REBATES, REFERRALS & FUNDING PROGRAMS

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Mental Health Care Plans (MHCP):

While a referral is not required to see a clinical psychologist, it may enable you to claim rebates through Medicare’s Better Access to Mental Health Initiative.
General practitioners, paediatricians and psychiatrists can provide MHCPs, which entitle you to claim rebates for up to 10 sessions per calendar year.

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Helping Children with Autism (HCWA):

The HCWA program provides funding to assist with the costs incurred in the early diagnosis and treatment of children with autism or any other pervasive developmental disorder (PDD).  These services are not an annual entitlement—they are the total number of services available to each child. A child must be referred by either a paediatrician or psychiatrist for the following services:

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• Up to four diagnostic and/or assessment services (for a person under 25 years of age)

• Up to 20 treatment services (for a person under 25 years)

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More information can be found in the Helping Children with Autism Fact Sheet for Health Providers and Parents

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GROUP PROGRAMS

Building Stronger Bonds

We are excited to announce that we are launching our new parenting program “Building Stronger Bonds” which is commencing on 10th February 2024!!

 

Building Stronger Bonds is a 10 week parenting program based on the years of research and strong evidence from the Gottman Institute which assists parents in supporting their children’s understanding of and regulation of emotions.

 

According to the Gottman Institute, effective parenting involves effective connection. Emotional intelligence is a crucial aspect of being a successful parent [1]. Emotional parenting entails acknowledging, comprehending and appropriately responding to children's emotions. The focus is on nurturing intelligence and establishing a nurturing environment where children can express and manage their emotions. Since children learn life skills by observing their parents who serve as role models it is important to equip parents with skills that enable them to take care of their emotional well being and effectively handle the challenging emotions they encounter while fulfilling their parental responsibilities.

 

Run as part of a group based format, this program offers advantages, such as creating a nurturing space for expression, interactive learning and sharing personal experiences. These aspects contribute to changes in behaviour and attitudes ultimately benefiting the treatment process [2].

 

The Building Stronger Bonds program consists of ten sessions in total. The first eight sessions are held weekly, while the last two sessions concentrate on building upon the progress made thus far and addressing any difficulties encountered along the way. These final two sessions are scheduled a month apart, to allow for implementation and adaptation of the skills taught in earlier sessions.

 

These techniques are designed to enhance strong parent-child relationships and support children in developing healthy emotional regulation skills [3][4].

 

Citations:

[1] https://www.gottman.com/blog/the-four-parenting-styles/

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6985950/

[3] https://www.psy-ed.com/wpblog/manage-your-emotions/

[4] https://www.parentingcounts.org/five-steps-of-emotion-coaching/

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Lego Social Skills Group

This LEGO-based therapy group is an evidence-based social skills program giving the opportunity to interact with other children in a fun way.

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Our aim is for participants to be able to develop social & communication skills while playing collaboratively. During the sessions, they will work together to achieve a common goal, and make their own decisions as a team.

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This group is open to all clients aged 6-14 year and will be broken up into age appropriate groups with a maximum of 3 participants. This is a 5 weeks program that runs during the school term after school. We also offer this program during the school holidays.

 

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Minecraft Social Skills Group

We are excited to have launched of our Minecraft Social Skills Program! These groups are designed to promote social growth, foster meaningful connections, and provide an exciting adventure in the world of Minecraft.

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This social skills program aims to assist children with social challenges to promote positive interactions among peers while targeting specific social skills that are essential for everyday life. Minecraft, with its creative and collaborative nature, offers an ideal platform for developing and practising social skills in a fun and safe environment.

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Here’s what sets our Minecraft Social Skills Group apart:

1. Innovative Approach: We leverage the captivating virtual world of Minecraft to create interactive scenarios that mirror real-life social situations. Through teamwork, problem-solving, and effective communication, children will enhance their social skills in a fun and exciting way.

2. Expert Guidance: Our clinicians employ evidence-based techniques to provide personalised support, helping children navigate social interactions, improve emotional regulation, and build self-confidence.

3. Tailored Program: Our program is specifically designed to address the needs of children by creating a safe and inclusive space, we empower each child to express themselves authentically and develop meaningful connections with like-minded peers.
    

Here's how it works:

• 4-6 children working together with clinicians who are facilitating sessions and social skill development. We do need a minimum of 4 participants for the group to go ahead.

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