By Dr. Rosie Hodges At Word Stars, early intervention is never one-size-fits-all. Every child comes to us with their own strengths, interests and communication needs, so we create individualised goals and clear ways to monitor progress over time. Often, one of our first goals for young children is to support the development of important foundational skills, such as staying engaged in different play activities, sharing attention with another person, and enjoying back-and-forth interaction. Our sessions are play-based because play is how young children learn best. We use motivating activities that encourage children to connect, communicate, explore and practise new skills in a way that feels natural and enjoyable. Families are an important part of the process, but home practice needs to be realistic. For one family, that might mean 15 minutes of focused play each day. For another, it might mean building communication strategies into bath time, snack time or getting dressed. Our early intervention team is led and supervised by Dr Rosemary Hodges, who holds a PhD in late talking toddlers and specialises in early speech and language development. Rosie works closely with our therapists to plan, problem-solve and make sure therapy is creating meaningful progress for every little Word Star.
How Long Will My Child Need Speech Therapy?
By Dr. Rosie Hodges One of the most common questions families ask us is: “How long will my child need speech therapy?” The honest answer is that every child is different. Some children achieve their goals within a few months. Others require support across different stages of their development. As children’s needs change, the type of support they need often changes too. At Word Stars, we don’t believe therapy should continue indefinitely without a clear purpose. Instead, we use a block therapy model that focuses on personalised goals, measurable progress, and choosing the right support at the right time. Every child’s journey begins with an assessment and collaborative goal-setting process. Together with families, we develop clear goals and identify how progress will be measured. This helps ensure everyone is working towards the same outcomes from the very beginning. Children then participate in a therapy block, typically lasting between three and six months. Depending on their goals, this may include individual therapy, group therapy, or an intensive therapy program. Throughout the block, therapists monitor progress using planned outcome measures so we can clearly see what is working and where adjustments may be needed. At the end of each therapy block, we review progress with families. We look at outcome data, discuss family feedback, celebrate progress, and make collaborative decisions about what should happen next. Importantly, the next step is not always “more therapy.” Some children benefit from another individual therapy block. Others may be ready for a group program to practise their skills with peers. Some families move into a collaboration block, where therapists work closely with schools, educators, or support teams to help embed strategies in everyday environments. Others may complete a supported practice block, which focuses on helping children and families use their skills more independently. Sometimes the best option is an intentional therapy break. During these breaks, children have opportunities to consolidate and generalise their skills in real-life situations before returning for a review if needed. Throughout the entire journey, continuity of care remains a priority. Each family has a primary therapist who helps coordinate their therapy journey, monitors progress, and supports decision-making over time. Therapy plans and clinical notes are available to relevant team members, and when children transition between therapists or services, collaboration meetings and written handovers help ensure a smooth experience. Most importantly, families are involved in long-term planning and decision-making every step of the way. Because children’s needs change over time, we believe therapy should too.
What Neurodivergent Children Have Taught Us
Written by Dr. Rosie Hodges At Word Stars, we have the privilege of learning alongside neurodivergent children and their families every day through our established group therapy programs. While our role is often to support children in developing skills and confidence, the truth is that they have taught us just as much. One of the biggest lessons has been that capacity fluctuates. A child who participates confidently one week may find the same task challenging the next. We’ve learned to move away from asking, “Why aren’t they doing it?” and instead ask, “What might they need today?” We’ve also learned that authenticity matters more than compliance. Creating a genuinely affirming environment means moving away from approaches that focus on making children appear “well behaved” at all costs. When children feel safe to unmask and be themselves, things can sometimes look less orderly. However, what emerges is often greater trust, self-advocacy and genuine connection. Another important lesson is that listening doesn’t always look like sitting still. Many children learn best when they are moving, fidgeting, drawing or using flexible seating options. Supporting these differences often leads to better engagement and participation. We’ve also been reminded that sensory needs can be complex. Some children are loud themselves but feel overwhelmed by other people’s noise. Others seek sensory input one moment and avoid it the next. Strategies such as noise-cancelling headphones, heavy work activities, movement breaks and deep pressure can make a significant difference. Perhaps most importantly, we’ve learned how valuable it is to help children understand their own internal experiences. Building vocabulary around emotions, body sensations and interoception gives children powerful tools for self-awareness and self-advocacy. Finally, we’ve learned that understanding different perspectives is a long-term journey. These skills develop gradually through relationships, reflection and practice. There are rarely quick fixes, but there can be meaningful growth over time. The more we learn, the more we realise that supporting neurodivergent children isn’t about changing who they are. It’s about creating environments where they feel understood, valued and able to participate in ways that work for them. Looking for neurodiversity-affirming support for your child? At Word Stars, our individual and group therapy programs are designed to help children build communication, social and self-understanding skills in an environment where they feel safe to be themselves. If you’d like to learn more about our approach, we’d love to chat. Get in touch with our team today!
Why Therapy Plans Matter
“Do you think they’re improving?”In my 12-year career as a speech pathologist, I’ve heard this question from parents/carers countlesstimes. Given how resource-consuming speech therapy is, I don’t blame them for wanting to seetangible results, and yet in the past, I felt my ability to measure and convey outcomes was lacking.Over the years, I’ve tried different ways to measure therapy outcomes. I’ve created and sought outprobes, informal assessments, and surveys. I’ve even turned to the parent after they’ve asked methat question and said, “What do you think?” A therapy plan, if you’re not sure what it is, is a document written by the therapist at the start of atherapy block that explains: We could also forget to collaborate and explain our plan to parents/carers/clients, a crucial part ofbeing a family-centred therapist. A written therapy plan helps both therapists and families to feel asense of direction and clarity in the therapeutic journey they take together.And, if something isn’t working, the therapy plan, with sign-posted moments for collecting data, canhelp us make necessary clinical decisions such as changing strategies, intensity, goals, or evenceasing therapy. With reference to our therapy plan document, we can share our clinical thinking,and have these trickier conversations with families.If you’d like to start using therapy plans in your practice, you can: Written by Celine Lowe Pascual, Managing Director
The Talking DLD Podcast & Clinical Work
In July 2022, Celine and Rosie sat down with The Talking DLD Podcast to discuss therapy planning and how to build practice based evidence into your work. We invite you to listen to their podcast episode here! Interested in learning more about Professional Development with Word Stars Speech Pathology, click here!
Bilingualism and Language Development: Myths and Tips
This blog will identify some of the common myths related to bilingualism and offer some useful tips for parents, including those who may be concerned about their child’s language development.