Frequently Asked Questions

Playology offers comprehensive therapy support services tailored to children and adolescents from infancy through to 18 years. Additionally, we provide specialised parent/carer sessions designed to address the unique challenges of parenting.

If you are approaching 18 and looking for more than short-term support, we recommend booking with an adult service or a youth service that goes up to 25 years.

No, you don't need a referral to see any of our therapists; anyone can schedule an appointment directly. 

However, it's important to note that having a referral is necessary if you wish to access any potential rebates from Medicare. Please speak with your psychologist, GP or paediatrician about your eligibility for Medicare rebated services. 

Please note that sessions with provisional psychologists and our therapy assistants are not eligible for Medicare rebates (but are charged at a lower rate). 

You are not required to bring anything to your initial session. However, for young or anxious clients, bringing a comfort toy or item can be beneficial in easing the transition into the session, although it's entirely optional. Our therapists are well-equipped with a variety of activities designed to assist clients in comfortably settling into the session.

This entirely depends on the client and their individual needs. However, your therapist will discuss with you every step of the way what to expect in therapy and guide you regarding time frames. 

Playology offers both telehealth and outreach appointments. 

We securely maintain a credit card on file for all clients to facilitate payments.

For our private fee-paying clients, your credit card will be charged on the day of your appointment, following the session. You can manually submit any claims for Medicare rebates and private health insurance after the payment has been processed. If you're unsure about the process, our team can provide guidance on how to do this.

For clients funded through the NDIS, a credit card to secure your bookings, and it may be charged if there are any breaches of the service agreement payment terms.

The first session does involve more "adult talk" than other sessions. It's important that we understand your concerns and set some goalspave a way forward. 

You know your family best. It is entirely your call as to whether it would be better to have a child present for these discussions or whether they meet the therapist at the next appointment instead.

We encourage parents/carers to attend their child's therapy appointments, for several important reasons:

1. Support: Parents/carers play a crucial role in their child's emotional and psychological well-being. Attending the appointment shows that you are actively involved in your child's care, offering them emotional support and reassurance during what can be challenging times.
2. Information: The therapist will often gather valuable information from parents/carers about their child's behavior, development, and history. Your insights and observations can provide essential context and help the psychologist better understand your child's needs.
3. Collaboration: Collaborative efforts between parents/carers and therapists lead to more effective treatment and support plans. By attending the appointment, you can actively participate in the decision-making process, contribute to goal setting, and ensure that the chosen interventions align with your family's values and preferences.
4. Understanding: The therapist may offer insights and guidance on how to support your child's well-being and development at home. This information can empower parents/carers with practical strategies to help their child in everyday life.
5. Communication: Attending the appointment allows parents/carers to ask questions, seek clarification, and engage in open and honest communication with the therapist. This can help address any concerns or uncertainties and establish a positive working relationship.

In summary, attending your child's appointment is a proactive and supportive step that enables you to actively participate in your child's care, gain valuable insights, and collaborate with the therapist to create a holistic and effective approach to addressing their psychological needs.

Legal guardians have the right to access their child's records at any time. 

However, in some cases the therapist may ask the parent/legal guardian for permission to keep the content of sessions confidential. This is to build trust between the therapist and child, which is crucial for effective treatment. 

In such cases, the therapist will still provide parents/legal guardians with information that is important for them to know, including if their child is at risk, treatment goals and general progress.

You can view our confidentiality policy here.

Research shows telehealth can be just as effective as in-person appointments for children when the therapist and parent/carer work in partnership. 

The therapist will generally guide the parent/carer through activities with their child. Older children may complete activities on the screen with the therapist or in mailed-home activity packets, and will just require the parent to support them with any in-person help they may need. 

We encourage parents/carers to be an active part of a teenager's treatment team. This can look different for different families. It could be attending sessions, having follow up phone calls, and/or being part of an email group with practical strategies.  

Whether or not parents/carers are in the room for appointments entirely depends on the needs of the client and their preferences. We'll be led by what makes everyone involved feel most comfortable.  

Playology Clinic requires parental consent for all young people under 16 years of age. 

From the age of 16 onwards, adolescents do not require parental consent to see one of our therapists.

If the client is over 16 years of age and able to provide informed consent for treatment, then their records are confidential to them and cannot be accessed by parents/guardians without the consent of the client.

If the client is under 16 years old, their records can be accessed by the parent or guardian who consents on their behalf. 

However, in some cases the therapist may ask the parent/legal guardian for permission to keep the content of sessions confidential. This is done to ensure the therapist and minor can establish rapport and trust, because not having this trust can be detrimental to treatment. 

In such cases, the therapist will provide parents/guardians with information that is important for them to know, including if their child is at risk, treatment goals and general progress.

You can view our confidentiality policy here.

You can't force anyone to see a health professional. If someone feels forced to attend therapy, it can damage the therapeutic relationship and you are unlikely to see any benefits. It can also make it less likely for that person to seek help in the future, as they may associate it with the negative feelings they felt when they were forced to attend. 

If your teenager repeatedly refuses help, the best thing you can do as a parent is continue to provide your own support, care and guidance. That way, if they ever change their mind, they'll know you'll be there to give them a hand. You may even benefit from seeking help for your own wellbeing to get you through this challenging time. 

