Helping Children Thrive Through Personalised Speech Therapy
At South West Kids Clinic, we’re proud to offer warm and individualised speech therapy for children in the Bankstown area, including those with more complex needs who may benefit from support at home or school.
Our qualified speech pathologists, based in Prestons and Picton, work closely with families to create personalised therapy plans that help children overcome communication difficulties and build long-term confidence.
For children who require extra support, we consider home or school visits on a case-by-case basis to ensure therapy takes place in the most suitable environment for a positive long-term result.
What makes our clinic different is the way our speech pathologists collaborate with our in-house team of occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and dietitians to provide well-rounded, holistic care.
Contact us today on (02) 9602 3377 or via our online contact form to discover how we can support your child’s communication and development.
How Our Paediatric Speech Pathologists Support Your Child
Every child communicates in their own way. Our speech pathologists work closely with families to understand your child’s unique needs and create a therapy plan that supports their speech, language, and feeding development. Whether your child needs help with pronunciation, social communication, or mealtime difficulties, we use structured, evidence-based strategies that support real progress.
Enhancing Language Development and Communication
Strong language skills help children connect with others, express their needs, and succeed in daily life. Some children need support understanding what’s said to them, while others may struggle to find the right words or form clear sentences. We use targeted strategies to build vocabulary, improve sentence structure, and support overall communication.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) support provides tools and systems that support children with limited or no verbal speech. Our speech pathologists assess your child’s needs and trial options like communication boards, speech-generating devices, or specialised apps. We also guide families, educators, and support staff on how to use these tools in everyday life to empower your child to express their thoughts, make choices, and connect with others.
Speech Sound Development
Clear speech helps children feel understood and confident. We assess how your child produces speech sounds and use evidence-based techniques to improve articulation and clarity. Therapy is tailored to your child’s needs and delivered in a way that feels engaging and achievable. Improving speech sound accuracy not only supports communication but also builds confidence in social and learning environments.
Tailored Therapy with Individualised Goals
Our speech therapy plans are built around your child’s specific needs, strengths, and goals because we never take a one-size-fits-all approach. We work with families, educators, and other professionals to set clear, measurable goals that support speech clarity, language understanding, and social communication. These goals guide every session and ensure therapy stays focused and relevant so your child can make steady progress in a way that feels supportive and meaningful.
Stuttering and Fluency Intervention
Stuttering can make it difficult for children to speak freely and comfortably. It may affect their confidence, especially in social or classroom settings. Our speech pathologists use evidence-based techniques to help children speak more smoothly and manage stuttering with less frustration. Sessions include real-world practice and support for both the child and their family, so they can leave and implement strategies straight away.
Dysphagia Intervention
Some children have difficulty chewing or swallowing safely, a condition known as dysphagia. Our speech pathologists assess your child’s feeding and swallowing skills and create a plan to improve safety, nutrition intake and well-being. We work closely with families to make mealtimes safer, more enjoyable, and less stressful for everyone through targeted techniques that strengthen oral muscles and build confidence during mealtimes.
How Our Paediatric Speech Pathologists Can Help
We offer a range of therapy programs designed to support children with speech, language, communication, and feeding challenges. Every treatment is evidence-based and adjusted to suit your child’s specific needs and abilities.
Our goal is to provide practical, effective support that helps your child communicate more clearly, eat more safely, and participate more fully in daily life.
HANEN
The HANEN program gives parents practical tools to support their child’s language development at home. It’s based on the idea that everyday interactions are powerful opportunities for communication growth.
Our speech pathologists guide you in recognising your child’s communication cues and responding in ways that encourage language. These strategies are woven into daily routines like mealtime, play, and getting ready for bed so children can see their progress and feel more confident in their speech.
Learn To Play/Play-based Therapy
Play-based therapy is one of the most effective ways for children to learn and communicate by building language, social skills, and confidence in a way that feels natural and engaging. Each session is guided by your child’s interests and play style. By creating a pressure-free environment, children can develop essential skills while doing what they enjoy most.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
When children have limited verbal speech, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems can offer a reliable way to communicate. We assess and trial a range of AAC options, including communication boards, specialised apps, and speech-generating devices, depending on your child’s needs. Our team also provides training for families, educators, and support workers so these systems are used consistently and effectively.
Switch Access Methods
For children with significant physical challenges, switch access methods offer an alternative way to communicate and interact with their surroundings. These systems allow your child to control communication devices, toys, or even everyday items using a switch activated by a part of their body that they can move more effectively. We customise each setup to your child’s needs and abilities, ensuring it’s comfortable and easy to use so your child has more ways to engage with others and the world around them.
DTTC - Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing
DTTC is a specialised therapy used for children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS). Our therapists use a mix of verbal, visual, and touch-based cues to guide your child through speech sounds and word patterns. As your child becomes more confident, we gradually reduce the level of support, and with repeated practice and a clear structure, children produce more accurate, consistent speech over time, boosting confidence.
ReST - Rapid Syllable Transition Treatment
Rapid Syllable Transition Treatment (ReST) is designed for children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech, dysarthria, or severe phonological disorders. It focuses on helping children produce smooth, accurate transitions between sounds and syllables. Our speech pathologists guide your child through structured practice using non-words and real words to strengthen motor planning. With consistent support, ReST helps improve speech clarity and make communication more natural and fluent.
