We offer a wide range of therapy services that we tailor to meet your needs. Our therapists work closely with you and other members of our team to find the best way that we can support you. Therapy sessions can be held at one of our centres, in your home or out and about in the local community.
You can find more information on each of the therapy services we offer, how they are delivered and who they can help below.
Dietitians are for everyBODY! Our Accredited Practicing Dietitians (APD) are all specialist nutrition experts with at least four years of university training and dietitians must meet the annual registration requirements upheld by our governing body, Dietitians Australia.
We provide evidence-based, personalised nutrition counselling. Our team specialises in supporting people with disabilities to achieve their goals through client-centred nutrition plans.
Dietitians work in a diverse range of settings including private practice, community, hospitals, food industry, sporting bodies, public health and media.
Our dietitians provide support across the lifespan for many areas, including providing services in:
Our Dietitians can be accessed through multiple funding sources including:
Our Dietitians are skilled in working across a diverse range of locations including within ‘homes, out in the community (parks, shopping centres, daycares and schools), telehealth (phone or video) and in our own clinic spaces.
We have offices in Maitland, Kurri Kurri, Ashtonfield and Muswellbrook and are available to see people in the Maitland, Cessnock, Port Stephens,
Dungog, Upper Hunter and Newcastle LGA’s.
We are able to provide tailored nutrition support for a range of conditions and presentations including:
2. Adults:
After being contacted and booked in by our friendly administration staff you will have your first session with the dietitian. This session will go for approximately 1.5-2 hours depending on the complexity of your nutritional needs and may take up to 2 sessions to complete. If the session is for your child, the clinician may ask that your first session is a carer/parent only session so that you can utilise one-on-one time to answer assessment questions in detail.
There may also be clinical indications to complete a nutritional analysis using software or a questionnaire specific to your goals.
Our paediatric physiotherapists are registered through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and have completed at least four years of university training, with some holding additional masters qualifications and titling status through the Australian Physiotherapy Association.
Our physiotherapists support physical development and overall wellbeing, specialising in assessing and treating children and young adults. Our targeted interventions address a range of physical challenges, including motor delays, musculoskeletal conditions, neurological disorders and developmental disabilities. We use the latest research to guide treatment plans, ensuring interventions are effective and tailored to unique needs.
Our paediatric physiotherapists provide a range of services, including:
Our goal is always to optimise functional outcomes and quality of life, whether that means improving mobility, reducing pain or enhancing a child’s independence.
Our highly skilled Physiotherapists can be accessed through multiple funding sources including:
Our physiotherapists are skilled in working with a diverse range of people across various settings, including within their homes, out in the community (such as the park, pool, or school), and in our own clinic spaces. Taking this approach ensures we can provide the supports required to meet their needs best and embed therapy into their regular routines where possible.
Early Links provides paediatric physiotherapy services for children in the Hunter region including areas such as Ashtonfield, Maitland, Rutherford, Newcastle, Kurri Kurri, Cessnock, Singleton, Port Stephens, Dungog and the Upper Hunter.
We have a special interest in the management of children who present for a variety of different reasons, including:
After being contacted and booked in by our friendly administration staff, you will have your first session with your physiotherapist. This session is tailored to the primary concerns at the time of assessment and may include a general or standardised assessment.
An initial session will typically include assessment of overall alignment, gross motor movements, milestones, strength, flexibility, and coordination. For this reason, we ask that you please bring any mobility aids that you currently use, wear (or bring) shorts above the knee and wear enclosed shoes such as joggers. It is also helpful to bring any reports and diagnostic information, such as imaging if applicable.
Ongoing treatment may involve play based exercises and activities to improve motor skills, equipment recommendations, further standardised assessment recommendations and strategies to enhance functional abilities.
Our Early Intervention Teachers have completed a University Degree or equivalent and are registered with the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA).
Early intervention teachers support each child to actively participate in their natural environments, including the family home, early childhood settings, schools, and communities.
