Speech Sound Disorders
Assessment and treatment of articulation and phonological difficulties that affect how clearly your child is understood. Engaging, play-based techniques help children learn to produce sounds correctly.
Articulation & Phonology'Rising to Your Potential'
Personalised, play-based speech therapy designed around your child's unique strengths and interests. Serving families across the Hills District & Western Sydney since 2019.
Answer 3 quick questions to find out if a speech pathology assessment could help your child.
A teacher, childcare educator, doctor, or family member.
Based on your answers, your child could benefit from a professional assessment. The good news? Early support makes a big difference.
Call to Book a Free ConsultationI founded Ascend Speech Pathology Services in February 2019 after seeing the growing need for accessible, high-quality speech therapy across the Hills District and Western Sydney.
I believe every child can rise to their full potential with the right support. My approach is holistic and family-centred. I work closely with parents, carers, and other allied health professionals to ensure your child receives consistent support across every environment where they learn and grow.
I find each child's unique interests and use them to shape engaging, play-based therapy sessions. When children are having fun, they learn best, and that's where the real progress happens.
Evidence-based assessment and therapy for a wide range of communication difficulties, tailored to your child's age, interests, and goals.
Assessment and treatment of articulation and phonological difficulties that affect how clearly your child is understood. Engaging, play-based techniques help children learn to produce sounds correctly.
Articulation & PhonologyTherapy for children who have difficulty understanding language or expressing themselves. We build vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension through meaningful, fun activities.
Receptive & ExpressiveSpecialised support for toddlers and preschool-aged children showing early signs of communication delays. Early intervention delivers the strongest long-term outcomes.
Ages 0–5Support for children who struggle with the social side of communication, including turn-taking, body language, interpreting tone, conversations, and building friendships.
Pragmatic LanguageEvidence-based assessment and management of stuttering using validated programs such as the Lidcombe Program for young children, helping your child communicate with confidence.
Stuttering SupportTargeted support for reading, spelling, and writing difficulties connected to underlying speech and language skills. We strengthen the foundations of successful literacy.
Reading & SpellingA clear, collaborative process designed to give your family answers, a plan, and measurable progress.
I listen to your concerns, learn about your child, and discuss your family's goals before any formal assessment begins.
Where a formal assessment would be beneficial, I use standardised, evidence-based tools to pinpoint your child's specific strengths and areas that need support.
A tailored therapy plan built around your child's interests. Sessions are play-based, engaging, and designed to make progress enjoyable.
I empower you with strategies for between sessions. Regular reviews ensure goals stay on track as your child grows.
Visit us at either of our warm, home-based clinic locations, or connect online via telehealth.
Conveniently located for families in Toongabbie, Pendle Hill, Wentworthville, Seven Hills, Girraween, Blacktown, Winston Hills, and surrounding Western Sydney suburbs. Telehealth also available.
Get directionsPerfectly positioned for families in Rouse Hill, Kellyville, North Kellyville, Kellyville Ridge, Box Hill, Marsden Park, Riverstone, The Ponds, and surrounding suburbs. Telehealth also available.
Get directionsTelehealth appointments also available for families who prefer online sessions.
I believe no child should miss out on support because of cost. I work with multiple funding pathways to keep speech therapy achievable for your family.
We accept NDIS self-managed and plan-managed participants. Speak to us about using your NDIS plan for speech therapy.
Access rebates with a GP referral under a Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Plan.
Claim rebates through your extras cover. Receipts provided for all major health funds.
Competitive private rates with transparent pricing. No hidden fees.
Relaxed setting in Toongabbie & Rouse Hill
Online sessions from anywhere
Answers to the questions I hear most often from families.
A speech pathologist assesses, diagnoses, and treats communication difficulties in children. This includes speech sound disorders (trouble pronouncing sounds clearly), language delays (difficulty understanding or using words and sentences), stuttering, social communication challenges, and literacy-related difficulties. I use play-based, evidence-based techniques tailored to each child's interests to make every session engaging and effective.
Common signs include: not babbling by 12 months, using fewer than 50 words by age 2, difficulty being understood by unfamiliar listeners by age 3, limited sentence length for their age, struggling to follow instructions, frustration when communicating, or difficulties with reading and spelling at school. If you're unsure, an assessment can give you clear answers.
Yes! I work with NDIS self-managed and plan-managed participants. While I am not a registered NDIS provider, families with self-managed or plan-managed funding can use their NDIS plans to access my speech pathology services. I can also provide assessments and reports to support NDIS applications.
I have two clinics: one on Rausch St in Toongabbie (NSW 2146) and one on Rebecca Ct in Rouse Hill (NSW 2155). I also offer telehealth appointments for families who prefer online sessions or are located outside the immediate area.
Fees vary by service type and duration. Sessions are available at our Toongabbie and Rouse Hill clinics, or via telehealth. I accept NDIS funding, Medicare (with a GP referral under a Chronic Disease Management Plan), and private health insurance rebates. Get in touch to discuss fees and available funding options. My goal is to make speech therapy accessible for every family.
