Welcome to KidsRISE
A private paediatric therapy clinic located in Northcote, Melbourne, Australia
Contact us to discuss your child’s therapy needs or to make an appointment
KidsRISE was established in January 2011 by Miranda Van Styn and Cara Sheekey. KidsRISE aims to provide families with an alternative to the more traditional therapeutic approaches.
At KidsRISE we take a developmental, play-based approach to provide multi-disciplinary Speech Pathology and Occupational Therapy for children with complex developmental needs.
We specialise in the assessment and treatment of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Sensory Processing Disorder and other developmental challenges that impact upon a child’s capacity to reach their potential.
Therapy Services
At KidsRISE we take a developmental play-based approach to therapy, guided by the principles of the Developmental Individual differences Relationships based model (DIR)
Therapy sessions at KidsRISE involve play based parent-child interactions. During the session the therapist assists the parent to tailor their interactions to the child’s individual learning profile. Play activities are chosen by the child and the therapist works with the parent to offer the child appropriate challenges within the play. These ‘just right’ challenges allow the child to successfully move up the developmental ladder.
At KidsRISE parents are active participants in therapy sessions. We believe that parents are best placed to facilitate their child’s development through their daily interactions with their child. For this reason the main focus of therapy is to build parent’s skills to allow them to confidently and successfully work with their child at home to maximise development.
We incorporate our extensive knowledge of Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy with the DIR / Floortime framework, to provide what we believe is a truly holistic and family centred therapeutic approach.
For more information about the DIR / Floortime framework visit Profectum Foundation or ICDL.
Initial Appointment
An initial assessment with us involves a consultation process with both Miranda and Cara to assess your child’s play and interactions to determine their developmental strengths and challenges. We believe that this interdisciplinary process helps to provide a comprehensive overview of your child’s development in a coordinated manner, allowing families to make informed therapy choices.
Our assessment includes an evaluation of your child’s development across the following areas:
- Play skills
- Motor skills
- Communication
- Sensory processing
- Social-emotional development
Assessment Process:
- Parent report measures and questionnaires provided and returned via email
- A 45 minute in clinic assessment session with both Cara and Miranda. This is a play based session with you and your child playing in the therapy space with us
- A 60 minute telehealth based parent session to discuss parental concerns and observations in more detail, and to provide feedback from the initial clinic consultation
- A written report is provided outlining the assessment results and recommendations
Therapy Process
Our experiences with Telehealth during the Covid pandemic in 2020 showed us the great value of this mode of therapy. After re-opening our clinic we have created a model to allow for the benefits of both in clinic therapy and Telehealth.
Our new therapy format means that clients see us for both Telehealth sessions and in-clinic sessions. This means that half of your sessions are at the clinic, and half are Telehealth sessions.
Telehealth session can be a combination of the following:
- Live play session at home with you and your child
- Parent session to review video of play sessions at home or video of clinic sessions for discussion and coaching
- Parent discussion session to talk through questions or concerns around how to manage situations or play sessions at home
Telehealth FAQ...
Why telehealth, aren’t in person sessions more effective?
There is a large and increasing body of evidence supporting positive clinical outcomes with Telehealth. In our specific therapy model the benefits we have seen include:
- Being able to coach play based interactions in the families natural environment, with your toys in your everyday world
- Increased capacity for both parents to participate in therapy sessions
- Less anxiety for children who find transitions and travel more difficult
- Providing opportunities to observe and work on everyday challenges as they occur in the home environment
- Helping parents to feel more empowered in their play based interactions with their child
- Overcoming barriers related to travel, care of siblings
We’ve tried Telehealth before and it just doesn’t work for us/our child
Like any therapy approach this might not be the model that you are looking for right now, that’s ok. If you have participated in Telehealth sessions with other providers and it has been focused around a therapist led approach (the therapist directing your child to activities) we would suggest you give our approach to Telehealth a try. Our Telehealth sessions involve you doing nothing more than you playing with your child (with the addition of a device placed somewhere in the room for us to watch the action, and join in as that naturally occurs).
Funding
A variety of funding options are available at KidsRISE to offset therapy costs.
NDIS Funding
KidsRISE therapists are able to see self managed and plan managed NDIS participants
Medicare Rebate
KidsRISE therapists are registered to provide services under the following Medicare programs
- Enhanced Primary Care
- Helping Children With Autism
- Better Access to Mental Health
Private Health Insurance
The therapists at KidsRISE are registered with all major health insurance providers.
Contact
Have a general question or would like to know more? Send us a message.
Our Location
First Floor, 490 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070
Entry is via the rear of the building.
Parking
Client parking is located at the rear of the building and on Dennis Street.