About Us
South Coast Speech Pathology is an innovative, client focused practice based on the South Coast of NSW. We help children and their families living with communication, learning and swallowing difficulties across the Eurobodalla and Shoalhaven shires. An experienced Speech Therapist can visit you in your childcare centre, school, or home. Alternatively you can visit us at our Moruya or Nowra clinics.
South Coast Speech Pathology also provides services via Telehealth to those living in rural and remote areas. Where appropriate these Telehealth services can be supported by outreach visits with the Speech Pathologist, or an in-person assessment at our nearest clinic location.
Holistic therapy
We will work closely with families and caregivers to support individuals to achieve success in all aspects of their lives.
Community minded
We will strive to be a familiar face that links with local organisations and families.
Empowering people
We will support all individuals to be effective communicators and valued community members.
Our services
Assessment
Formal and informal speech assessments to guide therapy goals and to show progress.
Therapy
Individualised approaches to build on strengths and improve developing areas.
Literacy Programs
Quality home-based literacy programs with regular support from our therapists
Training and Consulation
In-person and training for parents, caregivers, and educators
Our Therapists
Claire Price - Director & Speech Pathologist
BBehavSc(Psych), MSpPathSt, GradCertEd(LrngDiff), GDipPsych(Adv), CPSP
Claire is the Director of South Coast Speech Pathology. Since 2013, she has worked in private practices and not-for-profit organisations across Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales. Claire also works as a casual academic and is completing research in paediatric speech and language assessment. She has additional post-graduate qualifications in literacy-based learning disorders and psychology, and has completed training in language interventions, CAS, DIR/Floortime, challenging behaviours, paediatric feeding, and AAC.
Claire is passionate about building relationships with her clients and creating a community of support around clients and their families. Her clinical experience and post-graduate training assist her to create individualised and holistic therapy sessions that help children reach their potential.
Claire is also an advocate for the Speech Pathology profession and supporting new graduate and early career therapists to find joy and confidence in their professional role.
Claire has completed additional training in the following evidence based programs:
- Hanen: It Takes Two to Talk
- Hanen: Learning Language and Loving It
- Hanen: ABC and Beyond
- Sounds Write
- Read3
- Lindamood-Bell’s Visualizing and Verbalizing Program
- Circle of Security – Parenting
- Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) Level 1 Training
- DIRFloortime® – Basic DIRFloortime® Provider
- Talking Mats
- The Lidcombe Program for stuttering
- The SOS Approach to Feeding
- Ellyn Satter: Division of Responsibility in Feeding
Ingrid Mason - Speech Pathologist
BA, BPrimEd, MA (Cognitive Science), MSpPath, CPSP
Ingrid holds qualifications in Primary School Education, Cognitive Science and a Masters of Speech Pathology and is a certified member of Speech Pathology Australia.
Ingrid brings a passion for working with strengths and building resilience in the clients and families that she meets. She has worked with children from a diverse range of backgrounds and strongly believes in the value of working with the individual, family and community in a holistic way to meet the needs of people with communication difficulties.
Throughout her years of practice, Ingrid has developed an interest in working with young people with speech and language delays and social communication difficulties. She strives to work in a neurodiversity affirming way to support children with neuro-developmental differences. Ingrid has also worked in educational environments, training and supporting teachers and learning support staff in order to create the best learning environments for children in their care.
Ingrid is also a parent and fully understands the juggling act of providing support whilst caring for others. When not working, she can be found bush-walking or enjoying the beaches of Jervis Bay with her family.
Ingrid has completed additional training in the following evidence based programs:
- Hanen: More Than Words
- Sounds Write
Kirsty Nairn - Speech Pathologist
BSPath, CPSP
Kirsty holds a bachelor of Speech Pathology is a certified member of Speech Pathology Australia.
Kirsty has lived most of her life in rural NSW and understands first-hand the barriers to accessing health services that are faced by people living in regional and rural areas of Australia. She loves working in, and with, these communities to improve their access to Speech Pathology services.
Kirsty is passionate about providing holistic therapy. She is continuously developing her understanding of neurodiversity affirming approaches to ensure that all clients are provided therapy that supports their unique strengths and ability to navigate challenges with confidence.
Kirsty has experience working with paediatric clients targeting a range of communication goals. She believes building a strong rapport with clients, families, educators and support teams is the foundation for providing positive and effective intervention.
In her downtime, Kirsty loves reading and is always working to grow her little library!
Kirsty has completed additional training in the following evidence based programs:
- The Lidcombe Program for stuttering
- Hanen: More Than Words
- Sounds Write
Josie Bauer - Speech Pathologist
BSpPath, CPSP
Josie holds a Bachelor of Speech Pathology and is a graduate from the Australian Catholic University.
She has experience working with children from 0-15 years of age to support their unique strengths, goals and aspirations. Josie worked for over four years in the not-for-profit healthcare sector within the Southern Highlands. She is excited for a sea change and to call the South Coast home.
Josie celebrates neurodiversity and is passionate about working in a respectful partnership with each client during assessment and during therapy sessions. Josie will work in collaboration with each client, and their parent, carer or teacher to develop supportive communication strategies and fun learning opportunities.
In her spare time, Josie enjoys the beach, bush walks, gym and catching up with friends.
Josie has completed additional training in the following evidence based programs:
- Sounds Write
Cherie Richards - Speech Pathologist
BAppSc(BiomedSc), MSpPath, CPSP
Cherie holds qualifications in Medical Science and a Master of Speech Pathology.
Having grown up on the NSW South Coast, Cherie is excited to be back working in the area and looks forward to supporting clients and their families/carers, with their communication and swallowing goals.
Cherie has experience working with school-aged students to develop their speech, language and literacy skills; encouraging them to grow in confidence in order to reach their full potential.
