Care Pathways | Speech Pathology Services

Team around the child

Care Pathways Australia is committed to supporting children and families using the most effective, evidence-based approaches.

We use the team around the child approach which is sometimes known as a key worker or primary service provider model. When you commence services with Care Pathways Australia you will be allocated to a team of practitioners who will support your child and family.

Your child’s team may include:

You (parents and caregivers)
Speech Pathologist
Early Childhood Teacher
Occupational Therapist
Physiotherapist
Psychologist

A member from your team will be designated as your primary contact, also known as your Team Link. This person will work closely with you and your child and will be the one you will interact with the most.

Your Team link will:

Meet with you to understand your child and family better
Be your primary contact person at Care Pathways Australia
Be the person you work with most often
Have the most detailed information about your child's overall service
Collaborate with your child’s team to ensure the most effective therapy strategies are used
Connect you with other members of our team as needed
Regularly review progress towards your goals

Family/caregivers

This refers to your child’s caregivers, siblings and community team, serving as a bridge to the extended family and community.

Early childhood education & care team

This team supports the lead teacher from early childhood education and care, kindergarten or school by providing valuable information that can help achieve the goals of a child's team on a day-to-day basis. This team is made up of an Assistant Educator, an Inclusion Support Educator, and a Director, all of whom are involved as needed in a flexible manner.

Family & community

Extended family member, close friends, and community activity staff, such as swimming teachers, dance teachers, and sports coaches, who come and go as needed.

Child

With unique presentation and goals.

Team link

The Team Link serves as the primary point of contact for your family with the Early Childhood Supports Team. This individual is responsible for facilitating communication between all team members, ensuring seamless service coordination, and working towards achieving the child's goals.

Early childhood supports team

This team consists of specialised health professionals such as Occupational Therapists, Speech Pathologists, Physiotherapists, Psychologists, and Educators. They provide support to your child’s goals and can be contacted by the team link when needed.

Medical supports

This team includes your child’s Paediatrician, General Practitioners and Material Child Health nurses. Your Teams Link facilitates the flow of information to your child’s medical supports team.

Having one main contact person means that you only need to tell us your story once. Your Team Link will then communicate with your child’s team. This model also reduces the number of therapy appointments you need to attend as your Team Link will work with you across all of your goals (transdisciplinary practice).

We understand that young children learn best through everyday experiences with people they know and trust. To achieve this your Team Link will work with you to develop strategies that you can use within your everyday activities to help your child achieve their goals.

Your Team Link may organise for other members of your child’s team to come to some visits to provide more specialised assessment or advice. We call this a joint visit. It is important that your Team Link attends these sessions so that they understand the outcomes of the visit and can help you implement and practice recommended strategies.

Sometimes your child may need more sessions with a specific discipline. Your Team Link will discuss this with your child’s team and plan for this intensive service at a time that works for you and your child. At the end of these sessions your Team Link will attend to get a clear understanding of what has been practiced so they can continue to support you.

Your child’s team will meet regularly to discuss your child and their progress. These meetings will include all team members, even if you are not currently accessing a particular therapy. This is important as it allows us to look at your child and their goals from all perspectives. For example, your goal may be for your child to get themselves dressed in the morning. This may mean we need to look at the way they stand and move, how they use their hands, how they follow instructions and their cooperation in completing the task.

Why do we use a team around the child approach?

This model is considered best practice in early childhood, especially for children with complex developmental needs
Supports children and families to build strong connections with their team
Reduces the burden on families and prevents families feeling overwhelmed by multiple therapies
Builds family connections and capacity
Improves parent/caregiver confidence in promoting their child’s development