Reach Speech Pathology 3.09

Alana has completed a Bachelor of Speech Pathology at The University of Newcastle and is a certified member of Speech Pathology Australia. Alana grew up on the Central Coast and since she was a child has always had a strong passion for working with and helping children with additional needs and their families.
Alana has been working with a diverse caseload, including children ranging from 0-18 years of age with varying levels of needs and abilities. In this time, Alana has provided services to many children who have been assessed as being eligible for early intervention funding under the Better Start initiative and Helping Children with Autism package. Alana has worked in a range of service delivery models, including individual therapy, group therapy, parent/ teacher training and delivering services in the clinical setting, school environment, preschool setting and also in client’s homes. Alana has worked collaboratively with colleagues from a range of professions including general practitioners, paediatricians, psychologists, allied health professionals and specialist to deliver the best results for clients, their families and colleagues.
Alana’s role as a Speech Pathologist has included the administration and implementation of assessments, intervention and parent/ teacher training for a range of needs including, speech, language, swallowing, feeding, fluency, social skills and voice. Additionally, Alana has had experience in the assessment and development of Augmentative and Alternative Communication systems (AAC) including communication books, boards and visual schedules. She has worked with a number of high- tech AAC devices.
Alana has gained invaluable experience working with children with a variety of disabilities and diagnoses, including children with Cerebral Palsy, Down syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder and other neurological conditions. She believes it is imperative to take a holistic, client/ family centered approach to ensure the best service is provided to the client, in conjunction with their families. Alana has gained an understanding of the complex situations many families are in, being affected by multiple difficulties and the modifications and adaptations that need to be made to family life. When working with each client, she ensures that she works in collaboration with the client and their families and empowers them to set achievable goals that are important to them. By taking these steps, she can assist the client to reach their goals and attain needed services. She focuses on the client’s interests and strengths and provides strategies to ensure the client has maximum participation in daily activities.
Alana prides herself on building strong, positive and trusting relationships with her clients and their families, where she is able to provide support and guidance so that clients can reach their full potential in all aspects of life.