Speech Therapy
Support with talking, understanding, speech sounds, social communication and AAC for children and teens up to 16.
Paying for therapy shouldn’t be another thing to work out on your own. Here are the three main ways families fund speech therapy and occupational therapy at our Northmead clinic, and how to tell which one fits yours.
You don’t need funding in place to book. You’re welcome to start with an assessment and sort the funding side out alongside it, and our client care team can talk you through what’s likely to apply.
Many families use more than one pathway across the year, for example Medicare-referred sessions first, then extras cover or NDIS funding. The rule is simple: each appointment is funded one way only.
Every family’s situation is different. Some use an NDIS plan, some use a Medicare referral from their GP or paediatrician, some claim through private health extras, and plenty use a combination across the year.
For self-managed and plan-managed participants using Capacity Building – Improved Daily Living funding for speech therapy or OT.
NDIS fundingGP Chronic Condition Management Plans, the complex neurodevelopmental (Item 135) pathway, Better Access and the First Nations pathway.
Medicare rebatesHow extras cover works for speech pathology and occupational therapy, and what to ask your fund before you book.
Private healthYou can book without funding in place. Many families start with a private-fee assessment and look at funding afterwards.
Ask about feesYou don’t need funding in place to book. You’re welcome to start with an assessment and sort the funding side out alongside it. Our client care team can talk you through what’s likely to apply.
Most families fall into one of the situations below. Start there, and call us if you’re still unsure.
A quick side-by-side. Each pathway page has the detail, and our team can confirm what applies to your child.
| Compare | NDISRead more | MedicareRead more | Private healthRead more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who it suits | Children with an NDIS plan that is self-managed or plan-managed | Children referred under an eligible Medicare pathway by their GP, paediatrician or psychiatrist | Families with extras cover that includes speech pathology or occupational therapy |
| Referral needed? | Not needed to book with us | Required – in place before the first eligible session | Not usually |
| Speech therapy | Yes Capacity Building – Improved Daily Living | Yes GP plan, Item 135 and First Nations pathways | Yes On many policies – check your level of cover |
| Occupational therapy | Yes Capacity Building – Improved Daily Living | Yes All four pathways, including Better Access | Yes On many policies – often a separate category |
| How much is covered | Drawn from your child’s plan budget at our published rates | A set rebate per eligible session, with a gap payable by you | Your fund’s benefit per session up to an annual limit, with a gap payable by you |
| Limits | Set by the plan budget, not a number of sessions | Shared across allied health: e.g. 5 per year on a GP plan, 8 assessment + 20 treatment per lifetime on Item 135 | An annual limit per person, often resetting on 1 January |
| How payment works | Self-managed: you pay and claim back. Plan-managed: we invoice your plan manager | A Medicare rebate per eligible session. We’ll confirm claiming when you book | You pay for the session and claim with our itemised receipt |
Answers to the questions families ask us most about paying for therapy. Can’t see yours? Call us on (02) 9037 1163.
No. You can book an assessment at any time and pay privately, then look at funding afterwards. Medicare and private health rebates are a contribution towards the fee rather than a booking requirement, and you don’t need a referral to see us.
No. Where a Medicare rebate is claimed for an appointment, you can’t also claim the gap from your private health fund for that same appointment. You can use one pathway for some sessions and the other for others across the year. Just keep an eye on your fund’s annual limits.
Not for the same appointment. Medicare and NDIS can’t both be claimed for a single session. Some families use each for different services across the year, but every individual appointment is funded one way only.
Not to book with us. A referral is only required if you want to claim a Medicare rebate, and the type of referral depends on which Medicare pathway applies. Our Medicare page explains each one.
Usually not. Medicare rebates and private health extras generally cover part of the fee, with a gap payable by you. NDIS funding is drawn from your child’s plan at our published rates. Our client care team can give you current fees and the likely out-of-pocket cost before you book.
Speech therapy and occupational therapy under one roof at our Northmead clinic, so your child’s goals are joined up across both.
Support with talking, understanding, speech sounds, social communication and AAC for children and teens up to 16.
Support with sensory processing, fine motor skills, self-care, emotional regulation and school readiness.
Small-group sessions in the school holidays where children practise communication and social skills together.
All sessions are held at our clinic at 7/185 Briens Road, Northmead NSW 2152. See the areas we serve, or read more on our NDIS & funding blog.
Last reviewed: 22 October 2026. Funding rules, rebate amounts and session limits are set by government and by individual health funds and change from time to time. Please confirm your own entitlements with Services Australia, the NDIS or your fund.
Tell us a little about your child and how you’re hoping to fund therapy, and our client care team will point you to the right pathway.
Contact us with your child’s needs and any funding you have, whether that’s an NDIS plan, a referral or extras cover.
We’ll explain what’s claimable, our current fees and the likely gap, so there are no surprises.
We match you with the right clinician and book an initial assessment at our Northmead clinic.