Useful links
Service_
The University of Sydney SPEECH Clinic
Providing Speech Pathology Evidence-based Education in Communication, swallowing and Hearing (SPEECH)
The University of Sydney SPEECH Clinic is a teaching and research facility providing speech pathology services to children and adults in the community.
The University of Sydney SPEECH Clinic aims to provide optimal service to clients while enabling professional growth and development for both students and educators.
The clinic's assessment and therapy services are provided by qualified speech pathologists supervising speech pathology students undertaking clinical or fieldwork training.
Supervised students are able to see adults and children with a range of communication difficulties including in language, speech, voice, stuttering, and swallowing.
The University of Sydney SPEECH Clinic is a non-profit clinic funded by the University and clinic fees. We are open to members of the public however our clinic fees are not eligible for Medicare rebates.
Clinical education
The University of Sydney SPEECH Clinic provides a setting for clinical education, in which we teach students clinical and client management skills.
Clinical education involves one-to-one or group teaching, mentoring and coaching.
Our students learn how to assess communication, develop intervention plans and counsel a variety of cases through clinical education.
Our staff comprises of clinical educators and academic staff members from the Discipline of Speech Pathology who provide clinical teaching for students.
Clinical services
Our speech pathologists provide services to people experiencing difficulties with communication and/or swallowing.
Our clinical services include:
- Assessment: comprehensive assessments of both adult's and children's communication skills. Assessment is individualised to the presenting concerns and needs. Specific recommendations about treatment and options for services included.
- Therapy: the type and frequency of therapy will depend on the professional practice best suited to the particular problem.
Please contact the clinic for a current schedule of fees.
Referrals to the clinic can be made by:
- the client
- the client's family
- schools
- employers
- community health centres
- counsellors
- doctors
- other health or community workers
For general enquiries or more information on the treatments we offer, or to arrange an assessment or treatment for you or your child please contact the clinic on 9351 9539 or email clinic-reception.swhb@sydney.edu.au during business hours.
Specialist clinical programs
Treatment programs and services offered:
- workplace communication including speech pronunciation,
- language and literacy programs,
- child speech sound disorders including Childhood Apraxia of Speech,
- neurological conditions which cause communication difficulties (e.g., brain injury, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, dementia), and
- stuttering programs including the Camperdown Program (adults) and the Lidcombe or Westmead Program (children).
Common areas of practice in speech pathology
Speech disorders in children can be caused by problems with how the child learns the sounds of their language (a phonological disorder) or from difficulties in learning how to move the muscles of your mouth to make the speech sounds accurately (articulation, apraxia or dysarthria).
How we can help:
We provide comprehensive assessments of children’s speech abilities across all domains.
Therapy is offered in both weekly and intensive blocks and will target specific, individual goals for the child.
This provides an opportunity for the child to learn skills that will be developed further in settings outside the clinic.
Therapy goals and approaches are set with reference to the latest evidence-based practice principles.
Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) may have difficulty with vocabulary, grammar and/or the use of language in social situations and in creating stories.
These difficulties can occur across speaking, listening, reading and writing, and can persist from the early years through to adulthood.
DLD may co-occur, or may not occur, with associated conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, hearing impairment or other developmental disabilities.
How we can help:
We provide comprehensive assessments of children’s language abilities across all domains.
Therapy is offered in both weekly and intensive blocks and will target specific, individual goals for the child.
Generally our therapy services are delivered individually, however occasionally we offer group programs.
Therapy provides an opportunity for the child to learn skills that can be developed further in the home and/or classroom.
Therapy goals and approaches are set with reference to the latest evidence-based practice principles.
Stuttering, or stammering, occurs when people have problems with the flow of their speech.
Children are unlikely to 'grow out' of stuttering, and need to be referred to a speech pathologist for assessment.
How we can help:
We provide effective treatment for people who stutter from 18 months old.
Preschool and school-aged children are treated using the Lidcombe Program, a program co-developed by the University of Sydney SPEECH Clinic.
This program trains parents to assist their child in controlling stutter.
Adults and adolescents are generally treated using the Camperdown Program.
This involves learning to use 'fluency technique' (sometimes known as 'prolonged speech' or 'smooth speech'). Treatment can be intensive or weekly.
Stuttering maintenance days:
For adult clients with stuttering who have completed a speech fluency program (with us or elsewhere) and wish to maintain their fluency techniques
Voice disorders can involve various symptoms including vocal hoarseness, fatigue and voice loss.
It is advised that you see an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist before seeking speech pathology voice therapy.
This will help clarify your diagnosis to ensure you receive the most appropriate intervention to best manage your voice concerns.
How we can help:
Assessment: The University of Sydney SPEECH Clinic provides voice assessment conducted by speech pathologists and ENT specialists. This comprehensive service provides clients with an informed diagnosis and recommendations to improve their voice symptoms.
Therapy: Our speech pathologists can implement a variety of techniques and approaches to help clients improve their vocal quality and achieve a more optimal pattern of voicing to meet their vocal needs.
Speech pathology programs can support adults and children with communication difficulties associated with a neurological condition.
We work with people who have a brain injury, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, or dementia.
Our programs can address speech, language, conversation skills, reading, writing and swallowing.
How we can help:
Our clinic provides individual and group programs that are tailored towards personalised goals for our clients.
Our services include comprehensive assessments, weekly therapy and intensive therapy blocks.
We aim to promote participation in communication, and support clients and their families.
Further information
For general enquiries or more information on the treatments we offer, or to arrange an assessment or treatment for you or your child, please contact the clinic on (02) 9351 9539 or clinic-reception.swhb@sydney.edu.au during business hours.