Speech Therapy For Toddlers Sydney
Speech therapy for toddlers and preschoolers in Sydney, helping your little one understand more, say more, and connect with the people around them.
What Is Speech Therapy for Toddlers?
Speech therapy for toddlers and preschoolers is built around play. Rather than drills, your child learns through toys, games, and books, so sessions feel like fun, not work.
For this age group, the focus is on the building blocks of communication: understanding words, using words, putting sounds together, and learning to connect with others. Some children need help to catch up, others to clear up speech that is hard to understand.
Because young children learn best through everyday moments, parents are part of every step, so the progress made in sessions keeps going at home.
Samantha Malfitano
Director and Principal Speech Pathologist
Samantha is the Director and Principal Speech Pathologist at Kids and Cubs Clinic, founded in 2022. Samantha completed her Bachelor of Applied Sciences: Speech Pathology at the University of Sydney (2016) and is a registered member of Speech Pathology Australia (SPA).
She is an experienced paediatric clinician, having developed a range of skills in her roles at Liverpool Hospital NSW (2017-2022) for the assessment and treatment of children with communication, feeding and developmental difficulties.
She has provided services for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse clients and families, ex-premature babies, and has worked extensively and collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams alongside Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Paediatricians, Neonatologists and teachers.
Lucy Smith
Speech Pathologist
Lucy joined the Kids and Cubs Team at the beginning of 2024. She completed her Bachelor of Speech Pathology at Australian Catholic University in Brisbane; Queensland and she is a registered member of Speech Pathology Australia (SPA).
Lucy has experience as a paediatric clinician from her time working in private practice.
She has experience working collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team including Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Psychologists as well as education professionals such as Teachers and Learning support staff. She is trained in the Sounds-Write Program, Infant Feeding Foundations (Babble & Munch) and oro-facial myology. She engages in regular professional development across the areas of play, stuttering, and language development.
Natalie Catubig
Speech Pathologist
Natalie joined the Kids and Cubs Clinic team in 2026. She completed her Bachelor of Applied Sciences (Speech Pathology) at the University of Sydney in 2025 and is a registered member of Speech Pathology Australia (SPA).
Natalie has experience working with children across a range of settings, including school and clinic environments. She has supported students with speech, language, and literacy needs, and has worked collaboratively with teachers and families to enhance children’s participation in everyday activities.
Natalie is committed to evidence-based and family-centred practice and engages in ongoing professional development to support her clinical growth.
Funding
NDIS
- Self-managed funding
- Plan-managed funding
Private Health Insurance
- Please consult your private health provider to determine eligibility and rebate amounts.
Medicare
- Chronic Disease Management plan (previously known as Enhanced Primary Care plan)
- Please discuss Medicare funding options with your GP
Signs Your Toddler May Need Speech Therapy
- Few words for their age - using fewer words than expected, or slow to add new ones
- Not combining words - still using single words when you would expect short phrases or sentences.
- Hard to understand - family and others often cannot work out what your child is saying.
- Not following simple instructions - difficulty understanding everyday requests like "get your shoes"
- Frustration and meltdowns - getting upset or giving up because they cannot make themselves understood
- Limited play and connection - little pretend play, or not pointing, gesturing, or interacting much with others
Why Early Speech Therapy Matters
- A stronger chance of catching up before school begins
- Better academic outcomes, social skills, and self-esteem later on
- Skills built through play, when your child is most ready to learn
- Parent strategies that keep working long after sessions finish
- Less frustration for your child, and for you, day to day
Areas We Support in Sydney
Understanding and Using Language
We help your child understand more of what is said and use language to get their message across, building vocabulary, longer sentences and the right sentence structure and grammar for their age.
Clear Speech Sounds
We support speech clarity and pronunciation, helping your toddler put sounds together so they are easier to understand by family, carers, and other children.
Social Skills and School Readiness
We encourage communication with other children and in social settings, and build the pre-literacy and school readiness skills that set your child up for preschool and kindergarten.
How Your Therapy Journey Works
Initial Assessment
Your first session is a relaxed, play-based assessment. We observe your child, talk through your concerns and history, and use standardised tests where helpful to pinpoint areas to work on.
An Individualised Plan
From the assessment, we build a plan tailored to your child. Together, we set goals and choose the best play-based strategies, so therapy targets what your toddler needs to progress.
Sessions and Parent Coaching
Weekly sessions, in clinic or by videocall, use modelling, play, and repetition to grow speech and language. We coach you on home activities and review progress as your child grows.
Why Sydney Parents Choose Kids and Cubs Clinic
Funding Options
We support NDIS, Medicare, and private health rebates to make accessing child speech therapy easier for families in Balmain and nearby Inner West suburbs. Our team helps guide you through the process so your child can begin therapy without unnecessary delays.
Experienced
Paediatric Speech Pathologists Our clinic focuses entirely on helping children develop strong communication skills. Our paediatric speech pathologists work closely with kids of all ages, providing personalised therapy for speech, language, and communication challenges.
Evidence-Based Speech Therapy
Every therapy program we provide is built on modern research and proven speech pathology methods. This means children receive effective support that improves speech clarity, language development, and confidence over time.
Playful, Parent-Led Early Intervention
We make the most of the early years with play-based sessions and hands-on parent coaching, so your toddler stays engaged and the skills keep building at home between visits.
Get The Right Speech Support for Your Child's Development
What Parents Says
Frequently Asked Questions
How young can my child start speech therapy?
There is no minimum age. If you have concerns about your toddler’s speech, language or understanding, we can assess them early. The sooner we start, the more we can make of the early years.
My toddler is a bit behind talking. Should I wait and see?
Some children do catch up on their own, but it is hard to know which will. An assessment gives you a clear answer rather than a guess, so you are not losing valuable early time.
Do you offer telehealth for toddlers in Sydney?
Yes. Many toddler sessions work well by videocall, with a parent guiding the play on screen. You will need a quiet space, a reliable internet connection and a parent present.
What does a toddler session actually look like?
Mostly play. We use toys, games and books your child enjoys, and build the speech and language targets into that play so it stays fun and motivating.
How often will my child have therapy?
Sessions are usually weekly, in clinic or by videocall. We review progress regularly and adjust the plan as your child develops.