Cherie enjoys travel, nature and relaxing with family and friends.
Cherie has completed additional training in the following evidence based programs:
- Sounds Write
Sophie Smith - Speech Pathologist
BA, MSpPath, CPSP
Sophie is a new graduate speech pathologist who completed her Masters of Speech Pathology with Charles Sturt University. She is passionate about working in rural healthcare to improve access to quality speech pathology support. Sophie values collaboration with individuals and families and takes a strengths-based approach to supporting meaningful communication and swallowing outcomes that enhance participation in everyday life.
New Zealand–born, Sophie now calls the South Coast home and can usually be found at the beach, trailed by her two young children. She is committed to ongoing professional development and delivering evidence-based care that is responsive to each person’s unique strengths and goals.
Chantelle Rogers - Early Childhood Teacher / Keyworker
BLM(Pri), GradCertEd(EarlyChlhdSt)
Chantelle holds a Bachelor of Learning Management (Primary) and a Graduate Certificate of Education (Early Childhood). She has twenty years of experience teaching in primary schools and early childhood settings across Queensland, the Northern Territory, Western Australia and New South Wales. These include long day care settings, family day care, community preschools, Department of Education preschools and public schools in remote and regional areas.
Chantelle’s range of experience has led her to have a strong passion for equity of access to education and developmental supports to allow children and families to achieve desired outcomes and live full lives.
Through her work as an inclusion support teacher, literacy specialist teacher and Early Childhood Teacher (ECT) Chantelle understands the importance and significant impact of early childhood intervention and early literacy and communication development.
Chantelle is an advocate for working with children, families and professionals collaboratively as a team in everyday settings and as a parent herself understands the complexities of raising young children.
Candace Parnell - Allied Health Assistant
BPrimEd
During her time as a primary school teacher Candace often encountered students who needed speech support but who were unable to access these services due to the limited resources within the Eurobodalla.
When Candace became a mother to two boys, her understanding of the importance of access to these types of services became clear.
It is with this unique perspective of parent and educator that drove Candace to make the jump to South Coast Speech Pathology. She hopes to build strong relationships with clients and their families across the community that will help to ensure that all students have an equal chance in education and life.
Our Vision
South Coast Speech Pathology (SCSP) aims to support children and their families to gain independence and confidence. We believe that everyone has the right to be an effective communicator.
South Coast Speech Pathology is a local service that links individuals to their community and like-minded organisations. We aim to be a familiar face that empowers families and caregivers. SCSP strives to provide clients with friendly, flexible, and quality support.
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How can a Speech Pathologist Help?
Infants
Some babies have difficulties with breast and bottle feeding, or transitioning to puree and finger foods. Speech Pathologists can help babies to eat and drink safely from birth.
Communication begins from birth and babies learn to interact through smiles, cooing, and copying actions like waving, pointing and clapping. Speech Pathologists support the development of early communication skills such as eye contact, babbling, gestures and those memorable first-words.
Children and Adolescents
Language difficulties can impact on a child’s ability to understand what is said to them, to follow instructions, to ask and answer questions, and to share their thoughts and feelings. Speech Pathologists support children and adolescents to improve their receptive (understanding) language and expressive (using) language.
Some children say their words incorrectly because they have difficulty pronouncing speech sounds. This can impact on their ability to get their message across, particularly if they are talking to unfamiliar people. Those closest to them are often excellent translators! Speech Pathologist help children to improve their articulation and clarity.
Stuttering occurs when an individual repeats sounds or words, and finds it hard to get their words out smoothly. This can be a normal phase of development, especially during periods of rapid vocabulary growth, however, stuttering often requires therapy to ensure that it does not stick around. Speech Pathologists help children and adolescents to reduce their stutter.
Difficulties chewing and swallowing can impact on a child or adolescents ability to eat and drink safely, and some children only eat a very small variety of food. Speech Pathologists can support safe eating and drinking, and increasing the different kinds of food that children eat. They can also provide strategies to help encourage positive family mealtimes.
Some people need to use signs, symbols or electronic devices to communicate. These may be used to support limited verbal communication, or to replace verbal communication. Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) may be a short term approach to help people while they strengthen their verbal communication skills, or it may be something that is used throughout their life. Speech Pathologists help children and adolescents to develop communication using the most effective system for them.
Some children and adolescents find it difficult to interact with their peers. They may need support to understand body language, to play games, take turns and to have a conversation. Speech Pathologists help children and adolescents to learn to successfully engage with their peers.
Learning to read and write can be difficult for many children, particularly if they have other language or speech difficulties. Speech Pathologists can help school students to read and spell, and to develop their reading comprehension and written expression.
Adults
Adults can have difficulty with communication due to challenges they had as a child, or as a result of injuries or illnesses acquired in adulthood (e.g. stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis). Speech Pathologists can help adults with understanding and using language, speaking clearly, reducing stuttering, and supporting verbal communication with alternative and augmentative communication.
Swallowing difficulties can impact on an adult’s ability to eat and drink safely. Swallowing difficulties may be present from childhood, or may arise after an injury or illness. Speech Pathologists help adults to eat and drink safely, and support families and caregivers to implement mealtime strategies.
Many adults did not receive effective literacy instruction in childhood, and still continue to have difficulties with reading and writing. Speech Pathologists can support adults to develop their skills in reading, spelling, reading comprehension and written expression.
Adults who speak English as a second language may find that they have difficulties being understood (especially in corporate environments) due to a strong accent. Speech Pathologists can help non-native English speakers to be better understood.
Telehealth speech therapy for rural and remote areas
Your Speech Therapist can use Telehealth to do assessments and therapy over the internet. South Coast Speech Pathology views Telehealth as an alternate option for supporting children and families who live in rural and remote areas and can’t access regular in-person appointments.