They foster development through play and integrate therapeutic strategies into daily routines. By collaborating with children and the key adults in their lives, Early Intervention teachers help achieve meaningful, individualised goals.
Early intervention teachers work with young children (typically aged 0-9 years) who have developmental delays or disabilities. They also collaborate closely with:
Our goal is to enhance a child’s development, promote inclusion, and empower families during the critical early years.
No referral is needed to access our highly skilled Early Intervention Teachers. Multiple funding sources can be used to access Early Intervention services, including:
Our Early Intervention teachers support children 0- 9 years of age with developmental delays or disabilities who are funded through the NDIS.
We have clinics in Maitland, Kurri Kurri, Ashtonfield and Muswellbrook where you can come to us, or we can visit you at home, childcare, schools and your local community.
Telehealth sessions are also an option if appropriate for the individual instead of face-to-face sessions.
After booking an appointment with one of our friendly staff, our first visit will focus on getting to know you and your child. We will discuss your child’s daily routines, challenges, strengths, and interests to gain a comprehensive understanding of their needs.
During this session, we will complete an initial visit form, which typically takes around two hours to ensure we gather all the necessary information such as early milestones, to provide the best support. We are always happy to answer any questions you may have along the way.
In some cases, this first visit may be most effective as a parent or carer- only session. However, we understand that your child may need to attend, and we are happy to accommodate this if required.
Following this, we will schedule a visit to meet your child, engaging them in play-based or structured activities to assess their current developmental needs. Future visits will then be planned in alignment with your goals and expectations.
Registered Art Therapists in Australia have completed a masters level university degree or demonstrate equivalent experience. All Early Links art therapists uphold registration requirements for the Australia, New Zealand, and Asia Art Therapy Association (ANZACATA).
Our art therapists support people who have difficulty communicating needs and wants by allowing them to safely explore, interpret, express and resolve difficult emotions, non-verbal communication, feelings, conflicts, thoughts and experiences. Art therapy is about the social, psychological and physiological benefits of the process of art making, and no previous skill in art is required.
Art therapy provides people with evidence-based strategies and coping mechanisms to help them maintain a sense of identity, improve relationships, build capacity in themselves and achieve their NDIS capacity building goals. They use visual art equipment such as clay, paints, digital art, mask making, fabric and other materials to create visual forms of personal expression. Art Therapy is particularly helpful where other talking based supports are difficult to engage with.
We engage with children, adolescents, adults, elderly across the neurodivergent spectrum and range of abilities. Diagnosis may include Autism, ADHD, anxiety, depression, ODD, global developmental delay, and dementia.
Art therapy is for individuals, groups, families, organisations and services to upskill, build capacity and assist people, families and practitioners working with autism, ADHD, ODD, emotional regulation, complex trauma, anxiety, depression, addiction, global development delay and dementia.
The team can work across developmental domains and assist with:
Art Therapy is about the process, and not always about the final composition.
No referral is needed to access our highly skilled Art Therapists. Multiple funding sources can be used to access Art Therapy, including:
You will find Art Therapists in all settings including hospitals, palliative care settings, in private clinics, in schools, SIL housing, in the community, in preschools and visiting homes.
Our Art Therapy team works with people of all ages and all abilities. You do not need to be an artist to benefit from Art Therapy.
We have offices in Maitland, Ashtonfield, Kurri and Muswellbrook and we provide supports to people across the Upper Hunter, Maitland, Port Stephens, Cessnock and Newcastle LGAs.
Our team will book an initial session where you will come in and meet our Art Therapist. Depending on the age of the client, this might parents or caregivers only, or the client only. In the first session you will be asked questions about yourself, what you would like to achieve and what types of art media you may like to work with. Our art therapist will explain the therapeutic process to you. Together you will make a plan and set goals. You might like to wear clothes that you don’t mind getting paint, clay or other art materials on. You can also bring something to cover your clothes if you prefer.
