Therapy Assistants (TA)

Bringing Therapy into Everyday Life

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.

What does a Therapy Assistant do?

Visit your child at preschool, school, home, or in the community to provide one-to-one support
Support participation in learning, play, social activities and daily routines
Practice therapy goals through purposeful and engaging activities
Help children use strategies they have already learned in therapy sessions
Provide opportunities for repeated practice in real-world situations
Support families to embed therapeutic strategies into everyday life
Work closely with your child's therapy team to ensure consistency across environments
Build confidence, independence, and participation in meaningful activities

Supporting Your Child's Therapy Goals

Psychology TA Example Goals

Occupational Therapy TA Example Goals

Emotional Regulation

Practicing calming strategies during real-life dysregulation
Identifying emotions in the moment across settings
Using coping strategies before escalation
Increasing ability to recover after disappointment or frustration
Practicing asking for help appropriately

Flexible Thinking & Behaviour

Emotional Regulation

Practicing calming strategies during real-life dysregulation
Identifying emotions in the moment across settings
Using coping strategies before escalation
Increasing ability to recover after disappointment or frustration
Practicing asking for help appropriately

Flexible Thinking & Behaviour

Tolerating changes to routine
Practicing “trying even when unsure”
Reducing perfectionism/control behaviours
Building resilience when things do not go as expected
Supporting transitions between activities/tasks

Anxiety Support

Practicing brave behaviours/exposures in real-life situations
Reducing reassurance seeking
Supporting separation from parents during activities

Social & Peer Goals

Real-time coaching during peer interactions
Supporting turn-taking and conversational reciprocity
Helping children join peer play appropriately
Building perspective-taking during social conflict
Supporting friendship maintenance skills

Behavioural Support

Supporting routines with reduced parent prompting
Reinforcing emotional expression instead of aggression/shutdown
Coaching replacement behaviours during escalation
PDA/autistic children requiring co-regulation support in daily settings

...and much more!

Show Less

Occupational Therapy TA Example Goals

Sensory Regulation

Implementing sensory strategies throughout the day
Supporting movement breaks in real-life settings
Helping children identify body clues, which will assist independent regulation
Teaching regulation strategies to reduce dysregulation

Independence & Daily Living

Morning/evening routines
Showering/toileting independen

Sensory Regulation

Implementing sensory strategies throughout the day
Supporting movement breaks in real-life settings
Helping children identify body clues, which will assist independent regulation
Teaching regulation strategies to reduce dysregulation

Independence & Daily Living

Morning/evening routines
Showering/toileting independence
Packing school bags/lunches
Following daily routines with minimal prompts and reminders

Fine/Gross Motor Practice

Practicing handwriting strategies between OT sessions
Supporting motor planning during playground activities
Improving muscle strength to assist motor tasks
Improving coordination to assist motor skills.
Encouraging participation in PE/sport activities

Executive Functioning

Enhancing sustained attention and memory skills
Following instructions
Organisation and planning tasks
Task initiation and completion
Time management support
Transition support

Feeding Support (within scope directed by OT)

Reviewing sensory food preferences.
Providing seating supports or equipment to support eating
Providing food strategies to support oral motor sensory seeking needs, as crunchy or chewy foods

...and much more!

Show Less

Speech Therapy TA Example Goals

Occupational Therapy TA Example Goals

Speech Therapy TA Example Goals

Language Development

Expanding expressive language during play
Developing grammar and sentence structures
Following multi-step instructions
Building vocabulary in play and routines
Building receptive language skills including linguistic concepts

Pragmatic Language / Social Communication:

Building social and self-awareness in meaningful situa

Language Development

Expanding expressive language during play
Developing grammar and sentence structures
Following multi-step instructions
Building vocabulary in play and routines
Building receptive language skills including linguistic concepts

Pragmatic Language / Social Communication:

Building social and self-awareness in meaningful situations and settings
Practicing greetings and understanding social rules
Supporting asking/answering questions for meaningful interactions
Repairing communication breakdowns
Understanding perspective-taking – self and others.
Practicing conversational skills including turn-taking, reciprocal conversations and learning how to maintain or shift topics
Reading social cues in real-time interactions
Learning and practicing flexible communication with peers

AAC/Communication Systems

Supporting use of AAC devices across settings
Increasing spontaneous communication opportunities
Modelling communication systems consistently
Supporting communication during community outings

Confidence & Participation

Communication in groups
Repairing communication breakdown moments
Building self-agency including self-advocacy
Supporting initiation with peers/adults
Practicing speaking in unfamiliar settings

...and much more!

Show Less

Participation Requirements and Family Responsibilities

Home-Based Therapy Assistant Sessions

School, Preschool, or Kindergarten-Based Sessions

The TA’s role is to work alongside you and your family, supporting strategies in a way that feels practical and manageable within your home. They are not there to replace parenting, but to help scaffold skills and build confidence over time.

Families are asked to:

Provide consent for Therapy Assistant sessions to occur within the home en

Families are asked to:

Provide consent for Therapy Assistant sessions to occur within the home environment.
Ensure an adult caregiver remains on the premises for the entire duration of the session.
Be readily available should support or assistance be required during the session.
Complete any required Home Safety documentation prior to commencement of services.
Communicate any relevant changes (including cancellations), concerns, or safety considerations that may impact sessions to the Playology Client Care Team as soon as possible.

