do?
We work with children and their families to improve their quality of life by helping them achieve more and participate in play, pre-school/school and home activities.
Occupational Therapists perform a variety of assessments to look at the child’s strengths and difficulties including:
- Talking with family
- Observing the child in their environment and doing day to day activities
- Specialised assessments
Occupational therapy programs target a variety of areas, including:
- Self care skills
- Play skills
- Social skills
- Problem solving skills
- Attention and concentration
- Emotions
- Physical skills including gross and fine motor skills
- Over- or under-reaction to sensory input
- Creating routines at home and school
- Working with parents and teachers
About Our Service
We provide speech pathology and occupational therapy and also provide these additional services:
Therapy Assistants
Our therapy assistants are trained by our therapists to deliver children’s programs at home.
Outreach Services
We offer regular outreach between Cairns and Rockhampton.
Monthly Workshop
Our therapists provide a monthly workshop on areas of interest such as play and language development. Monthly workshops on a variety of topics including Learning to Play, Sensory Processing, Learning to Talk, Fussy eaters plus many more. Please contact usfor a schedule. They are free to attend and children are welcome!
Multisensory Environment
Our room can be used to target sensory motor and academic development for your child.
Hanen - it takes two to talk!
Hanen is an evidence based program for families to facilitate communication with their child.
Family Connect
Learn about available resources, services, grants and products within the local area.
Training
We provide tailored training packages for teaching staff, parents, and other professionals working with young children. Our workshops aim to provide the tools to develop and support children’s communication skills in their everyday environments, such as at school or at home.
Please contact us for further information about our training packages.
Family Connect
This program offers families the opportunity to browse through information about services, resources, agencies, and organisations in the community.
Funding Available
Better Start and Helping Children with Autism Initiative
Medicare rebates for specialist and allied health services are now available to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Pervasive Deficit Disorder, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, Deafblindness, Fragile X syndrome, hearing impairment or vision impairment.
Up to four (4) Medicare rebate services in total will be available for eligible allied health professionals to collaborate with the referring practitioner in the diagnosis of a child (aged under 13 years) and/or the development of a child’s treatment and management plan.
A further twenty (20) Medicare rebate services in total will also be available for eligible allied health professionals to provide treatment to a child (aged under 15 years and who was under 13 years at the time of receiving their diagnosis from the specialist and the development of the treatment and management plan).
Please refer to our Better Start and helping Children with Autism Information
Medicare Chronic Disease Management program
At the discretion of the GP, people may have a GP Management Plan and Team Care Arrangement made up which gives them access to 5 sessions of occupational and/or speech therapy under the Medicare Chronic Disease Management program. There is no age limit and each year the GP can prescribe again five sessions if need be.
Call us now on: 07 4759 2060
Email: Jan.Finmore@cootharinga.org.au
Website: www.cootharinga.org.au
Cootharinga Allied Health Service for Children