Phonological Awareness
Phonological awareness is the ability to recognise and work with the sounds in spoken language, and is a key skill for both clear speech and early literacy. We use fun, structured activities to help children identify sounds, blend syllables, and break words into parts. These skills lay the foundation for stronger reading, writing, and speech development.
PROMPT
PROMPT is a hands-on therapy approach that helps children with motor speech difficulties improve their ability to speak clearly. Using gentle touch cues on the jaw, lips, and tongue, our therapists guide your child through the physical movements needed for accurate speech. This helps them build better control, coordination, and awareness of how sounds are formed, especially useful for children who struggle with planning or producing speech sounds consistently.
Lidcombe Program
The Lidcombe Program is a structured therapy approach that helps young children reduce stuttering through parent-led support at home. Our speech therapists teach parents how to give positive, gentle feedback during everyday conversations. These strategies are easy to use and become part of your daily routines, like mealtimes or play, making them more effective. With regular guidance, children can develop smoother speech in a familiar and supportive environment.
Fluency Intervention
Fluency intervention helps children speak with a smoother rhythm and fewer interruptions, helping your child feel confident when they speak. We use structured exercises, real-life practice, and supportive techniques to improve the flow of speech. Our therapists also work with families and teachers to make sure these strategies carry over into everyday conversations so your child can build the skills to speak comfortably in any setting.
Responsive Feeding Practices (RFP)
Mealtimes can be stressful with a child who has feeding difficulties. Responsive Feeding Practices (RFP) help create a calmer, more positive experience around food. We focus on building trust, encouraging self-feeding, and reducing stress for both the child and parent for more enjoyable mealtimes at home.
Vital Stim
VitalStim is a specialised therapy used to support children with swallowing difficulties, including dysphagia. It uses gentle neuromuscular electrical stimulation to help strengthen the muscles involved in swallowing. During sessions, our trained therapists guide your child through specific exercises while applying safe stimulation to targeted areas. VitalStim is used alongside traditional therapy techniques to support safer, more effective feeding for children.
Developmental Food Continuum
Feeding difficulties aren’t always about behaviour, they can often be linked to how a child’s oral motor skills and development affect their ability to eat. Our speech pathologists assess your child’s chewing, biting, and swallowing abilities and identify foods that support their skill level. We gradually introduce new textures and food types to build strength, coordination, and confidence at mealtimes, helping your child move safely and successfully through different stages of eating.
STEPS+ Program
The STEPS+ (Supportive Treatment of Eating in Preschoolers) Program is designed for children with dysphagia, food refusal, or Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). It provides structured, supportive therapy that helps reduce anxiety and create positive food experiences. Our team uses trauma-informed strategies to gently introduce new foods, build a routine around mealtimes, and help make eating more enjoyable for everyone involved.
Pacing Methods
For infants who struggle with bottle feeding, pacing methods can help regulate milk flow and improve feeding comfort. Our therapists guide parents on how to adjust bottle positioning, choose suitable teat flows, and use thickening agents if needed. We tailor each approach to your baby’s needs, working closely with medical and therapy teams to ensure consistent care.
Division of Responsibility Method
The Division of Responsibility Method helps create a calm and balanced mealtime environment by assigning clear roles to both caregivers and children during meals. Caregivers decide what food is offered, when it’s served, and where mealtimes happen. Children are encouraged to listen to their own hunger and fullness cues and are in charge of how much they want to eat. This approach supports a healthier relationship with food and encourages positive eating habits over time.
Speech Therapy FAQs
Where are your clinics located, and how far are they from Bankstown?
We have two convenient clinics close by:
- Prestons Clinic: Approximately 20 minutes from Bankstown, with plenty of parking right at the door for easy access.
- Picton Clinic: Around 35 minutes away, serving families throughout the wider region.
If visiting the clinic is difficult, we also offer telehealth speech therapy sessions and can discuss other options to best support your child’s communication needs.
Travelling to the clinic is difficult for our family due to my child’s needs. Do you offer therapy at home or school?
We understand that travel can be challenging for families, especially when children have complex speech or medical needs. While most therapy happens in our clinics or via telehealth, we can provide home or school visits for children with significant mobility or health challenges on a case-by-case basis. Each case is considered individually to ensure your child gets the safest and most effective support.
Do you work with local schools in Bankstown?
Yes, we regularly collaborate with schools in the Bankstown area. Our speech therapists provide onsite support and work alongside educators to help implement strategies that promote your child’s communication and participation at school.
How do you decide if home or school visits are appropriate?
We assess your child’s individual needs, medical situation, and therapy goals to determine the best setting. Priority is given to children who benefit from therapy in familiar surroundings or who find attending the clinic difficult. Family circumstances and practicalities are also considered to ensure effective care.
Can we book telehealth sessions if we live in Bankstown?
Yes, telehealth is a flexible option for families in Bankstown who want therapy from the comfort of home or cannot attend in person regularly. Our therapists tailor online sessions to your child’s unique communication needs, ensuring excellent care regardless of location.