Show Less

School, Preschool, or Kindergarten-Based Sessions

To support successful collaboration within educational settings

Families are asked to:

Provide consent for Therapy Assistant sessions to occur within the educational setting.
Provide consent for communication between the therapy team and educational staff where appropriate.
Families to ensure the school, preschool or kindergarten is aware o

To support successful collaboration within educational settings

Families are asked to:

Provide consent for Therapy Assistant sessions to occur within the educational setting.
Provide consent for communication between the therapy team and educational staff where appropriate.
Families to ensure the school, preschool or kindergarten is aware of the Therapy Assistant's involvement. Some schools require consent directly from the child’s family to the school prior to external supports visiting a school.
School is required to have a staff member is available to provide support if required during sessions.
Families to communicate any relevant changes (including cancellations), concerns, or safety considerations that may impact sessions to the Playology Client Care Team as soon as possible.

Show Less

Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at admin@playologyclinic.com.au if you cannot find an answer to your question.

What are the costs and duration of a TA session?

Initial Therapy Assistant (TA) Once Off Set-Up Session:

A one-hour in-clinic set-up session is required with the therapy assistant, therapist, and client/family prior to ongoing TA sessions.

Total cost: $613

Broken down costs as follows:
Therapy Assistant: $225 (3 hours)
- Includes a joint 1hr session with the therapist and family, development of the TA plan, and a meeting with the therapy assistant
Therapist: $387.98 (OT/Speech) or $410 (psychology) (2 hours)
- Includes a 1hr joint session with the TA and family, as well as a follow-up meeting with the TA

Ongoing (TA) Sessions:

Cost: $75 per hour. Each session runs for 3 hours, totaling $225 per session.

Session structure typically includes:
- 2–2.5 hours of direct client time
- Approximately 30 minutes for clinical note writing and discussion, including consultation with the therapist
- Travel time
Sessions can be scheduled multiple times a week, once weekly or fortnightly, at a cost of $225 per session.

Can I use NDIS funding?

NDIS funding can be used for self- and plan- managed NDIS clients.

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

What qualifications does a TA have?

Many Therapy Assistants are emerging clinicians who are studying at university to become speech pathologists, occupational therapists, psychologists, teachers, and physiotherapists.

Others are accredited Allied Health Assistants who have gained specialist training and qualifications in this growing area of specialty.

Can I use the time as respite?

Technically no... but kind of yes.

A guardian must be present in the building during sessions. The TA 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 TA to get things done around the house, read a book etc... as long as you are available in case of emergency.

How is a TA different from a disability support worker?

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.

TAs 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

Does the TA replace my therapist?

Technically no... but kind of. The TA 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 in-clinic therapy sessions and/or free up your time with your primary therapist to focus on other things (e.g. parent sessions for behaviour support).

It’s important that your child’s psychologist 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 TA without engaging with a therapist to supervise them.

What can I expect from my therapist and TA?

Your Therapy Assistant (TA) works closely with your child's therapist to help implement therapy goals in everyday environments such as home, school, preschool, and the community

Therapy Assistant

In addition to providing high-quality 1:1 support with your child, outside of sessions your Therapy Assistant will:

Familiarise themselves with your child's goals, strengths, needs and therapy recommendations through therapist handovers and review of relevant documentation.
Document each session by completing a clinical note summary, which is reviewed and accessible to the supervising therapist.
Communicate any significant observations, achievements, concerns, or urgent matters to both the therapist and family as required.
Participate in regular supervision and consultation meetings with the supervising therapist to discuss progress, observations, and any challenges that arise.
Collaborate with the broader therapy team to ensure consistency across all settings.

Therapist

Your child's therapist remains responsible for overseeing the Therapy Assistant program and ensuring that support remains aligned with your child's goals.

Your therapist will:

Develop meaningful, realistic and achievable goals in collaboration with your child, family, and relevant support networks.
Obtain caregiver input and approval regarding therapy goals and intervention plans.
Provide guidance, training, and ongoing supervision to the Therapy Assistant.
Regularly review Therapy Assistant session notes, observations, and progress updates.
Monitor your child's progress and adjust goals or strategies as needed.
Organise parent or caregiver sessions when appropriate to discuss progress, challenges and recommendations.
Meet regularly with the Therapy Assistant to review observations, problem-solve barriers, and ensure intervention remains effective.
Remain available for consultation regarding concerns that arise during the Therapy Assistant program.

If you require immediate psychological support, the below services are available

EMERGENCY SUPPORT:

Call 000 for emergency support

Lifeline: 13 11 14 or visit www.lifeline.org.au

Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800 or visit www.kidshelpline.com.au

Playology acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land where we work and live. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We celebrate the stories, culture and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders of all communities who also work and live on this land.

ACN: 669 058 146 / ABN: 77 669 058 146

Book online

Therapy Assistants (TA)

Bringing Therapy into Everyday Life

Supporting Your Child's Therapy Goals

Psychology TA Example Goals

Occupational Therapy TA Example Goals

Occupational Therapy TA Example Goals

Occupational Therapy TA Example Goals

Occupational Therapy TA Example Goals

Occupational Therapy TA Example Goals

Speech Therapy TA Example Goals

Occupational Therapy TA Example Goals

Speech Therapy TA Example Goals

Participation Requirements and Family Responsibilities

Home-Based Therapy Assistant Sessions

School, Preschool, or Kindergarten-Based Sessions

School, Preschool, or Kindergarten-Based Sessions

School, Preschool, or Kindergarten-Based Sessions

School, Preschool, or Kindergarten-Based Sessions

School, Preschool, or Kindergarten-Based Sessions

Ready to take the next step in our Therapy Assistant Program?

Frequently Asked Questions

This website uses cookies.