What are therapy blocks?

Talking Tots Speech Pathology offer "therapy blocks" based on school terms. This means that there is a "block" of therapy offered that matches your child's support needs, before an intentional break from therapy.

Therapy blocks might last one term, two terms, or even a whole year; it is an individual decision based on your child's support needs and the evidence-based information behind the chosen therapy approach. During a therapy block, your child may attend weekly or sometimes intensive twice weekly sessions.

Therapy blocks look like:

1. Creating a 'Therapy Plan' that includes long term goals, short term goals, therapy approach, sets the expectation for the home practice required, and includes a way to measure progress at the end of the block.

2. Participation in the block with scheduled reviews.

3. Block finishes - progress is measured with the review tool.

4. Make a plan for the next block, possibly after an intentional therapy break where your child can continue to practice their skills.

What happens when the block is over?

Once your child is offered a block of therapy, they are eligible to be seen as needed, based on their support needs. They are never placed back on any "waitlists" with an unknown wait period. You will always know when the next review or block will be.

Once your child's block of therapy is over, your child will either:

- begin a new block

- have a therapy break with home programs

- have a therapy break with opportunities for families and teachers to continue strategies they have learned to support ongoing progress

Why block therapy?

There are a countless benefits to block therapy! But here are just a few:

- There are clear goals and outcomes for the block - parents know what the focus is.

- Greater commitment and motivation from families, children, and even therapists - leading to better progress and outcomes.

- Scheduled reviews throughout the block helps accountability, and to discuss the effectiveness of the therapy approach.

- Parents are able to plan their personal budgets or NDIS funds around each block. For example, knowing 2 blocks of 10 weeks are recommended, and being able to budget for this.

- Children don't "lose" their skills; children often continue to improve during the therapy break, when there is a motivated team around them.

- During intentional therapy breaks, families are able to focus on strategies from other therapists like OT, and develop broader skills.