Talkabout 4 Program
To Branch Out
While Telethon Speech & Hearing’s Talkabout program has had a life-changing effect on hundreds of children with a speech and/or language delay or disorder, its success has also exposed the pressing need to broaden the program’s reach – both in numeric and geographic terms.
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The Talkabout program sees children with speech and language difficulties, aged 18 months to six years, attend classes at Telethon Speech & Hearing in Wembley, Perth, accessing highly specialised education alongside health services such as speech therapy and occupational therapy.
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Yet capacity limits, extensive waiting lists and significant travel distances mean that many children are missing out on vital early intervention speech and language services, which can have a lasting impact on their learning, confidence and social skills.
A new pilot Talkabout program at John Wollaston Anglican Community School (JWACS) hopes to make a small dent in the demand. Through generous scholarship funding from diversified resources and mining giant Mineral Resources, the school, in collaboration with TSH, is launching a Talkabout program for kindergarten children in the Camillo area.
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This exciting new development marks the first time that the Talkabout program will be conducted outside of TSH’s Wembley base and there is hope that a successful launch could result in a scaling up of the program in schools across Perth and, potentially, beyond.
“We know about the excellent results that TSH has achieved for children with speech and language challenges and we are thrilled to be able to offer that support for students in Perth’s southeast corridor.”
- Tracey Rogers, JWACS Head of Primary
“The demand for our Talkabout program has never been higher, particularly from families who find it hard to come to Wembley,” explains CEO Mark Fitzpatrick. “We wanted to work out a way to deliver the program to facilitate easier access for families. Our first thought went to Perth’s southern suburbs, where we run many of our other programs, such as audiology, speech therapy, and our Chatterbox and Outpost programs. Once we decided on that, JWACS was our natural choice to partner with because they share our passion and our ethos.”
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TSH’s relationship with JWACS extends back to 2015, when the school partnered with TSH’s Outpost program – which provides supports, including Teachers of the Deaf and Note Takers, for children with hearing loss who attend mainstream schools.
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“The opportunity to run a pilot Talkabout 4 (T4) in an Outpost model is very exciting for us,” explains JWACS Head of Primary Tracey Rogers. “We know about the excellent results that TSH has achieved for children with speech and language challenges and we are thrilled to be able to offer that support for students in Perth’s southeast corridor.”
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Construction of a new, purpose-built classroom to house the T4 class is well under way, and classes will initially run for one day a week in small group and parent sessions involving specialised TSH staff and JWACS teachers. With 12 places available for 2024, screening will begin later this year.
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“The generosity of Mineral Resources in offering the scholarships means that there are no barriers for these children who need the support,” says Tracey. “Getting the right support shouldn’t be dependent on parents’ ability to pay, and access to high quality early intervention can change the trajectory of children’s lives.”
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Mineral Resources Manager Stakeholder Engagement Daniel Barker said, “Programs that support young people are a major focus of Mineral Resources’ health and wellbeing initiatives. We’re proud to partner with Telethon Speech & Hearing to fund 10 early intervention scholarships.
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“This multi-disciplinary program helps meet the needs of students with speech or language challenges, supporting them every step of the way.”
Scholarships provided by organisations such as Mineral Resources are critical in assisting families - who wouldn’t ordinarily have the means – to access all of the early intervention supports and services offered by TSH, giving children the best chance of achieving the same outcomes as their peers.
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“This initiative shows how likeminded organisations can work together to shape the lives of many young Western Australians,” said Mark Fitzpatrick.
“The relationship with Mineral Resources and JWACS shows how the passion to support the positive development of children transcends one industry or sector. It is a powerful example of how leading organisations can all come together to make such an important difference.”