Frequently Asked Questions

Scarlett's Autism Therapy Centre primarily focuses on supporting children during early intervention, from 18 months to school aged. If your child is in school, we may be still able to help via consultancy on particular issues.

Scarlett's Autism Therapy Centre is a clinic-based service. This is so that we are able to practice skills in a safe and controlled environment, without distraction. We incorporate parent training into all of our programs so that you can continue to practice skills at home and in the community.

No, ABA therapy is suitable for children with a range of needs, and you do not need a formal diagnosis to access funding or support. We are able to provide an assessment of your support needs to better guide you on what to expect, and how we can help.

We utilise a range of developmental assessments, and tailor this to each child. Common assessments we use include the Early Start Denver Model Checklist, the VB-MAPP, EFL Checklist, PEAK Assessment, and the Vineland-3 Adaptive Behaviour Scales. These assessments look at a range of developmental domains including language and communication, social skills, play skills, and cognitive skills, to help us identify where your child may need support. These assessments can also be helpful when you are considering seeking a diagnosis. We do not conduct diagnostic testing, and cannot diagnose children with Autism, but we can help you identify if there are concerns that you can then raise with your general practitioner, or paediatric psychologist. If in doubt, we always recommend talking to your health care professional. We also offer specific Speech and Language Assessments, and the Bayley Scales Assessment. To learn more, head to our assessments page.

We do not conduct diagnostic testing, and cannot diagnose children with Autism, but we can help you identify if there are concerns that you can then raise with your general practitioner, or paediatric psychologist. If in doubt, we always recommend talking to your health care professional. We have created a guide in resources that can help you learn more about how to get a diagnosis in Australia.

Behaviour change takes time, and varies from child to child depending on multiple factors - such as the type of behaviour, how long it has been occurring, and the context of the environment. This is something we discuss during our Initial Assessment Appointment.

1:1 therapy looks different for every child, depending on their needs and goals. At Scarlett's Autism Therapy Centre, we prioritise first and foremost, building a relationship with your child to ensure they are comfortable and want to be in the clinic. For some children, this takes time - but we know that a child that feels safe and trusts their therapists is more likely to be wiling to engage in meaningful lifelong learning. Parents are always encouraged to participate in therapy, particularly in the early stages as children are becoming familiar with the centre and their therapy team. During our SPARKS program parents are equipped with the skills and knowledge to practice at home, and to remain informed on their child's progress each step of the way.

Scarlett's Autism Therapy Centre is committed to helping all families, including NDIS participants. While we are not currently a registered provider, families with Improved Daily Living funding are able to utilise their NDIS funds if they are self or plan managed, and you have suitable goals. If you are currently NDIA managed, you can request to manage the plan differently by contacting your NDIS planner. If you do not have funding available we can also assist with helping you access NDIS funding. We will do this by completing initial assessments, goal setting and tracking your child’s progress to provide evidence that the service is effective in helping your child improve their quality of life. Improved Relationships Funding, is for Specialist Behaviour Support Services, and requires an NDIS registered Positive Behaviour Support Provider to deliver services. We are not able to support families using this funding category at this time.

We offer a free 30 minute phone or telehealth consultation to all families, prior to commencing services, so that we can help decide what is going to be right for you and your family. Our fee structure is individualised depending on the needs of your child and the hours of therapy required to meet your goals. To get started you can book a free consult below, or reach out to our admin team on admin@scarlettsatc.com.au or 02 9037 6599.

At Scarlett's Autism Therapy Centre, we feel strongly about ensuring that every child and family have a positive experience with therapy at our clinic. ABA Therapy is a general way of understanding behaviour, and using the power of motivation to teach new skills. It is an incredibly powerful approach to learning that has been highly effective in teaching crucial skills like communication or daily living skills. However, we acknowledge that at times in the past, (and in some other places still), ABA therapy has been utilised in a way that has been harmful to others. In our experience as parents, this has been in conjunction with a mission to "treat", "cure" an Autistic child, where the child's experience was not prioritised or acknowledged, and skills were taught with the purpose of teaching the child to be "normal" or like neurotypical peers, rather than empowering them to be who they are. We want children to learn through play, and enjoy coming into our clinic. We have an open door policy, which means that if your child leaves the clinic room, we follow their lead (this usually tells us something is missing, or something is cooler outside!). We aim to foster trust, and teach crucial skills that honour your child's autonomy, preferences, and empowers both your child and your family to have the skills, tools, resources, and knowledge to give your child the best quality of life. We use a combination of ABA principles, ESDM Therapy, Play-therapy, and want to place you at the helm of your child's program. We do not endorse or utilise compliance training, the use of punishment procedures, or restrictive practices in any way. Our clinicians are always happy to answer any questions that you may have. To learn more, we recommend booking a free consult with our director, who can walk you through any concerns you may have.