SRF Program

  • Speech Pathologist (pre-purchased by DET)

    VEYLDF Alignment

    Item uses these practice principles: Reflective practice, Partnerships with families, High expectations for every child, Respectful relationships and responsive engagement, Equity and diversity, Assessment for learning and development, Integrated teaching and learning approaches, Partnerships with professionals.

    Item responds to these sub-outcomes: Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes, Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media, Children engage with a range of texts and get meaning from these texts, Children begin to understand how symbols and pattern systems work, Children use information and communication technologies to access information, investigate ideas and represent their thinking.

    Description

    The Department of Education and Training has pre-purchased allied health support from local providers across Victoria. Providers for 2023 (by local government area) are:

    • Mallee (Shires of Buloke and Gannawarra, Cities of Mildura and Swan Hill): Sunraysia Community Health Services

    • Wimmera South West (City of Horsham, Shires of Hindmarsh, Northern Grampians, West Wimmera, and Yarriambiack): Grampians Health

    • Wimmera South West (City of Warrnambool, Shire of Corangamite, Glenelg, Moyne and Southern Grampians): South West Health Care

    • Southern Melbourne (Cities of Casey and Greater Dandenong, Shire of Cardinia): Monash Health

    • Brimbank Melton (Cities of Brimbank and Melton): IPC Health

    • Outer Gippsland (Wellington Shire) - to be determined

    • Outer Gippsland (Shire of East Gippsland): Gippsland Lakes Community Health

    • Inner Gippsland (City of Latrobe, Shires of Bass Coast, Baw Baw and South Gippsland): Latrobe Community Health Service

    • Goulburn (City of Greater Shepparton, Shires of Mitchell Moira, Murrindindi and Strathbogie): Merri Health

    • Hume (City of Hume): DPV Health

    • Moreland (City of Merri Bek): Merri Health

    • Central Highlands (City of Ballarat, Shires of Ararat, Golden Plains, Hepburn, Moorabool and Pyrenees): Ballarat Community Health

    • Loddon Campaspe (City of Greater Bendigo, Shires of Campaspe, Central Goldfields, Loddon, Macedon Ranges, and Mount Alexander): Sunbury Cobaw Community Health (Consortia)

    • Ovens Murray (Cities of Benalla, Wangaratta and Wodonga, Shires of Alpine, Indigo, Mansfield, Towong): Merri Health

    • Barwon (City of Greater Geelong, Shires of Colac Otway, Surf Coast, Borough of Queenscliffe): Barwon Health

    • Western Melbourne (Cities of Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Moonee Valley and Wyndham): Cohealth

    • North East Melbourne (Cities of Banyule, Darebin and Yarra, Shire of Nilumbik): Banyule Community Health

    • North East Melbourne (City of Whittlesea): DPV Health

    • Outer Eastern Melbourne (Cities of Knox and Maroondah, Shire of Yarra Ranges):  EACH

    • Inner Eastern Melbourne (Cities of Boroondara, Manningham, Monash and Whitehorse): Healthability (Nillumbik Community Health Service as Lead Agency) in partnership with Access Health & Community

    • Bayside Peninsula (Cities of Bayside, Glen Eira, Kingston, Port Phillip and Stonnington): Star Health Group

    • Bayside Peninsula (City of Frankston and Mornington Peninsula Shire): Peninsula Health

    Speech pathologists, using an approach that builds on existing skills and knowledge, work with kindergarten teachers, parents and families through provision of group training, case consultation and other discipline-specific services to enhance and support children's communication, language and social development.

    Speech pathologists procured by the Department will be Hanen-trained, or will be provided with training in the Hanen approach to coaching and modelling.

    Details of this support, including scheduling, will be negotiated between allied health providers and kindergarten services.

    Detailed Costs

    A portion of a service's school readiness funding may have been allocated to provide this allied health support. This allocation will cover a particular level of service, depending on the service's total funding allocation.

    Services with a total funding allocation below $5000 will not have access to pre-purchased allied health services but can use their school readiness funding to purchase these services independently.

    Implementation Considerations

    Target population: early childhood educators, children and families. 

    Program/practice descriptions and details: speech pathologists provide support to educators that builds on existing skills and knowledge, including coaching and modelling, in order to enhance their confidence in supporting children's communication and language development.

    Program adaptability: services should consider, in consultation with their speech pathologist, the needs of their staff and children, and how best they may be supported.

    Staffing: services should consider the cost of backfill if educators are required to engage in the case consultation and training elements of this program.

    Priority Area

    Communication

    Strength of Evidence

    Professional services