Start Your Journey in Animal Assisted Interactions

Join the Speech Express, a paediatric private practice in Chirnside Park pioneering Speech Pathology by integrating animal assisted interventions.

Early Career Speech Pathologists are welcome to apply.

Join the movement as your four legged friend becomes part of your clinical practice and transforms the world of Speech Pathology.

About the Opportunity

We are looking for a clinician who:

- is creative, driven, flexible and have excellent communication skills;
- like freedom in how you work and value a healthy work-life balance;
- have a keen interest in working alongside a therapy dog. Opportunities to be supported while you train your own therapy dog (if suitable);
- have experience working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (preferred);
- want to be financially rewarded because you know you’re worth it!

Further Details:

- Full time hours preferred (part time for the right candidate);
Attractive sub-contractor percentage while still having the support of an amazing clinical team;
- The Speech Express is supportive of professional development and does regular internal PD’s and social events;
- Supervision available: we are talking brunch and business, dinner & debriefs. Supervision can be internal and external and in all clinical interest areas.
- Special supervision available in animal assisted interventions should you wish to train your dog to also work alongside you as a speech pathologist;
- Administration support with an approachable reception team that support billings, collection of monies, calendar support and using our client management system – Cliniko;




- Beautiful and vibrant treatment rooms with an abundance of resources and extensive range of assessments to share between clinicians.

More Information

Why Work with a Speech Pup?

- The single most common finding in Animal Assisted Intervention literature shows an increase in social interactions for Autistic children and young people
- Many children find it easier to interact and communicate when a furry friend is present (also known as the social lubricant effect). After all dogs are non-judgmental and this provides an intrinsic motivation which allows children to fully engage in therapy.
- Dogs are patient and can help keep us regulated. They can sense our emotions and can help us to connect with our feelings and support us learning new things!

The boring (but oh so important) bits

- Bachelor of Speech Pathology (or equivalent)
- Current membership with Speech Pathology Australia (with CPSP status)
- Eligibility for Medicare Provider status
- Working with Children Check
- Driver’s License
- Police Check
- Current Professional Indemnity Insurance and Public
- Liability Insurance (Certificate of Currency)

Advantages of animal assisted interventions include:

- Development of social skills;
- Increase in verbal communication and language;
- The therapeutic relationship between the clinician and child may develop more quickly in the presence of a calm animal;
- Therapy dogs have skills that make them able to pick up social cues imperative to human relationships. Therapists can then utilise that information to help feedback to the child and help them to reflect on how their behaviour affects others;
- Patting an animal has been demonstrated to lower blood pressure, lower anxiety and lessen stress (oxytocin effect)!

Hours

Mon-Fri: 8am- 6pm
Saturday: 9am-4pm
Sunday: Closed

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📌 Speech Pathologist (Melbourne)
🏢 The Speech Express
📍 Melbourne