FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Not at all. We welcome referrals from health and education professionals,(https://www.proteatherapy.com.au/new-referrals) but no referral is needed to see our therapists. Simply contact us t(https://www.proteatherapy.com.au/new-clients)o ask for your child to be added to our waiting list.

The therapists at Protea Therapy can see: • Children with self-managed NDIS funding • Children with Medicare funding via the following plans: • Chronic Disease Management Pathway (https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/mbsprimarycare-chronicdiseasemanagement)(requires GP plan) • Follow Up Allied Health Services for People of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Descent (https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/mbsprimarycare_mbsitems81300_81360)(requires GP plan) • Helping Children with Autism/(https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/autism-children)Better Start for Children with a Disability (https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/children_disability)(requires paediatrician or psychiatrist plan) • Children with private health insurance. Whether your insurance covers speech pathology will depend on your provider and level of cover. Please speak to your insurance provider to determine whether your cover includes speech pathology services.

No problem! We also see private fee paying clients.

Dr Katherine Sanchez has extensive training and experience working with children with paediatric feeding disorders. By working exclusively in this area, she is able to support a greater number of children with feeding needs more effectively. Dr Sanchez works closely with other speech pathologists to ensure that her clients' communication needs are also met.

We can provide one-off assessments where required.

At Protea Therapy, we have experience working with children with a wide range of medical and developmental diagnoses. We know that it is important to feel that your therapist has the experience and expertise to work with your child. You can rest assured that your therapist has the knowledge and skills to manage a range of communication and feeding problems, even if they have not encountered your child's specific diagnosis before. The speech pathologists at Protea Therapy work across research, tertiary education, and science communication, as well as clinical settings; and use cutting-edge research to ensure they have the knowledge they need to manage each client.

Dr Katherine Sanchez has trained in a wide range of therapy approaches and techniques, including, but not limited to: • Responsive Feeding Therapy • SOS Feeding Therapy • Ellyn Satter's Division of Responsibility • The Get Permission Approach to Feeding We love attending professional development, and our list of postgraduate training is constantly growing.

Neurodiversity affirming practice is a strong interest for our team, and we are constantly developing our affirming and inclusive approach. We strive to meet clients where they are and to individualise our services to meet the needs of all kinds of brains and bodies, and are open to discussions about how we can keep growing to support our families better. Here is some more information about neurodiversity affirming practice (https://www.livedexperienceeducator.com/blog/neurodiversityaffirmingpractice)from lived-experience advocate Sonny-Jane Wise. We are committed to providing a safe and equitable environment for a diverse range of families and clients. This includes supportive and affirming care for rainbow families and LGBTIQ children. We are open to feedback on ways that our service could be more inclusive and welcoming.