No referral is needed. Contact me directly to book an assessment. A GP referral may be helpful if you want to access Medicare rebates through a Chronic Disease Management Plan. Some children may also be eligible for rebates through a paediatrician referral, so it's worth checking with your child's specialist. NDIS participants can also use their plans to access services.
The families I work with are at the heart of everything I do.
"Our son was barely speaking at age 3. After working with Ashwini, he's now chatting non-stop and his confidence has skyrocketed. The sessions were so much fun, he didn't even realise he was learning!"
"Ashwini took the time to really get to know our daughter's personality and interests. Therapy never felt clinical. It felt like play. We saw results within weeks."
"Ashwini worked with our daycare to make sure the strategies were being used everywhere, not just during sessions. That consistency made a huge difference for our little one."
Take the first step towards unlocking your child's communication potential. Give us a call to book a free initial consultation. No referral needed.
Available Mon to Sat, 9am to 5pm
Last updated: March 2026
Ascend Speech Pathology Services Pty Ltd (ABN 71 650 413 442) ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting the privacy of your personal and health information. This Privacy Policy sets out how we collect, hold, use, and disclose personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW), our professional obligations as members of Speech Pathology Australia, and the National Code of Conduct for Health Care Workers as implemented in NSW.
By engaging our services, you consent to the collection and use of your information as described in this policy.
We may collect the following personal and sensitive information about you and/or your child:
Personal details: name, date of birth, address, phone number, and emergency contact information.
Health information: medical history, developmental history, diagnoses, assessment results, therapy records, progress notes, and reports from other health professionals or educators.
Funding and billing information: NDIS plan details, Medicare information, private health insurance details, and GP or paediatrician referral information.
Communication records: notes from phone calls, text messages, and other correspondence relating to your child's care.
We collect personal information directly from you (or your child's parent or legal guardian) through initial consultation forms, conversations, phone calls, and ongoing therapy interactions. We may also receive information from third parties where you have provided consent, including GPs, paediatricians, childcare educators, teachers, and other allied health professionals involved in your child's care.
We collect and use your personal and health information for the following purposes:
To provide speech pathology assessment, therapy, and related clinical services. To communicate with you about your child's progress, appointments, and therapy plans. To prepare clinical reports, progress summaries, and NDIS-related documentation. To process payments, Medicare claims, and private health insurance rebates. To comply with our legal and professional obligations, including record-keeping requirements under Speech Pathology Australia's Code of Ethics and relevant health regulations. To improve the quality and safety of our services.
In accordance with Health Privacy Principle 5 (HPP 5) of the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW), we take all reasonable steps to protect personal and health information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. Clinical records are stored securely using password-protected electronic systems. Physical documents, where applicable, are stored in locked facilities. Access to personal and health information is restricted to Ashwini Thirukumaran (Principal Speech Pathologist) and is only shared with third parties where you have provided explicit consent or where required by law.
We will not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may disclose your information to the following parties, with your consent:
Your child's GP, paediatrician, or other treating health professionals. Educators or childcare providers involved in your child's development. The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) for NDIS-related purposes. Medicare Australia or your private health insurer for billing and rebate purposes.
We may also disclose information without your consent where we are required or authorised to do so by law, including mandatory reporting obligations relating to the safety and welfare of children under the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW).
Where services are provided via telehealth, we use secure, encrypted video platforms. While we take all reasonable precautions to protect information transmitted during telehealth sessions, we cannot guarantee the absolute security of data transmitted over the internet. By consenting to telehealth services, you acknowledge and accept this inherent limitation.
Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the right to:
Access the personal and health information we hold about you or your child. We will respond to access requests within 30 calendar days. Request corrections to any information that is inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date. Withdraw consent for future collection or use of your information (noting that this may affect our ability to provide ongoing services). Make a complaint if you believe your privacy has been breached.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details below.
We retain clinical records in accordance with the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW). For adults, health records are retained for a minimum of seven years from the date of the last entry. For children, records are retained until the child reaches 25 years of age, or for seven years from the last entry, whichever is later. When records are securely destroyed after the applicable retention period, we maintain a destruction register recording the patient's name, the period covered by the record, and the date of destruction, as required under NSW health privacy legislation.
Our website may use cookies or third-party analytics tools (such as Google Analytics) to collect anonymous, aggregated data about how visitors use the site. This data does not identify you personally and is used solely to improve the functionality and content of our website. You can disable cookies through your browser settings at any time.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal obligations. The most current version will always be available on our website. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to access or correct your information, or would like to make a privacy complaint, please contact us:
Ascend Speech Pathology Services
Phone: 0404 242 470
Clinics: Rausch St, Toongabbie NSW 2146 & Rebecca Ct, Rouse Hill NSW 2155
If you are not satisfied with how we handle your complaint, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au or the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) at www.hccc.nsw.gov.au.