Ongoing sessions will be personalised to meet you goals and needs. The sessions are about exploring the process.
Registered Music Therapists in Australia have completed a masters level university degree. All Early Links art therapists uphold the registration requirements through the Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA). You don’t need to be a musician to benefit from Music Therapy!
Registered music therapists are not only skilled musicians, they are trained in understanding the effects music experiences can have on behaviours, feelings, thoughts and actions.
Music therapists use their therapy training and musical ability to facilitate interactive musical experiences to help people achieve goals. These goals may include improved communication, cognition, physical function, mood, wellbeing, and/or spiritual goals.
You will find music therapists in hospitals, mental health settings, in schools, clinics and the community.
The benefits and flexibility of music therapy is in its ability to work with people on multiple goals at the same time. Music therapy plans are highly individualised for the people we work with and may include addressing goals through:
We work with people on a range of goal areas including:
No referral is needed to access our highly skilled Music Therapists. Multiple funding sources can be used to access Music Therapy, including:
Music therapists work with people across their life from infancy to aged care. We work in the home, school, community, hospitals, aged care facilities, SIL housing and mental health settings.
Music Therapy is suitable for everyone! We work with people with a variety of neurotypes and disabilities.
We work across the Port Stephens, Maitland, Cessnock, Upper Hunter and Newcastle LGAs.
Our music therapy team will book in a 30-minute phone intake to discuss your goals and want you want to achieve from Music Therapy sessions. In that phone call we will ask you information about you, what your music preferences are, what you want to achieve and answer any questions you may have. We will then schedule a face-to-face session.
When you meet us, don’t be shy! Music therapy is not about skills. It is about exploring music and its creation to engage in a therapeutic process. Our first session involves trialling different instruments and techniques, and finding out what works best for you.
Our play therapist completed a masters of play therapy at Deakin university in Melbourne and has since achieved the outcomes to be a registered play therapist with Australasia pacific play therapy association (APPTA).
A play therapist uses evidence-based, developmentally appropriate techniques to support children’s emotional, social, and cognitive development through play. By creating a safe and supportive environment, they help children express feelings, develop coping skills, and process experiences in ways that align with their age and abilities. Play therapists use both structured and child-led approaches to foster emotional regulation, resilience, and social connections, particularly for children facing challenges such as anxiety, trauma developmental differences or behavioural concerns.
Our registered play therapists provide evidence-based interventions tailored to each child’s unique needs. We deliver a variety of play therapy modalities, including:
In addition to therapy sessions, we also offer:
No referral is needed to access our highly skilled Play Therapist. Multiple funding sources can be used to access Play Therapy, including:
Play therapy is a growing field and is used across a range of settings to support children’s emotional, social, and developmental needs. You can find play therapists in:
Play therapy is evidence-based and highly effective for children aged 0-12 years, with some older people benefiting based on developmental needs. It is particularly beneficial for children experiencing:
Play therapy can be accessed through the NDIS or as a private paying service, though Medicare subsidies are not currently available.
Play therapy begins with an intake interview with the family, where the child is not present. This allows the play therapist to gather background information, determine whether play therapy is the appropriate modality, and discuss goals for intervention.
Sessions are conducted one-on-one with the child, as the counselling nature of play therapy requires a private, therapeutic space. Play therapy is most effective when delivered in a structured block of sessions, with the therapist guiding families on the recommended duration based on the child’s needs.
Each session lasts 45 minutes to an hour, during which your child’s brain will be working hard to process emotions and experiences. It is common for children to feel a little tired afterward.
To ensure collaboration and track progress, parent meetings are scheduled at the midpoint and conclusion of each block. These meetings allow the therapist to:
Behaviour support practitioners (BSPs) in Australia have all completed a relevant undergraduate degree and are all registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
Our BSPs work with people to meet quality of life goals, ensuring needs are met in a way that decreases behaviours of concern. They support people to recognise and advocate for their needs, communicate those needs with others, and engage in activities they find fulfilling.
