Karin Adams Speech Pathology

29/06/2023

It is with mixed emotions that I am retiring as Karin Adams Speech Pathology

Running my own speech pathology practice for the last 20+ years has been fantastic but now a new challenge awaits as I join the fabulous team at Speech For Kids on the Gold Coast. My clients and I are being welcomed with open arms and I look forward to the next chapter of my career.

Thank you to all of you who have supported Karin Adams Speech Pathology, and please join me at

At S.P.E.E.C.H. we strive to get everyone talking and listening together to support the communication skills of children and young people.

15/05/2023

If you have a perfectionist child, or one who gets distressed making mistakes- this is for you.

Some of our Neurodivergent kids expect 100% success in everything they do.

Spelling test? They expect 20/20.
Board game? They expect to win.
Lofty project or invention? They expect it to be as perfect as the image they have in their head.
Goal keeper? They expect to save every goal.
Learning a new skill? They expect to be brilliant at it immediately.

When it doesn’t happen, these kids are absolutely crushed.
It’s very hard to watch, and parents worry that their kid’s intense fear of making mistakes may keep them from trying things or reaching their potential.

Here’s what you can do.

1. Stop telling your Autistic kids to ‘do their best’. We can be pretty literal, and we might take that encouragement as a specific instruction- you want us to do the best that we’ve ever done. As in, the outcome needs to be the best that it’s ever been. That tells us that you’re expecting something really, really good.

Try saying ‘I know you’ll try hard’ instead of ‘do your best’. This wording is encouraging effort rather than setting an expectation for an amazing outcome. It also communicates to your kid that you know they always put in big effort (regardless of the outcome).

2. Before a task/activity, ask your kid what they’re expecting from themselves. If they say ‘I’m expecting 20/20 in the test’ you then have a conversation about that expectation. It goes like this:

‘Hmm. I’m not expecting you to get 20/20. These are hard words you’re learning. I would expect you to get between 14 and 17 right. That would be a good score on this test. I would be really happy with that result. So would your teacher.’

My son then asked ‘well, what if I do get 20?’, to which I replied ‘then you should be really happy that you exceeded our expectations.’ After that he did the test and got 19/20. Usually that one error would send him into meltdown, but instead he celebrated the fact that he had exceeded our expectations by two points.

We do this same recalibration and preparation before many tasks.

Board games: how many of us are playing, how many can win, what is the probability that the winner will be you (my kid is brilliant at maths), what is the probability that you’ll actually lose, what’s the plan for if you lose and have some big feelings? (Outline regulation strategies)

Goal keeping: what percentage of goals do professional goalies save, are you a professional, has your team trained much, is the other team really strong, are we missing players, what are the possible outcomes for this game, what’s the plan if you let a goal in, what’s the plan if your team loses?

3. Let your kids see you make mistakes. Point it out, verbalise your feelings about the mistake, show them how you cope with it.

I have done these things with my kid for a few years. He is nearly 9.

He is now able to make mistakes without it crushing him. I regularly see him laugh off a loss in a game. He doesn’t walk off the soccer field anymore when he lets in a goal (or 10). He doesn’t shut down. He tells his brother ‘someone has to lose, you know’ and is often ok when it’s him.

Note: when he is low capacity, the skill of coping with losing is absolutely not as accessible to him. In those times we co-regulate.

Anyway. Try expectation recalibration and let me know how it goes.

Em ☺️🌈✌️
AuDHD SLP

09/05/2023

🛠️✨Getting the NDIS Back on Track ✨🚂
Budget Media Release
(Sam Translates - original release is at https://ministers.dss.gov.au/media-releases/11166)
Minister Bill Shorten

😊 The government is making the NDIS better for people with disabilities and making sure it lasts for a long time.
💼 They're changing the agency that runs the NDIS to help more people and make services better.
💰 The Budget will spend $910 million to make the NDIS better and help people with disabilities.
👍 They will use $732.9 million of that to make the NDIS work better and help more people with disabilities by:
- 🧑‍💼 spending $429.5 million for the NDIS planners to learn to make better decisions and plans for participants.
- 📋 using $73.4 million to help people stay on budget and make sure plan managers, support coordinators and other providers do their job.
- 🔄 spending $63.8 million to make plans clear and easy to change when life changes.
- 🏠 using $56.4 million to help people live on their own with better trained planners and advice from a panel (that I’m pretty sure already exists).
- 🔍 spending $29.3 million to make services better and to figure out what sorts of supports work well and help people to choose good stuff instead of rubbish so they can live good lives.
- 💳 trying a new way to pay for services with $24.6 million to help services be creative and get better results (hopefully not traditional block funding!).
- 🌏 They will use $7.6 million to work with bush and First Nations communities to help them get better support.
- 🚫 They're spending $48.3 million to build IT systems to find and stop people from cheating the system to make it safer.

