Connect Therapy Services Ireland
Speech and Language Therapy Services
Inspiring Confidence. Creating meaningful connections.
Based at Tús Nua Clinic, 16 West Douglas St, Cork, T12 D850.
Preschool
- Play-based assessment and therapy for children aged 0-5 years
- Partnership with preschools
Family-centred. Practical. Fun.
Children
- Assessment and therapy sessions for school-aged children
Child-centred. Holistic. Functional.
Young People
- Assessment and therapy sessions for young people up to 25 years
Friendships. Self-advocacy. Employability.
Dedicated support for children and young people to reach their speech, language and communication potential
Connect Therapy Services provides assessment and bespoke therapy sessions to meet individual needs. We offer professional but personal services where you and your child are at the centre of the process.
We work alongside parents/carers and teachers to support children and young people to develop their communication. We use fun and motivating activities to help children make changes to their communication. We aim to help them with friendships, learning and independence.
We promote language and communication development through:
- Developmental check-ups for children aged 0-2.5 years with advice
- Training workshops for parents/carers, health and education professionals
We support a wide range of speech, language and communication needs including:
- Language difficulties
- Developmental language disorder (DLD)
- Speech sound difficulties
- Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia
- Stammering
- Autism Spectrum Disorders and social communication difficulties
- Speech, language and communication needs which are secondary to another diagnosis/need
- Complex communication needs that require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems
How we work
Step 1:
Contact us for a free
phone consultation
Step 2:
Assessment. Undertaken together
with family and those closely involved
Step 3:
Delivering
Therapy
Our services and Fees
Connect provides a range of speech and language therapy services to meet you and your child’s specific needs.
Please call for further information and/or support in selecting the most appropriate service for you and your child.
Initial Consultation and Assessment
This comprehensive evaluation of speech, language and communication needs comprises of:
- an in-depth consultation with you and your child/young person, gaining case history information and any other relevant details
- detailed assessment using both formal and informal methods by a Speech and Language Therapist
- verbal feedback on results of the assessment
- brief written recommendations
Details
Duration: Up to 2 hours
Fee: €140 – €240
Summary Report: €48
Detailed Report: €95
Additional hours spent are charged at €70 and will always be discussed and agreed with the parent/carer in advance.
‘Talk on Track®’, Developmental Language Screen
This is a short screening assessment for children aged 0 – 2;06 years at our clinic.
This short assessment is useful if you wish to determine if your child’s language and communication skills are on track for age.
Details
Duration: 30 minutes
Fee: €78
Report: on request only for an additional fee
Therapy Sessions
Therapy sessions will be tailored to meet your child’s speech, language and communication needs. Each therapy session will involve a speech and language therapist working with you and your child to maximise their skills. After the assessment, the therapist will agree some targets with you and therapy sessions will work towards these targets at a pace that is right for your child. Practical activities to support at home will be provided.
For young people, sessions will be tailored to their individual needs and will be structured in collaboration with them. A focus will be supporting communication skills for the transition to adulthood.
Details
Duration: 45 minutes
Fee: €88 at clinic/home*/tele-therapy
€500 block of 6 paid in advance
*Charges for travel may apply – please contact to discuss
Observations/Meetings /Programmes
Preschool/School Observation Visits
Preschool/School visits are only made with parental agreement. Often visits to education settings are a very useful way of supporting your child’s development. It provides opportunities to observe your child’s skills in that environment as well as information on social interaction and access to the curriculum. Education staff gain from developing an understanding of your child’s needs from the perspective of a speech and language therapist, thus enabling them to maximise communication opportunities in the setting.
Details
Please phone 085 859 9746 for further information – visits are currently limited by geographical area.
Duration: Up to 1 hour
Fee: €120
Report: At an additional cost
Home/School Programme
This is a tailored therapy pack including activities and relevant resources designed to develop your child’s communication skills. This pack will be developed in collaboration with your child’s education setting.
The programme is delivered by parent/carer/school staff and your child’s progress will be reviewed at an agreed time.
Details
Duration: as required
Fee: €95 per hour
Training
Talks, workshops and training sessions for groups of parents and professionals can be arranged. Additional charges at the standard rate will be made for time taken in preparation and the provision of handouts etc.
Details
Fee: €100 per hour
Student & NQT Webinars
We frequently run workshops for students. Some of our topics include: Colourful Semantics, Vocabulary Development, Lego Therapy, Social Learning, Attention Autism & Zones of Regulation.
Health insurance & Tax reductions
Did you know that most health insurance policies now cover some speech and language therapy?
Please check with your insurance provider about your particular policy. Connect therapy is fully compliant with health insurance company requirements.
You can also keep your receipts and at the end of the year submit them with your tax return.
Connect Youth
Connect Youth is a monthly Saturday group session specifically for school-aged autistic boys.
They are fun, active, person-centred, neuroaffirmative speech and language therapy sessions run by an SLT and youth volunteer.
How do I book?
Choose the dates(s) you wish to book. These do not have to be consecutive.
If you have any issues please do not hesitate to drop Abi a text on 0833564814.
Who is Connect Youth for?
ALL children under 3
We welcome every child under 3. The class is designed to support every child.
What does a typical session involve?
- Play
- Focused communication and language enrichment activities
- Opportunities to speak to a qualified speech and language therapist
My child has a diagnosed need, can they still attend?
Yes! If you feel you child may gain from attending the group, please do come along. We may advise you to stay for a shorter time or to take part in particular aspects of the group that engage your child more.
If your child is currently waiting for a Speech and Language Therapy appointment why not consider our Babble Bugs + sessions. These are targeted therapy sessions that take place on the same morning as Babble Bugs. They are individual sessions tailored to you and your child.