We offer a trauma- informed, neurodiversity affirming, person- centred approach to behaviour support.
Our goal is to support people to reduce the frequency of behaviours of concern.
No referral is needed to access our highly skilled Behaviour Support Practitioners. Multiple funding sources can be used to access Behaviour Support, including:
Our behaviour support practitioners are available to work across the lifespan and in variety of settings including schools, preschools, in the community, in supported independent living homes, and in homes.
We work with people who have NDIS Improved Relationships funding, and private funding. We also accept referrals from the Department of Communities and Families.
We work across the Port Stephens, Cessnock, Maitland, Upper Hunter LGAs.
One of our friendly business support officers will contact you to arrange your first appointment with our Behaviour Support Practitioners. In this session we will:
We may also book in sessions across a variety of settings including home, school, preschool, sport, or in the community so that we can start to collect data and build the plan.
It does take time to build a behaviour support plan. We won’t leave you without supports in this time. We will be working together to trial strategies and ideas. We want to work to build small sustainable changes that don’t overwhelm you and your family.
Our Occupational therapists are all university trained and are registered through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Occupational therapists help people develop and improve skills needed for daily living and learning, to increase independence and meet their goals.
Occupations refers to functional activities and roles you need or want to do in everyday life. For children, they may help with building toileting, sleep, handwriting, sensory processing, play and regulation skills.
Occupational therapy intervention may include assessment, breaking down tasks into various steps and skills, and working on the underlying components involved in activities. Sometimes adaptations or modifications can be made to the task to support independence.
Our occupational therapists provide a range of services and supports including:
Our goal is to improve the person’s function and participation in the
activities they need to or want to do.
No referral is needed to access our highly skilled Occupational Therapists. Multiple funding sources can be used to access Occupational Therapy, including:
Our team support children and adolescents of all ages with delays, difficulties, and diagnoses, including but not limited to:
We have clinics in Maitland, Kurri Kurri, Ashtonfield, and Muswellbrook where you can come to us, or we can visit you at home, childcare, schools, and your local community. Some of our team members service outreach areas, such as Tea Gardens and Merriwa. Services can also be accessed through Tele-health platforms if face-to-face sessions are not available to you.
Our administration staff will be the first point of contact in looking after your child’s needs. They will be able to book in an initial appointment with one of our Occupational Therapists where we will commence supports with an initial appointment.
There is no “typical” initial appointment as each therapist can differ in their approach. Initial appointments can be parent/carer-only or with the child included, depending on what’s most comfortable for everyone involved.
The therapist will discuss your child’s functioning in their occupations, using our initial interview form. This will provide an insight of your child’s strengths and areas of development. Our therapists love to hear how we can win your child over from that first visit! From here, you will be able to set goals with the therapist and determine priorities and timelines for achieving these.
The initial interview will take between one and two hours, depending on the amount of information gathered and the child and family’s needs. It may be helpful to bring along the child’s NDIS plan and any recent reports from other specialists, e.g., doctor, paediatrician, allied health, hearing screener etc.
Therapists can work with you to determine the best location for sessions and begin organising these. Our therapists are happy to answer any question you may have along the way.
Speech pathologists in Australia have completed a university degree, and all Early Links speech pathologists are registered with Speech Pathology Australia.
Our speech pathology team is one of the largest in the region, with more than 20 speech pathologists and allied health assistants. We are experienced in a wide range of areas and pride ourselves on our best practice-focused, positive attitude and organised approach. We are also passionate about continuing to learn through professional development so people always receive the best therapy.
Our speech pathologists assess, diagnose, and treat a range of difficulties.
These include:
We are also able to offer support for teens and adults for communication and swallowing needs. Our team can provide professional development training on topics within our scope of practice as requested.
