Therapy assistant sessions and group programs can be a practical, affordable way to build your child's skills between appointments with a lead therapist. This guide explains how these supports work, what they cost in Australia, and how to choose a Canberra provider. The page features listed providers including The Psych Hive, Early Start Australia, Better Rehab, Early Bird Therapy and others.
Canberra-based private psychology practice offering neurodiversity-affirming assessments and social groups. Services include child psychology and therapy groups. No specific ages, NDIS registration, telehealth, or waitlist details explicitly stated.
Early Start Australia Queanbeyan offers occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and speech pathology for children and young adults aged 0-16 with developmental delays and physical disabilities. Services delivered in-clinic, via telehealth, and mobile visits to childcare, pre-school, and school settings since 2010.
Canberra-based mobile and in-clinic occupational therapy for ages 4–25, supporting emotional regulation, sensory processing, attention, and social skills. Accepts NDIS (plan/self-managed) and private clients. Now open, accepting new referrals, no waitlist at present.
Registered NDIS provider in Canberra (Bruce, ACT) offering occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech therapy, positive behaviour support, and allied health assistants. Services provided in-clinic, at home, in community, and via telehealth to NDIS and private-paying clients across greater Canberra.
Early Bird Therapy is an NDIS-registered, neurodiversity-affirming provider in Fyshwick, ACT, offering speech pathology, occupational therapy, psychology (assessments and counselling), behaviour support, and therapy groups/assistants for young children, delivered at clinic, home, school, and community settings.
Canberra-based paediatric occupational therapy clinic supporting children aged 0-6 with high and complex needs or developmental delays, offering individual therapy, group interventions, and parent/community support since 2015.
Speech pathology practice in Jerrabomberra, NSW offering mobile, in-clinic, and Telehealth services across Canberra and regional NSW for children, adolescents, and adults. Neurodiversity-affirming, offers group therapy. Accepts NDIS (plan and self-managed), Medicare, and Private Health Insurance clients.
Canberra-based paediatric Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology service in Forde, ACT, offering group therapy, parent education, and ESDM-informed early intervention for autistic children aged 12-60 months. Provides telehealth sessions and weekend appointments at no extra charge; visits by appointment only.
An allied health assistant (AHA) is a trained support worker who delivers parts of a therapy program under the supervision of a qualified therapist — usually a speech pathologist, occupational therapist, physiotherapist or psychologist. The lead therapist sets the goals and plan, and the assistant helps your child practise those skills in regular, hands-on sessions. This model often makes therapy more affordable and lets your child get more frequent practice.
Group programs bring a small number of children together to work on shared goals — for example social skills, play skills, fine-motor tasks, emotional regulation or early language. Groups are typically led by a qualified therapist, sometimes supported by an assistant. Many children respond well to learning alongside peers, and groups can be a good stepping stone into (or complement to) one-on-one therapy.
Every child develops at their own pace, so this is general information, not a diagnosis. You might consider extra support if your child:
If you have concerns, start with your GP, paediatrician or a lead allied health professional who can assess needs and recommend the right mix of individual and group support.
Groups and assistant-led sessions run for a wide age range, from toddlers and preschoolers through to primary and high-school students. Programs are usually grouped by age and developmental stage — early language and play groups for younger children, social and regulation groups for school-aged kids. Ask each provider which age brackets their current groups cover.
For group programs, the first step is usually an intake or assessment with the supervising therapist. They'll talk through your child's strengths, challenges and goals, and check the group is a good fit. For assistant-led work, a qualified therapist typically completes an initial assessment, writes the plan, and then delegates sessions to the assistant with ongoing supervision and review. Expect to be asked about your child's history, any diagnoses, current supports and what you'd like them to achieve. Bring any prior reports and, if relevant, your NDIS plan.
As a general guide in Australia, allied health assistant sessions often range from around $55–$90 per hour, while qualified therapist time (assessments, individual sessions, group supervision) can range from roughly $150–$220+ per hour. Group program fees vary widely depending on size, length and staffing. The NDIS publishes price caps that many providers align with, and actual fees differ between providers — always confirm pricing directly and get it in writing.
Under the NDIS, therapy assistant and group supports usually sit under Capacity Building — Improved Daily Living. Assistant sessions are generally billed at a lower rate than the supervising therapist, which can stretch your plan further. If you're self-managed or plan-managed, you have more flexibility over which providers you use; agency-managed plans require NDIS-registered providers. Medicare Chronic Disease Management plans and private health extras may help with some allied health, but typically not group or assistant sessions — check with your provider and fund.
Use the ratings and locations on this page as a starting point, then contact a shortlist directly to compare fit, availability and cost for your child.
Or read the full therapy assistants & groups guide, or browse all Canberra providers.
A qualified therapist (such as a speech pathologist, OT, physiotherapist or psychologist) assesses your child, sets goals and writes the plan. A therapy assistant is a trained support worker who delivers parts of that plan under the therapist's supervision, often at a lower cost and with more frequent sessions.
These supports usually fall under Capacity Building — Improved Daily Living. Assistant sessions are typically billed at a lower rate than the supervising therapist. Agency-managed plans require NDIS-registered providers, while self- and plan-managed families have more flexibility. Confirm details with your provider and plan manager.
As a general Australian guide, assistant sessions often range from about $55–$90 per hour and qualified therapist time from around $150–$220+ per hour, with group fees varying by size and length. The NDIS sets price caps that many providers align with. Always confirm current fees in writing.
Programs run from toddlers and preschoolers through to high-school age, usually grouped by developmental stage. Early language and play groups suit younger children, while social and regulation groups often suit school-aged kids. Ask each provider which age brackets their current groups cover.
Ask which body the supervising therapist is registered with — Speech Pathology Australia for speech pathologists, AHPRA for psychologists and physiotherapists, and Occupational Therapy Australia or AHPRA for OTs. Also ask how therapy assistants are trained and how supervision is provided.