👂 The government has heard what people said and knows they need to make real changes for people with disabilities.
🤝 They want the NDIS to work better for people with disabilities, so they're making it easier to use and do planning heaps better.
📊 They have a plan to make sure the NDIS can keep helping people with disabilities in the future but slowing the big spending in the scheme so it can be around forever.
🤲 The government will work with everyone to make the NDIS better and make sure money goes to those who need it the most.
🛡️ The Budget has more ways to help and protect people with disabilities and the NDIS, by:
- 👮 giving $142.6 million to the NDIS Commission to makes sure people in the NDIS are safe.
- 😷 spending $14.1 million to help stop COVID-19 from spreading and to support disability workers.
- 💼 using $13 million for DSS to watch over the NDIS better and get it back on track. This kind of terrifies me 😱.
- 👩‍🦼 spending $7.3 million to help younger people live somewhere other than aged care homes 🙏.
🔮 All this stuff promises to make the NDIS ready for the future.
🌟 The NDIS is something to be proud of, and the government wants to make it even better.
🚀 The Budget will make the NDIS better now and for people who might need it later.

📅 This was announced on Tuesday, May 9th, 2023.

pic desc: Bill and Albo towering above a bunch of smiling happy people, many of whom look to have down syndrome, with the words "2023 Federal Budget: NDIS" written above them in red.

01/05/2023

28/04/2023

🌟 Teenagers with Disability & DSP - Mythbusters 🌟

When your child with a significant disability turns 16, they can usually apply for a Disability Support Pension (DSP) 📝. Let's bust some myths! 💥

1️⃣ Full-time school students can apply for DSP if they meet the criteria. Being at school doesn't affect eligibility! 🏫🎒
2️⃣ Parental income and assets don't count. There's no income/assets test for parents. 💵🏠

It's tough to hear about 18-year-olds with disabilities missing out on two years of payments from Centrelink. 😔 So, here's what you need to know:

Before your child turns 16, if you receive Carer Allowance and/or Carer Payment, Centrelink will send paperwork for you to reapply. This won't happen automatically, so make sure to complete the forms! 📩

Centrelink DOESN'T send the paperwork for DSP and Pensioner Education Supplement automatically though. You'll need to call, go online, or visit them for the forms. Do this a few months before your child turns 16! 📞💻🚶

A few helpful tips:

1. The forms can be tough and disheartening. Get help if you can (try making an appointment with a Centrelink Social Worker – they're usually quite helpful! 😊)
2. Opening a bank account (or two!) in your child's name and getting their Tax File Number (TFN) before they turn 15 will make your life easier. 🏦
3. When your child starts receiving DSP, some of your Family Tax Benefits may stop or reduce. 💰 Some people think their total family income will drop when their child is not yet getting the full pension (aged 21), but I've never yet found that to be the case - usually people have forgotten to apply for Pensioner Education Supplement as well.
4. Apply for DSP early - you can send in the forms three months before your child turns 16 (it can take a looong time to process!)

Share your tips about applying for DSP for a teen below! 👇


The Growing Space Copyright 2023 – Feel free to share with credit and no edits.

pic description: a photo of gold helium balloons 1 and 6, tied to little wrapped birthday gifts on a pink background

24/04/2023

Tired of cancellation fees? 😩
It's more than annoying to pay for a cancelled therapy or support work sessions, right? Under the NDIS Pricing Arrangements, if it's in your service agreement and you're Plan or Agency Managed, providers can charge for cancellations with less than 7 days notice.
But here's the catch – they can only charge if they don't have other paid work to fill your spot. It's hard to know if a therapist fills your slot with someone else, so we've got some suggestions to make sure those funds aren’t wasted! 💡
Prepare in advance a list of possible tasks for therapists and support workers if you need to cancel.
You can have a list ready for situations like being sick 🤒, going away 🧳, or car troubles 🚗.
Here are some ideas – but what have you asked or thought of that we can add to this list?

For therapists, consider asking them to:
1️⃣📝 Summarize your progress this year in a short report
2️⃣🏋️‍♀️ Develop a plan for independent skill improvement – stuff you can do by yourself or with family or a support worker.
3️⃣📉 Outline a strategy for reducing therapy in the coming months
4️⃣🎯 List mini-achievements or goals to work towards
5️⃣👩‍🏫 Provide advice or activities for schools or childcare (for children)
6️⃣📚 Create social stories, communication boards, picture schedules or other materials
7️⃣🔎 Research specific ideas, such as dating options or online resources