No referral is needed to access our highly skilled Speech Pathologists. Multiple funding sources can be used to access Speech Pathology, including:
Our speech pathologists work with people of all ages -from babies to adults. We enjoy supporting people at different stages of life. We work closely with you and your team to learn what is important to you. Together, we find the best way to help you reach your communication goals.
Our Psychologists are university trained and registered through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
Our psychology team are trauma-informed, neurodiversity affirming mental health professionals.
The team is trained in various evidence-based therapy approaches and assessment tools for intervention and assessment. We work collaboratively with people empowering them to understand their individual needs and make the necessary changes to meet their goals.
A psychologist may assist you with:
Our psychology team are trained to assess in the following areas:
Our psychologists are trained to implement the following interventions:
No referral is needed to access our highly skilled Psychologists. Multiple funding sources can be used to access Psychology services, including:
While some of our Early Links psychologists have experience working with adults and adolescents, much of our work is with children and their families.
The psychology team accept the following funding types:
We predominately work in clinic as well as in schools, and homes as needed. We are able to offer telehealth sessions.
We have offices in Maitland, Kurri Kurri, Ashtonfield and Muswellbrook and accept referrals in the Maitland, Cessnock, Port Stephens, Upper Hunter and Newcastle LGAs.
We will book in an initial session where we spend time learning about you and what you would like to achieve with psychology supports. For younger people this session will be for parents only. For others, this may be just with the client.
In this session we will talk about the role of the psychologist, what you want to achieve, the timing of ongoing sessions and any approaches that may help.
Ongoing intervention will be evidence based and work towards the goals you and your psychologist have worked together to create.
Our Allied Health Assistants are either qualified with a certifcate in Allied Health, or undertaking a university degree towards a relevant Allied Health field.
Allied health assistants work under the direct supervision or guidance of allied health professionals. They can work in settings such as hospitals, schools, and community centres. Our allied health assistants support our people across various disciplines such as occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech pathology, assisting with therapeutic programs and supports.
An allied health assistant (AHA) supports the implementation of a therapy program prescribed by an allied health professional, such as an occupational therapist, speech pathologist or physiotherapist.
Allied health assistants work under the direct supervision or guidance of allied health professionals. Allied health assistants can also create specific client resources as directed by the therapist involved.
No referral is needed to access our highly skilled Allied Health Assistants. Multiple funding sources can be used to access Allied Health Assistant services, including:
Our allied health assistants can help support many of our client’s receiving therapy services at Early Links. The prescribing therapist is able to determine whether a home or community therapy program would be beneficial and whether it is appropriate to have an allied health assistant direct this.
An allied health assistant either has a certificate- level qualification in allied health assistance, or is training at university to become an allied health professional. This means they have good background knowledge and basic skills to help them deliver specific prompting, strategies, and overall supports.
Having an allied health assistant on board to deliver therapeutic programs can be more cost effective, which may mean that you are able to make your funding go further through additional face- to- face and guided therapy sessions.
In an initial AHA session, you can expect your therapist to complete a joint visit to go over the program and complete an introduction between the client and AHA.
This session aims to ensure that the therapist and client are confident in completing ongoing sessions together.
It will generally be completed in the location intended for ongoing therapy, whether this is the school, home, park or pool!
In an ongoing capacity your therapist will generally complete termly check-ins to review the effectiveness of the program and update as required.
Please contact us on 02 4934 3773 for more information.
Complete our referral form to begin receiving personalised support and therapy services tailored to your needs. We’re here to help!
Early Links empowers people with additional needs and their families by supporting inclusion.
We’ve supported our community for more than 40 years and as a registered charity and NDIS provider, the needs of the families we support are always our priority.
Early Links acknowledges, respects and thanks the Wonaruah nation and all other nations as caretakers of the land and sea on which we live and work. We pay our respects to all elders, past, present and emerging and to leaders from all countries.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website may contain images and voices of deceased people.
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