What to look for in a Therapist?

Determining who you feel comfortable sharing your precious child with is influenced by much more than price and ease of scheduling alone.

Use the below checklist to ensure you make an informed choice of allied health provider.

	What to look for in an Allied Health Therapist and Organization	Kid Sense
Staff	Do they have specific paediatric experience?	Y
	Are they registered with their relevant disciplinary body?	Y
	Are they clinic based?	Y
	Are they school/kindy/home based?	N
	Are they registered with all government funding programs (Medicare, FaHCSIA, Better start, National Disability Insurance Scheme)?	Y
	Do they undergo regular Professional Development?	Y
	Are they well equipped with clinical resources (clinic based usually allows superior equipment)?	Y
	Is there a Multi-Disciplinary team available if needed?	Y
Appointments	Will the therapist assessing your child also be the one that treats your child?	Y
	Can you book the appointment times that you want?	Y
	Can you book in advance to secure your preferred appointment time?	Y
	Can you book individual sessions (check if you’re committed to a block of sessions)?	Y
	If your regular therapist is unavailable, is there an option to see another therapist?	Y
	Do you get written home recommendations and detailed feedback about what was achieved in each session?	Y
	Can you expect regular contact with the child’s teacher/other involved parties?	Y
	Are appointments available during the school holidays?	Y
	Are you required to block book for potentially unnecessary appointments?	N
Organisation	Have they been a long established provider with a proven track record?	Y
	Is there an organization supporting the therapist (ie not just a sole practitioner)?	Y
	Do they have full time easily contactable reception staff?	Y
	Do they provide additional services (workshops, newsletters, educational website)?	Y
	Do they have a credible and informative website?	Y
	Do they provide HICAPS and EFTPOS?	Y