My child’s language is developing typically. Why should I consider coming?
- Lots of laughter and fun
- An opportunity to interact with peers
- A chance to learn new songs and actions
- An opportunity to attend an early years group to support the development of communication skills
- Your child is at the prime age for learning new skills (neuroplasticity)
I am concerned about my child’s language. Why should I consider attending?
- All of the above
- Plus, it provides your child with the opportunity to attend a session that is relevant and supportive
- If you are concerned about your child’s language and would like to access some one to one therapy, why not consider Babble Bugs +
What will I gain from attending Babble Bugs?
1. Advice – Access to advice on speech, language and communication development from qualified speech and language therapists, which can be particularly important for new parents.
2. A sense of community – An opportunity for parents and carers to meet others in a friendly and welcoming setting creating an opportunity for them to share their concerns, offer support and make friends.
3. Quality time with your little one, – We understand how hard it is in busy day-day life to make time to spend with your child. Babble Bugs gives you 45 minutes to connect and interact with your little one.
4. Inspiration – We will provide you with inspiration, activities and songs to try at home!
5. Enjoyment – Seeing your child have fun. Singing songs, and being in a group full of babies giggling and playing it’s hard not to enjoy.
6. Acquire – Acquire strategies and tips to support general communication development.
What happens if my child is unwell?
Give us a call or text and we can cancel the session and rearrange to a date that suits.
Babble Bugs Plus
Babble Bugs Plus sessions are Targeted Speech and Language Therapy Sessions for children under 4 years whose parents or caregivers have concerns about their Speech, Language or Communication.
What does it involve?
A package of 5 visits to see the speech and language therapist at the Cork Foyer
1. Initial screening session (45 minutes)
2. 4 individual appointments (45 minutes)
Total: €335
Each appointment involves these three activities:
Time for Rhymes
Animal Antics (outdoors weather permitting)
Play Today (outdoors weather permitting)
The speech and language therapist will provide specific advice and strategies to support young children with speech, language and communication needs. These strategies will be play-based and useful for common everyday activities and routines.
Each week, sessions will involve using the outdoor toddler play area, small petting farm and garden.
*families may continue to attend sessions once the initial package has been completed but there will be a natural break for a few weeks
Who is Babble Bugs + for?
Babble Bugs + is for children under 4.5 years whose parents are concerned about their communication, or are awaiting Speech and Language Therapy.
My child already has a diagnosis, would they qualify?
Yes, simply give us a call, and we can discuss how we can best support your child.
How will it benefit my child?
Your child will receive one to one tailored therapy in a range of different settings to suit the needs of your child.
The settings will include: indoor play and outside in the garden, farm and park.
We will provide specific advice and information on how to support your child’s communication.
We will model games and activities that you can try at home.
What are the benefits of having an outside area?
- Many young children prefer to be exploring outside, and due to their age struggle to attend to a task for a long period of time. By having a variety of settings it can help a child to remain engaged for longer, which ultimately helps them learn for longer.
- Having access to animals, is a great way for children to learn about the world.
- Many children love the park. It offers great opportunities to use social language, take turns with others, problem solve and get active.
- It is very functional. The activities we will be doing are often those activities that you do daily. We will provide you with language -enriching ideas to use during these key moments every day.
- Singing songs and rhymes, particularly nursery rhymes is a fantastic fun way to support language development.
What will happen if the weather is bad?
If the weather is too bad to go outside, we have a large indoor room, where we will create lots of fun activities.
How much does it cost?
We are offering this as a package for €335 which will include:
One 45 minute screening session. This will allow us to get to know how your child is currently communicating, so together we can devise a plan for therapy.
Four 45 minute Speech and Language Therapy sessions.
What happens if my child is unwell?
Give us a call or text and we can cancel the session and rearrange to a date that suits.
Testimonials
FAQ
What are the benefits of Speech and Language Therapy?
Speech and Language Therapists have studied to degree level and received highly specialist training in all aspects of communication development. They are qualified in making assessments and in supporting children and young people with all forms of communication needs. They will be able to offer you specialist advice.
Why choose an independent therapist?
There is no difference in the training or qualifications of an independent therapist and a HSE therapist. Both Connect Therapy Services Ireland directors have worked for many years for the NHS (in the UK) and Aoife worked for the HSE in Ireland prior to moving to the UK.
An independent therapist may be able to see your child/young person sooner and more frequently than a HSE therapist. They also have more flexibility in the therapy they can offer.
Do I need a referral from my GP?
No, you can refer your child to Connect Therapy Services Ireland yourself.
Email: info@connecttherapy.ie or ring for a free 15 minute initial telephone consultation:
Phone no: 0858599746
Where does the therapy take place?
Assessment and therapy sessions currently take place at our clinic, your home/preschool or school.
How many sessions will my child/young person need and how long will they last?
This will depend on your child/young person’s individual needs, the nature of their communication difficulty and response to therapy.
We offer ongoing therapy sessions with regular review of progress.
A typical therapy session lasts 45 minutes. Most of this time will be spent working directly with your child/young person but will include some time to discuss progress and new activities to focus on.
You are free to withdraw from therapy at any time.
Can I watch the sessions? (for parents of children up to 16 years)
It is advised that you attend all sessions so that the Speech and Language Therapist can demonstrate activities to you and show you ways in which you can help your child. The interactions that you have with your child on a daily basis are key to enabling your child to make progress.
How much do the sessions cost?
Please see the Services and Fees.
How can I find out if a therapist is qualified?
All Speech and Language Therapists should be registered with CORU. One of its key functions is to maintain and publish a register of health professionals who meet national standards: www.coru.ie
Registered members of the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists (IASLT) adhere to the ethical and professional standards outlined by the organisation.