Fees
I want you to feel informed and confident about every part of the therapy process — including the costs.
Below you’ll find the current fees for therapy services at Authentic Connections Speech Pathology (as of 14 August 2025). If fees ever need to change, you’ll receive at least four weeks’ notice so there are no surprises.
Initial Appointment - $230.00 + Travel (Mobile)
The intake phone call gives me an opportunity to get to know you/ your child’s strengths, likes, dislikes, and areas they may require support in (away from ears that may be listening in). The initial consultation is designed to be thorough and supportive, helping us create a plan together that works best for you.
What’s included?
- 30-minute pre-consultation phone call – Before the session, we’ll have a quick chat to gather information, discuss your concerns, and answer any questions you may have.
- 60-minute face-to-face assessment – This is the main session where we’ll explore strengths, challenges, and goals through conversation, observations, and/ or formal and informal assessments. Depending on your child, assessment may take a while to complete or get to the point that it can occur. I value the therapeutic relationship more than being able to check off a box, so if your child needs some time to get to know and trust me, that’s what might have to happen!
- 15 minutes for note writing and planning – After the session, we take time to organize our observations and outline clear recommendations and next steps.
- Summary of findings/ initial impressions provided to you in or shortly after the session.
Why is the pre-consultation important?
The phone call helps make sure we’re all on the same page prior to when I see you or your child for assessment. As I travel to you during Mobile Therapy Appointments, it allows me to organise materials and fully prepare for our first meeting. It also gives you an opportunity to share any important details, making the assessment process smoother and more comfortable.
I offer flexible appointment types to suit different needs. Each session includes direct support time and written notes to help you keep track of progress and next steps. Length of subsequent appointments will be discussed with you following the initial session.
Short Appointments - $150.00 + Travel (Mobile)
Provides focused therapy for children who may find it difficult to engage in a standard-length session, allowing them to participate and benefit at their own pace.
What’s included?
- 30 minutes of direct intervention – Hands-on therapy focused on working towards goals, building skills, and practicing strategies.
- 15 minutes for note writing – You’ll receive a written summary after the session, outlining what we worked on and suggestions for ongoing practice.
- Any general resources created outside of appointment times.
Standard Appointments - $193.99 + Travel (Mobile)
Perfect for focused sessions targeting specific goals or follow-ups.
What’s included?
- 45 minutes of direct intervention – Hands-on therapy focused on working towards goals, building skills, and practicing strategies.
- 15 minutes for note writing – You’ll receive a written summary after the session, outlining what we worked on and suggestions for ongoing practice.
- Any general resources created outside of appointment times.
Long Appointments - $290.00 + Travel (Mobile)
Ideal for more in-depth therapy sessions or when additional time is needed for assessment and planning.
What’s included?
- 60 minutes of direct intervention – A longer session to dive deeper into more complex goals, strategies, and activities.
- 30 minutes for note writing – A detailed summary is provided to track progress, reflect on the session, and plan ahead.
- Any general resources created outside of appointment times.
Professional Meetings - $193.99/ hr
I understand the importance of working as a team to support your goals. That’s why I’m available to attend meetings with other healthcare professionals, educators, and support staff to ensure everyone is on the same page and working together effectively.
Fees for these depend on the duration of the meetings, if they are in person (travel rates apply), online or over the phone (no additional fees apply).
What types of meetings am I able to attend?
- IEP (Individualised Education Plan) Meetings – Supporting the creation or review of personalized learning goals and strategies for school success.
- SSG (Student Support Group) Meetings – Collaborating with educators, support staff, and families to review progress, identify challenges, and plan adjustments to better meet needs.
- Care Team Meetings – Coordinating with other healthcare professionals, such as occupational therapists, psychologists, and pediatricians, to ensure consistent care and aligned goals.
- Planning and Progress Meetings – Offering insights and updates to help monitor progress and make informed decisions about next steps.
Travel for Mobile Therapy
Labour Costs – $193.99/ hr
- Travel time to your appointment, charged at the hourly rate
- These rates may be capped or modified based on funding streams or upon negotiation.
- If other clients are seen in your area, travel costs will be shared among all clients seen in your area that day.
- The final client of the day may incur an additional return travel charge.
Non-Labour Costs:
- A travel fee charged at $1/km may apply to cover non-labour costs like fuel, tolls, parking, and vehicle wear and tear.
Why Is There A Charge For Travel? 
I’m passionate about meeting you where you’re most comfortable—whether that’s your home, school, or another familiar location. Providing therapy in these natural environments isn’t just convenient—it’s effective! Research shows that working on communication goals in real-life settings significantly increases the chances of generalising those skills into everyday life.
But that’s not all—being in your home environment can also help with regulation, making sessions calmer, more productive, and tailored to your unique needs. Without the added stress of travelling to a clinic, you or your loved ones can focus fully on building skills and reaching goals.
To make this personalised approach possible, it is necessary to charge additional time (labour) to meet you. This ensures I can offer high-quality, individualised support.
Here’s the great news: the maximum travel fee is capped at 30 minutes per trip for those living in the inner suburbs of Melbourne, and 60 minutes in regional communities, so no matter how far I go (within reason), you won’t get an unexpected surprise. I also do my best to combine travel with nearby appointments when possible (because driving all day is exhausting), saving you money wherever I can.
Thank you for understanding that travel time is part of the bigger picture. Supporting you or your loved ones in a familiar, regulated environment isn’t just convenient—it’s a powerful way to ensure lasting success.
Assessment & Progress Reports
$300 for the first 2 hours, then $193.99/ hr for any additional time required
Reports can be completed upon request. Please provide 4-6 weeks’ notice to ensure the report is completed to the highest standard.
Following assessments, I will check with you if you would like a report written. Reports are most helpful when they serve a specific purpose—otherwise, they may end up forgotten in a drawer!
Letters - Approx. 1 hr
Letters are a great alternative to full reports when a full break down of assessment results or progress isn’t necessary, especially for communicating with schools, Paediatricians, support coordinators, and other professionals. Letters may be charged when in depth emails to external services are required.
$193.99/hr charged in 10-minute increments
I love making certain resources, like games or materials that align with your child’s special interests! And I believe general materials should always be made free of charge.
Unfortunately, some specific resources require a significant amount of time to generate e.g. low-tech AAC devices or specialised resources that are unable to be used across multiple clients.
If I believe this applies to your circumstances, I will discuss this with you as these sessions may incur this fee.
I understand that therapy is an important investment for you and/ or your child. If cost ever becomes a concern, please reach out — I’m always happy to talk about options to help keep services accessible.
Cancellations + Associated Fees
More than 2 Business Days’ Notice
- No fee.
- We can reschedule (if we have space) or cancel with no charge.
Less than 2 Business Days’ Notice
We will try to offer another time in the same week (if available).
If we can’t, you pay 100% of the Session Fee.
This covers:
The time we set aside for you
Preparation work
Lost chance to book someone else
Travel time if we are already in your area
- This fee may be waived at the clinician’s discretion if extreme circumstances prevent the session from going ahead.
Same-Day Cancellations or No-Shows
You pay 100% of the Session Fee + travel fees (if they apply).
This happens if:
You cancel on the same day, or
We arrive but can’t do the session because of no access, unsafe environment, or no one home.
Cancelling on Weekends
If you cancel on the weekend, it will be treated as if you cancelled on Monday morning.
This may mean a fee applies if it is within the notice period.
How to Cancel
Email: brendan@acspeech.com
Phone/Text: 0481 749 678
- Respond to either the reminder email or text message.
Your cancellation counts from when we receive it. If you don’t hear back within 24 hours, check with us again.