Fees & Funding

At Small Sparks Speech Therapy, we believe families should have a clear understanding of fees and funding options before commencing services.

Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to access speech pathology services through Medicare, the NDIS, private health insurance or private funding.

If you are unsure which funding your child may be able to access, please feel free to get in touch.

Medicare - GP Chronic Condition Management Plan

Some families may be eligible for Medicare rebates through a Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Plan. Eligibility is determined by your child's GP based on their individual health and developmental needs.

As of 1 January 2026, Medicare provides a rebate of $63.40 per session for up to five individual allied health services per calendar year.

How the process works

1. Visit your GP

Speak with your GP to discuss whether your child may be eligible for a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan and speech pathology referral.

2. Send us your referral

Please provide your referral paperwork to Small Sparks before or at your child's first eligible appointment.

3. Attend your appointment

The full Small Sparks session fee is paid following the appointment. We do not bulk bill.

4. Claim your Medicare rebate

We will provide an itemised receipt containing the information you need to make your claim. You can submit your receipt through the myGov app or your Medicare online account linked to myGov.

5. Receive your rebate

Online Medicare claims are usually processed within 7 days and paid into the bank account you have registered with Medicare.

Medicare - M10 Item Group

The Medicare M10 Item Group provides additional access to allied health assessment and treatment for eligible children and young people under 25 years of age.

From 1 March 2026, eligibility was expanded to include children and young people with:

Stuttering
Speech sound disorders, including articulation disorders, phonological disorders, Childhood Apraxia of Speech and dysarthria
Cleft lip and/or palate

The M10 pathway also applies to certain other eligible disabilities and complex neurodevelopmental disorders.

Eligible clients may be able to access:

Up to 8 allied health assessment services
Up to 20 allied health treatment services
A current Medicare rebate of $89.50 per eligible speech pathology assessment or treatment session

These service limits apply across eligible allied health services and are not necessarily all allocated to speech pathology.

How the process works

1. Discuss eligibility
Speak with your child's GP, paediatrician or specialist about whether they may be eligible for the M10 pathway.

2. Obtain a referral
If eligible, your child's medical practitioner will prepare the relevant referral and treatment or management plan.

3. Send us your paperwork
Please provide your referral to Small Sparks before your child's eligible appointment.

4. Attend your appointment
The full Small Sparks fee is paid following the service. We do not bulk bill.

5. Claim your rebate
We will provide an itemised receipt, which can be submitted through the myGov app or your Medicare online account through myGov.

If helpful, Small Sparks can also provide clinical information or supporting documentation to your child's GP, paediatrician or specialist where appropriate.

NDIS Funding

Small Sparks Speech Therapy welcomes children with self-managed and plan-managed NDIS funding.

Speech pathology services may include:

Speech sound and pronunciation therapy
Receptive and expressive language support
Early communication intervention
Stuttering support
Literacy support
Social communication support
Parent coaching and home strategies
Collaboration with preschools, schools and other professionals
Assessment and reporting

The current national NDIS Speech Pathology rate is $193.99 per hour.

How payment works

Self-managed
You will receive an invoice from Small Sparks to pay and then claim from your child's NDIS funding.

Plan-managed
Invoices can be sent directly to your nominated Plan Manager for payment.

Following services, families are provided with invoices containing the information required for NDIS claiming.

If you're unsure whether your child's plan includes funding that can be used for speech pathology, please get in touch.

Private Health Insurance

Depending on your health fund and level of extras cover, you may be eligible to receive a rebate for speech pathology services.

As rebates and annual limits vary between policies, we recommend contacting your health fund before your child's first appointment to check:

Whether speech pathology is included in your cover
Your rebate amount
Any waiting periods
Your remaining annual limit

Small Sparks does not process private health claims directly.

The full session fee is paid to Small Sparks and you will receive an itemised receipt to submit to your health fund.

Fee Schedule

Assessment

The type and length of assessment recommended will depend on your child’s age, communication needs and the areas being assessed.

Assessments are charged at our standard rate of $193.99 per hour and may include:

1-2 assessment sessions with your child
Assessment scoring, analysis and report writing
A parent feedback and goal-setting meeting
Liaison with educators or other professionals, where appropriate

Before proceeding, we will let you know:

What type of assessment is recommended
Approximately how long it is expected to take
Whether a written report is recommended
The estimated total cost before you book

You will only be charged for the time actually required.

Intervention

Therapy – 45 minutes face-to-face

Includes an additional 15 minutes of linked clinical work

$193.99

Therapy – 60 minutes face-to-face

Includes an additional 15 minutes of linked clinical work

$242.49

Linked clinical work may include:

Clinical documentation
Planning for your child's next session
Preparation or adaptation of therapy resources
Reviewing and scoring clinical information
Other non-face-to-face work directly related to your child's therapy

Preschool Speech & Language Screening

15-minute preschool screening

$48.50

Includes:

A 15-minute speech and language screening completed during your child's preschool day
A brief written summary of findings
Recommendations for next steps
A follow-up phone call to discuss the results and answer any questions

A screening is a brief initial check and is not a comprehensive speech pathology assessment or diagnosis.

Ready to reach out?

We understand that navigating fees and funding can feel complex. Whether you're ready to book an initial assessment or simply have questions about billing and funding options, we're here to provide clear, friendly support for your family's journey.