About the SPOT Program
The SPOT Program is a term group developed to assist children with reaching developmental speech and motor milestones, to ensure a smooth transition into Kindergarten.
The program will strengthen your child’s confidence to approach tasks, work in groups, interact with their peers appropriately, follow instructions, and develop their independence. They will also build their phonological awareness, written expression and numeracy skills with the group’s Occupational Therapist and Speech Pathologist.
The SP in SPOT will address:
- Attention and listening
- Understanding (receptive) Language
- Expressive (Spoken) Language
- Social Communication
- Pre-Literacy Skills
The OT in SPOT will address:
- Pencil Grasp
- Name writing
- Cutting skills
- Drawing & colouring Skills
- Numbers
- Organisation
- Following a routine
- Play skills
What are the requirements for the program?
When do the SPOT school readiness program run?
Our School Readiness Program will be offered in Terms 3 and 4 every year for children attending kindergarten. You can click on the link below to register your interest in our next group using the enquiry form on our contact page. Please be aware that all new clients to HDST, including clients that have not been previously assessed by a speech pathologist, will be advised to attend a 30 minute screening consultation that will allow us to determine your child’s abilities and tailor the groups to their needs.
How much does it cost?
Upon registering your interest online, or through your therapist (for current clients), our intake team will provide you with information on the specific costs for the program. Rebates are available for clients with private health insurance and NDIS funding. Please note that payments are upfront and non-refundable.
Frequently Asked Questions about the SPOT Program
Is the SPOT Program suitable for Autistic children?
Whilst our SPOT Program is not specifically designed for autistic children (i.e. children without a diagnosis can participate), it is designed to support children who have additional difficulties (e.g. language difficulties, social communication difficulties) learn the basic skills required for starting Kindergarten next year. In saying this, our team will still be able to screen your child to determine their suitability and to see whether additional supports will be required. Both our Speech Therapists and Occupational Therapists have extensive experience working with autistic children and would be able to make adjustments where and when required.
How many children will be in each group?
The groups will have a maximum of 8 children supported by a Speech Pathologist, Occupational Therapist and Allied Health Assistant.
Does my child need to complete the program in TWO terms (total of 20 sessions)?
You can choose to just do one terms-worth or both, depending on your child’s progress, level of enjoyment and therapy delivery preferences.
Am I required to pay for all sessions upfront or after each session?
Due to the large amount of preparation and organisational nature of the groups, all fees will need to be paid upfront. This will secure your child’s place in the program for the selected term.
More information on school readiness
NSW Government – Ready for Primary School Checklist
NSW Government – Starting Kindergarten
Raising Children – Starting School: Preparing your child
Learning Potential – Is your child ready for big school?
Raising Children – Starting primary school (ASD)
Kid Sense Child Development – School Readiness