Speech Pathology for Children
Fun and friendly support for children with speech and language difficulties.
What we provide:
With our support, your child can improve their communication skills, their social well-being and their confidence. We’re proud to offer our expertise in an environment that’s friendly, warm and supportive.
Our services can help your child:
- to improve their ability to understand verbal and written language
- to convey messages to others verbally and using written language, including the use of grammar, vocabulary and sentence structures
- with articulation difficulties like lisping
- with fluency and stuttering
- with voice difficulties.
Our services are:
- free (for clients in the Priority Access Group). See our fees page for more information.
- supportive
- tailored for children
- available in languages other than English.
Arranging Speech Pathology services
Parents or carers can engage a Speech Pathologist for their child directly. The following professionals can also make a referral for our services:
- Paediatrician
- Maternal and Child Health Nurse
- General Practitioner
- Audiologist
- Kindergarten Teacher
- Preschool Field Officer
- other professionals involved in the child’s care.
Eligible children will be placed on a waiting list. Please note that wait times for an assessment can range between three to six months. Once your child has reached the top of the waiting list, our speech pathologist will contact you to make an appointment.
Making a referral:
1. Download our referral form: Referral Form – Child Health and Development
2. Email the form to intake@nrch.com.au or post it to:
North Richmond Community Health
23 Lennox St
Richmond, VIC 3121
About our sessions
On the first session, our Speech Pathologist assesses your child’s speech and language by conducting an interview with a parent or carer, and observing the child’s presentation during play. We will also use formal language screening and evaluation tools when required. Depending on the outcome of the assessment, we may recommend:
- speech pathology sessions, usually conducted in blocks for a weekly or fortnightly basis over a school term
- review or monitoring of speech and language development by the speech pathologist
- further assessment or referral to another professional if required
- referral to a different Early Childhood Intervention provider
- no further services, if your child’s speech and language is found to be within the average range.
Please note that eligible children will be put on a waiting list before they can access their first assessment with our speech pathologist.
Eligibility
- Children must be 0-6 years of age and not yet enrolled in a school. School aged children can access school-based speech pathology services.
- Children must only have speech and language development issues. If your child has significant developmental difficulties in other areas, in addition to speech and language, they may qualify for Early Childhood Intervention through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
- Some children who are on the Early Childhood Intervention program as part of the NDIS may be eligible for our service
- Children must live or attend kindergarten or childcare in the City of Yarra.
Interpreters
Telephone and on-site interpreters can be arranged in any language at no cost to you.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
The NDIS can also help pay for services for young children who need help with their health and development. If your child gets this help while they are under six years old, it could mean they need less help later. Find out how we can help your child under the NDIS scheme here.
North Richmond Community Health’s Speech Pathology service is supported by the Victorian Government.
Contact information
If you’re a client
If you have a query about our speech pathology service for children:
Phone
(03) 9418 9800
If you’re a health practitioner
Phone
(03) 9418 9965
Send referral letter from your clinician to Intake at:
North Richmond Community Health
23 Lennox St
Richmond VIC 3121
Our team
Imogen
Senior Speech Pathologist
Imogen joined the Speech Pathology team at North Richmond Community Health in 2022. She has experience working across early childhood intervention, community health, and primary and secondary school settings, in both Australia and the United Kingdom. Imogen completed her Masters of Speech Pathology at La Trobe University.
Imogen is trained in a variety of evidence-based interventions, including the Hanen It Takes Two to Talk and Hanen More Than Words programs. Imogen is dedicated to a strengths-based, family-centred approach to therapy, ensuring a supportive and collaborative environment for all.
Imogen’s interest areas include Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), early language development, and paediatric feeding.
Jeanette
Speech Pathologist
Jeanette joined the team at North Richmond Community Health in January 2022. She has experience working with children and young adults in schools, public and private clinics. Jeanette’s biggest areas of interest are early language intervention, literacy, phonology, and social skill development.
Jeanette is passionate about collaborating with children and their families to achieve their goals. She values developing strong relationships with her clients and creating therapy sessions that are tailored to their interests and strengths. Her experience in behaviour analysis studies helped her understand how children learn and how to design learning environments to help children master core skills.
Jeanette is trained in Social Thinking® program, Hanen More Than Words program, Basic Key Word Sign, and Little Learners Love Literacy program. She has a Masters in Speech Pathology and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Jeanette is a Certified Practising Member of Speech Pathology Australia and is proficient in Cantonese, English, Mandarin and Malay.
Erin
Speech Pathologist
Erin joined the North Richmond Community Health team in 2025. Erin has previously worked in schools, early childhood centres, and private practice settings across both Australia and New Zealand.
Erin is passionate about supporting children and their families to achieve their communication goals and having fun while doing it! While Erin enjoys all areas of speech pathology, she has interests in early language intervention, phonology, and stuttering. Erin completed her Bachelor of Speech Language Pathology at the University of Canterbury (New Zealand) in 2017.
Dhanushi
Speech pathologist
Dhanushi joined the North Richmond Community Health team in July 2025. Dhanushi previously worked as a School Readiness Speech Pathologist supporting kindergarten teachers and children in being best prepared for school transition.
Dhanushi is passionate about supporting children and families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to reach their goals. Dhanushi has interests in early language intervention, phonology, and literacy.
Dhanushi is a Certified Practising Member of Speech Pathology Australia and is proficient in Sinhala and English. Dhanushi completed her Masters in Speech Pathology at the University of Melbourne in 2022.
Eilish
Speech pathologist
Eilish joined the team at North Richmond Community Health in November 2025. She has experience working as a speech pathologist with children and adolescents in childcare, schools and private practice as well as working as a primary school teacher.
Eilish values collaborating with families on their children’s communication goals and providing fun and individualised support. Eilish is trained in Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing (DTTC), Rapid Syllable Transition Training (ReST), and the Orton-Gillingham approach to teaching reading and spelling. Eilish is interested in the areas of literacy, early language, and motor speech.
Eilish is a Certified Practicing Speech Pathologist with Speech Pathology Australia and completed her Master of Speech Pathology at La Trobe University in 2022.