Meet Ashleigh, Speech Pathologist Clinical Advisor

Meet Ashleigh O’Callaghan-Sear, Speech Pathologist Clinical Advisor at our new Joondalup hub. Ashleigh has worked in speech pathology at Rocky Bay for the past five years, and supports our early intervention and school aged customers with face-to-face intervention, with a focus around mealtimes.

Ashleigh describes our new Joondalup hub as a “game changer” for Rocky Bay, as the new space and facilities allow therapists to be more creative in how they deliver services for customers in the north.

Joondalup hub, which opened in November 2022, offers both community and therapy services including speech pathology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, as well as Customer Engagement and Support Coordination services.

The large, modern space also includes a sensory room, a paediatric gym, and seven large dedication consultation rooms, as well as a training kitchen and creative studio area.

Read on to find out more about Ashleigh’s exciting role in paediatric speech pathology at Joondalup, and how our new hub can support you!

Tell us more about your experience and why you chose speech pathology?

I’ve worked at Rocky Bay since February 2018, after graduating from Curtin University. I completed one of my clinical placements with a disability provider and loved the variety of clients, so had hoped to secure a job in the disability sector when I finished my degree.

I had always wanted to work with children and speech pathology afforded that opportunity in a fun, functional and meaningful way.

What does your role involve at Rocky Bay in Joondalup? Describe a typical day.

My day is usually jam packed with customer appointments, either at our wonderful new Joondalup hub, or at my customer’s homes, schools or daycare.

As well as face-to-face therapy appointments, my day also usually includes meetings with customer therapy teams, working party meetings, or attending external stakeholder meetings to collaborate with other important services within my customer’s lives, e.g. Individualised Education Program (IEP) meetings at schools.

What are the benefits for customers in choosing to access services at our Joondalup hub?

Our new Joondalup hub has been a game changer for the last six months. Our paediatric gym space, large therapy rooms and sensory room have all been exciting updates and have meant we can be more creative in how our intervention is delivered.

It has also meant that we can cater to a wider variety of ages and presentations, so that there is something that every customer could benefit from.

Tell us more about the work you do in paediatric speech pathology, and how this supports our younger customers?

My caseload has varied greatly over my years at Rocky Bay, and now consists of a nice mix of early intervention and primary/high school aged customers, as I really enjoy seeing customers across a range of ages and diagnoses.

Working with children means it’s really important that I collaborate with the systems around them (i.e. family, school, daycare), so that everyone feels empowered to continue facilitating my customers’ communication outside of the therapy environment.

What are some notable customer successes you’ve had?

In 2022, I was a part of the clinical team that ran a mealtimes pilot group at Rocky Bay using the SOS approach to intervention (based on the principles of Sequential-Oral-Sensory – or SOS – approach to fussy eating. This evidence-based approach aims to increase tolerance of exposure to new foods and builds oral motor skills).

This group was a wonderful experience and all families reported positive outcomes for their child, both in feeling more confident to try new foods, as well as participating in a group environment.

I have also recently been involved in the Rocky Bay AUSwim program (which supports children with autism) implemented by some wonderful Rocky Bay physiotherapists. It has had great outcomes in supporting children to enjoy the swimming pool and the beach as much as I do!

What do you love most about your role?

Working with kids, you become a part of their support team and get really invested in seeing them grow and succeed in their own special ways.

Seeing them excited to come to therapy and learn new things will always put a smile on my face, and I learn just as much from them as they do from me.

I also love the Joondalup team I work with, and enjoy the laughs, banter and support that they provide everyday!

Rocky Bay Joondalup is located at 10 Onslow Place. If you’d like to find out more about speech pathology services at Joondalup, or any other therapy or community services this hub offers, click here or call our friendly Customer Engagement team on 6282 1900.