Outreach Program
Hear and Say has an Outreach Program available for those families who do not live within reasonable travelling distance from either the Brisbane Centre or one of our Regional Centres. Families requesting support through the Outreach Program will be offered an initial consultation/interview at our Brisbane Centre to discuss their individual needs with the Clinical Director and also to meet with the Outreach Coordinator.
Children enrolled in the Outreach Program each have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and undergo regular assessments using standardised tests, in the same way as do children attending our city and regional centres. Instead of attending one of our centres for Auditory-Verbal Therapy lessons, families in the Outreach Program have regular lessons using video-conferencing and/or webcam conferencing, so that parents and child can link up with the Auditory-Verbal Therapist in Brisbane. Additional lessons and therapy ideas/resources are posted to families on a regular basis.
Outreach Families are encouraged to visit the Brisbane Hear and Say Centre for a two-day block of Auditory-Verbal Therapy lessons at least twice each year. There are enormous benefits to be gained from these visits as, apart from having personal face-to-face therapy sessions with the Auditory-Verbal Therapist, families have the opportunity to meet with other parents, attend Playgroup, meet with the Social Worker and generally experience first hand being part of the Hear and Say family.
It is anticipated that the Hear and Say Auditory-Verbal Therapist will visit each Outreach family twice a year, to enable support to be given in the family’s own environment. These visits also provide the opportunity for the Hear and Say professional to liaise with other professionals who may provide support to the family in their community.
All Auditory-Verbal Therapists at the Hear and Say Centre may include some Outreach Program families as part of their caseload.