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.
How Do I Know if Speech Therapy Is Working?
Written by Dr Rosemary Hodges One of the most common questions parents ask is, “How do I know speech therapy is actually working?”It’s an important question and one that deserves a clear answer. At Word Stars, progress is never assumed or left to guesswork. From the start of each therapy block, we plan how progress will be monitored and reviewed, so families know what change we’re looking for and how it will be measured. Throughout therapy, we complete regular review check-ins to make sure goals remain appropriate and therapy is on track. Progress may be shared in a variety of ways, depending on your child and the goals being targeted. This can include visual progress graphs, examples of your child’s language or work samples, written progress summaries, and scheduled check-in calls to talk through progress and next steps together. Graphs 1 & 2: Examples of how we often graph data for early intervention clients focusing on goals such as increasing the number of consonant sounds they can produce and increasing their vocabulary. *NLM = narrative language measures Graph 3: Example of how we often graph data for our school-aged groups focusing on goals such as telling a well-structured story and answering questions about a story. At the end of each therapy block, progress is reviewed collaboratively. We discuss what has changed, what still needs support, and what should happen next — whether that’s continuing therapy, adjusting goals, changing the therapy format, or taking a break. We think that families should feel confident in understanding their child’s speech therapy progress and supported in making informed decisions along the way.
How Does Speech Therapy Work at Word Stars?
Speech therapy can feel overwhelming when it’s unclear what the focus is or whether progress is being made. At Word Stars Speech Pathology, our approach is designed to provide clarity from the very beginning. We deliver paediatric speech therapy in goal-driven therapy blocks, rather than open-ended therapy. Each therapy block starts with a clear plan. Before therapy sessions begin, your child’s speech pathologist identifies personalised goals, the key strategies that will be used, and how progress will be measured and writes these all down in a “Therapy Plan”. This ensures therapy is purposeful and targeted. Therapy may be delivered through individual speech therapy sessions, small group programs, or short-term therapy intensives, depending on what best supports your child’s goals. The therapy format is chosen intentionally and reviewed regularly as your child grows and develops. Throughout each block, we complete regular progress check-ins to make sure therapy is on track. At the end of the block, progress is reviewed and clear next steps are discussed. This may include continuing therapy, adjusting goals, changing the therapy format, or taking a break. Our aim is simple: families should always know what their child is working on, how progress is going, and what comes next.