The rapport between a therapist and client is so important. To help foster this relationship, it can be useful for the client to feel empowered to make the choice about who they see and when. You may find it useful to support your teen to go online to select their own therapist. 

If your teen doesn't think they have a problem, it might be helpful to explain to them that seeking professional help isn't only for people who are unwell. Allied health professionals give people strategies for dealing with life's challenges no matter what their wellbeing is like currently.

The pricing structure for assessment sessions reflects the extensive time and effort that your therapist will dedicate outside of sessions to scoring, analysing results, and preparing comprehensive reports. 

Assessment in allied health is a nuanced process, and there's rarely a single test or method that can provide a straightforward "yes" or "no" diagnosis. Instead, it involves gathering information from multiple sources to assemble a holistic understanding of the individual's situation. Therapists then rely on their extensive clinical experience to piece together this intricate puzzle. 

You can either:

• Book your initial session online. We'll schedule the rest of your sessions when we meet with you.
• Call our reception team to schedule on 9752 1571. Just make sure to specify that you are booking an assessment, and what type. You can book in for just the first session, or ask our team to help you schedule them all while you are on the phone. 

Often when children are struggling or seem to be behind their peers developmentally, a GP, paediatrician or teacher may suggest that your child undergo assessment. These assessments reveal the areas in which a child is doing well and those which he or she might need more support in.

There are a range of formal and informal assessments that our team may undertake to better understand a young person's needs. Formal developmental assessments often involve exploring whether a person meets criteria for a specific neurodevelopmental disorder, such as autism, ADHD or intellectual disability.

For parents/carers uncertain about whether their child would benefit from such an assessment, we recommend scheduling an appointment with one of our therapists. During this consultation, you can openly discuss your concerns and explore the potential need for an assessment. 

Each assessment is uniquely tailored to the needs of the individual, but will usually involve some combination of the following elements:

1) Developmental history

In your first assessment session, a full history is taken of your family and your child’s development. Information is gathered about social, emotional, behavioural and learning skills. It helps your therapist to identify any atypical patterns, including when and how specific challenges or differences emerged. 

2) Standardised assessments

These are formal assessments that have been designed to measure a child’s abilities compared to other children their age. These assessments typically have strict rules for how they are administered (e.g. the words the psychologist can use when asking questions). 

For younger children, these "tests" look like games and play. They do become more structured for older children and teens, however they shouldn't be intimidating. It’s important that your child knows that it is not a pass or fail test like the kind you may normally study for. 

3) Observations

Therapists will also observe your child throughout the assessment process. Sometimes, depending on the reason for the assessment, your therapist may also visit your child at home or at school to further understand their interactions with others.

4) Information from multiple sources

It is completely normal for people behave differently in different settings. For this reason, developmental assessments usually involve seeking information from multiple people in a child's life. Questionnaires may be sent to a child's teachers, parents, or other key adults in their life, depending on the needs of the child.

5) Differential diagnosis (if relevant)

There is a lot of overlap of symptoms of developmental disorders. As such, it is important that your child's therapist can rule out other factors as the cause of a child's challenges. 

6) Reporting and feedback

Your therapist will discuss the outcomes of the testing and provide recommendations for individuals, parents, or schools as required. We know it can be hard to wait until the end of the assessment process for this. However, it's important that your therapist have the time to consider all the factors of the assessment to give the most accurate and comprehensive results. 

It is important to talk to your child about what will happen before the assessment. Children feel less anxious when they know what to expect. Allied health assessments don't look like "tests" that your child may be used to, such as medical tests (e.g. blood tests) or school tests, like exams. 

Be sure your child knows that there will be no physical exam, so no needles or medicine. With younger children, you can highlight the fun and playful aspects, such as puzzles and games. For older children, it is often helpful to describe it as a mix of games and school-type work. It's crucial to reassure your child that this is not like a school test with grades or a pass/fail outcome. Encourage them to simply do their best without pressure.

There is nothing a child can do to "study" or prepare for an assessment. Questions can't be provided in advance as this would invalidate the results.

For your first session, it can be useful to bring anything that helps us build an understanding of your child's history and current presentation. This may include Maternal Child Health records (e.g. their "green book"), school reports, medical reports and reports from any other assessments (e.g. psychological, psychiatric, speech and language, OT).

If your child wears glasses or a hearing aid, please make sure to bring these to the assessment.

If anything else is required for a particular assessment, your psychologist will let you know beforehand.  

Once the assessment is finished, your therapist will review their findings with you. It's important to remember that these results are only looking at specific areas of your child's development. They don't represent a complete picture of their potential, abilities, or skills. 

The therapist will discuss your child's areas of strength and offer suggestions for improvement in any areas that may need attention. If your child receives a diagnosis (e.g. a learning disability, developmental disorder, or behavioral or emotional challenge), we will provide recommendations on how to support them in managing that specific concern.

We never want children to have to re-do things unnecessarily. As long as the other assessment is recent and there is a detailed report with results, we can usually use that instead. Please bring the report with you to the first session and your therapist will discuss options with you. 

