Therapy Assistance

Benefits of 1:1 Therapy Assistance

Having a Therapy Assistant help with your child’s therapy program can:

• Take the load off you as a parent- having a child with special needs often means that you have a lot on your plate already. By engaging a therapy assistant to do your child’s home program with them, means it might free up some of your own time for work, household tasks, spending time with your other children, etc.
• Assist your child who may respond better to and work harder with a therapy assistant than a parent – some children behave better and try harder when they are doing exercises for a therapy assistant, than if they were doing the same activities or exercises with their parents.
• Safe money and be cheaper – by having a therapy assistant complete a home program with your child instead of the clinician. Your child may be able to do more therapeutic activities with their funding.

QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED THINKAHEAD STAFF

Our Therapy Assistants are enthusiastic and have a passion for working with special needs children/adolescents.

They have experienced working in a variety of settings and are currently completing their final year of university studies (Bachelor or Master Level) in Allied Health such as Psychology, Social Work, Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy and Nursing.

What to Expect

1. DEVELOPMENT OF THERAPY PLAN – SENIOR CLINICIAN

The treating clinician who is seeing your child/adolescent will develop the therapy plan which is to be implemented by the Therapy Assistant.   The therapy plan will outline:

• Therapeutic goals for the child/adolescent.
• Program activities which have been devised to the individual’s level of functioning.
• Implementation of instructions and resources.
• Outcome measures.

2. IMPLEMENTATION OF THERAPY PLAN – THERAPY ASSISTANT

• Works under the supervision of the treating clinician and implements planned activities in accordance with treatment goals formulated by the clinician.
• Understands the therapy goals and aims and will provide regular feedback to the treating clinician in terms of achievements, progress and barriers observed.
• Grade and adapt activities to the individual’s level of function and progress under the guidance of the clinician.
• Observes and reports on the individual’s physical and psychosocial capabilities and documents all relevant information in the treatment.

3. PROGRESS REVIEW – SENIOR CLINICAL AND THERAPY ASSISTANT 

At midpoint of treatment, a case conference is scheduled between the treating team to review achievements, progress and outcomes and discuss any ongoing barriers identified.  The clinician will then adjust the activities to ensure that therapeutic goals are met by the end of treatment period.

The Therapy Assistant will implement the adjusted recommendations set by the treating clinician and continue to work with the child/adolescent and the family until the end of the treatment plan.

4. PARENT FEEDBACK

Parents are given informal feedback throughout the process and formal feedback by the treating clinician at the end of the treatment plan.