Fees will be adjusted accordingly if part of our assessment package is not required. 

All psychologists are required to undertake a higher level of mentoring in their first couple of years of practice. Some do this as part of university placements, some do it as part of their employment, and others do a combination of both. During this period, they are registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) as provisional psychologists. Our provisional psychologists meet at least weekly with a Board-Approved Supervisor, and engage in intensive professional development.

We offer sessions with our provisional psychologists at a lower rate than with our general psychologists. These appointments are not eligible for Medicare rebates. 

 When people think of psychology sessions, they often picture "talk therapy". However, psychologists do so much more than that! What sessions look like entirely depends on a client's goals, interests, abilities and more. It's completely tailored to the individual.
Our psychologists have a range of specialised techniques and approaches tailored to children of various ages and developmental stages, including those who are nonverbal or very young. We include lots of therapeutically beneficial games and play. 

With children, our approach often involves extensive collaboration with the family (see FAQ about involving parents/carers in session for more information).  

An occupational therapist (OT) specializes in helping people of all ages, including children, to participate in everyday activities. For children, occupational therapists focus on promoting independence and enhancing development in areas such as:

1. Fine Motor Skills: Helping children with tasks like writing, cutting with scissors, and using utensils.
2. Sensory Processing: Addressing how children respond to sensory stimuli (like touch or sound) and helping them regulate sensory input.
3. Self-Care Skills: Teaching children how to dress, groom, and complete other activities of daily living independently.
4. Social Skills: Supporting interactions with peers and adults, including communication and play skills.

Overall, occupational therapists work closely with children and their families to identify challenges, set goals, and develop personalised approaches to improve the child's ability to participate in school, home, and community activities successfully.

 Both OTs and physiotherapists help people's movement, which is why it can get confusing. There can be some cross-over, but in general:

• Occupational therapists focus on fine motor skills, which are the movements of the small muscles of the body. A physiotherapist focuses more on gross motor skills, which are movements using the large muscles of the body.
• A physiotherapist helps improve the quality of movement of the human body whereas an occupational therapist helps improve the quality of participation in an individuals’ daily functional tasks (of which movement can be involved).

Both psychologists and occupational therapists support children and young people with regulation. However, the underlying focus is slightly different. 

• OTs primarily address functional skills and independence. Sensory regulation plays a big part in this.
• Psychologists primarily focus on behavioural, emotional and learning difficulties. Emotional regulation plays a big part in this. 

Each of the areas we mentioned above, impacts upon other areas. As such, our psychologists and occupational therapists often work together to create the best outcomes for our children and families. 

Therapy Assistants work in a child’s natural environment (e.g. home, school, childcare), to embed the strategies from therapy sessions into their daily life. Their role is to implement strategies recommend by a child's therapist, as part of a child's everyday life. 

• Supported, high intensity practice of clinical strategies
• Cost effective
• Confidence that your child’s therapy “homework” is being done
• Share the load of therapeutic strategies
• Can give other adults a chance to focus on other things
• Strengthen the bridge between a child’s everyday life and formal therapy sessions

All of our therapy assistants are emerging clinicians who are studying at university to become psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, teachers, and physiotherapists.

Technically no... but kind of yes.

A guardian must be present in the building during sessions. The therapy assistant can’t drive a child and can’t go anywhere with them without a guardian or authorised adult present.

However... you are more than welcome to use the time your child is with their therapy assistant to get things done around the house, read a book etc... - as long as you are available in case of emergency.

Both are valuable supports to a family and help a child achieve their goals. The Therapy Assistant role is very specific in what they can provide. They are present in a therapeutic capacity rather than a support or carer role - everything comes back to their clinical goals. 

For clients utilising NDIS funding, this means the “Improved Daily Living’ budget is used for therapy assistants, just like your other therapists.

Therapy assistants are unable to provide activities such as respite for a carer that is away from the child (e.g. cannot take them out to a park on their own) or transport services - those needs fall under the role of a disability support worker.

Technically no... but kind of. The therapy assistant replaces the repetitive practice and exposure to concepts that is important in lots of young people’s treatment plans. For many families, this will allow you to significantly reduce the frequency of other therapy sessions and/or free up your time with your OT or psychologist to focus on other things (e.g. parent sessions for behaviour support).

It’s important that your child’s therapist remain part of the team, as they are the ones with the specialised knowledge that guide everything that happens. At Playology, you cannot access a therapy assistant without engaging with a therapist to supervise them.

The Therapy Assistant is a full member of your child’s clinical team and can offer arange of supports, such as:

• Visiting your child at preschool or school to provide one-to-one support that helps with participation and learning
• Engaging in ‘purposeful play’ in a variety of settings so that your child gets specific practice to help them reach their goals
• Supporting interactions with siblings, or facilitating play dates
• Coaching your child through frustration when doing homework or other nonpreferred tasks
• Working with the family to embed calming activities, such as mindfulness, into daily routine 
• Guiding your child at home as they practice and master their morning or afternoon routines, developing their independence and executive functioning skills
• Implementing behaviour support plans
• Helping your child to recognise their strengths and develop their self-esteem and confidence
• ...And so much more!