For support worker shifts, consider asking them to:
1️⃣🛍️ Shop for groceries
2️⃣🧹 Deep clean a room at home
3️⃣🗄️ Organize the pantry or container drawer
4️⃣🧽 Clean the fridge or ❄️defrost the freezer
5️⃣🥫 Check pantry items for expiration dates
6️⃣🧺 Complete laundry tasks (e.g., washing curtains)
7️⃣🌱 Feed your pot plants or get a vege plot started (if that’s something they know about)
8️⃣🏡 Plan a short term accommodation stay
9️⃣🍽️ Create a meal plan with your favourite dishes
🔟🍲 Cook and freeze single-serve meals
1️⃣1️⃣ 🧼 Wipe down skirting boards or other cleaning jobs
1️⃣2️⃣ 🐾 Care for pets if you're unable to
1️⃣3️⃣ 🏺 Research local classes or groups for accessibility and inclusivity around your interests
1️⃣4️⃣ 🧵 Mend clothes if they have the skill
1️⃣5️⃣ 🔌 Set up Amazon Alexa, Google Home, or other desired technology if they have the expertise

pic desc: a black dollar sign with a red circle and strikethrough over it



This post is copyright of The Growing Space 2023 and can be shared here on facebook, with credit and no edits. If you want to use it anywhere other that your personal use, please ask us or we'll get grumpy and maybe worse. Thanks!

12/04/2023

When the Plan money runs out!
What happens if you accidentally (or even deliberately!) spend more money than is in your NDIS plan?

If your plan is Agency Managed, there should never be an overspend, because your providers will have service bookings (not service agreements) on the NDIS portal which can never add up to more than the dollar amount in your NDIS plan. If you use providers who are not Agency registered, or you ask for service without a service booking in place first, YOU will be responsible for that bill.

If your plan is Self or Plan Managed, there is nothing that prevents you from overspending, or overcommitting, and if you do run out of NDIS plan funds, **YOU** will be responsible for paying any extra bills.
While your Plan Manager can (and SHOULD) help you keep track of your NDIS budgets, they're not responsible if you overspend, so you'll need to track your spending and manage your budgets carefully. Also, be aware that many providers do not bill in a timely manner, and some Plan Managers do not pay in a timely manner, so your budget levels as listed with the Plan Manager might NOT be all that accurate.

🦽 🧑‍🦼
Here are just a few ways to help you stay "safe" and prevent overspending.

1. Always request and require a copy of the invoices from your provider yourself - never have them "just send to the Plan Manager".

2. If you are getting near to the end of your plan and you think you'll be "cutting it close", request and require up to date invoices from your providers a month before the plan ends.

3. At the beginning of your plan, if possible (and it won't always be), set aside 5-10% of your NDIS plan budgets as "emergency funds" to be used through the year if a crisis or awesome opportunity arises that means you need extra support for a period (if it's an ongoing situation, be sure to ask for a "Change of Circumstances" reassessment review). That way, you should have a buffer at the end of your plan in case you overspend a little, and you also have extra funds to use to stock up on consumables or low cost assistive technologies, or some extra support for trips out and about or whatever, in that final month of your plan.

IDEA: Can I also suggest that you send an email to the NDIS feedback people, and to your local MP, and the NDIS Review (https://www.ndisreview.gov.au/) which asks them to change the NDIS to allow for a 5% over OR underspend to be able to carried over to new plans.

If you want to know more about what happens at the end of NDIS Plans, check out this video series (or read the transcripts and use the handouts) at https://www.thegrowingspace.com.au/plan-reviews-1/ - it’s FREE info presented directly by our own Sam Paior!!

Pic desc: a man wearing a white t'shirt, frowning, holding out the insides of his empty jeans pockets
This post is copyright of The Growing Space, 2023 and can be shared here on Facebook, with credit and no edits. If you want to use it elsewhere, you'll need to contact us for permission. Thanks!

16/03/2023

02/03/2023

LAST CHANCE! Self Management: The Practical Stuff: Live Webinar on Friday (tomorrow!) morning!

Are you a Self Manager of your NDIS Plan and want to know the tips and tricks?
Or are you thinking about Self Managing and want to find out more?
book here: www.thegrowingspace.com.au/events
We cover:
* What are the technical benefits of Self Management?
* What are the downsides, and how to make claiming easier?
* How does the portal and the app work, and what are the differences?
* How and where should I keep my records?
* Can I buy stuff secondhand off Gumtree or Marketplace?
* What happens when I mess it up and how can I fix it?
* Where can I get more information and support?
* How to set yourself up for awesome Self Management
* Q and A's

I will run through these questions and more. This session does not go into the details of what you can or can’t spend your funds on – check out our Can I Buy It? sessions for that, and this also doesn’t cover self employing your support workers – for more info on that, check out our e-learning course at https://bit.ly/3UpDUpL

It will cost $140 to book for this 2 hour session and it will be claimable for practically all Self and Plan Managed participants. We can’t hold places but if you pay for a spot you will get a receipt you can send to your Plan Manager if you are plan managed, and if you're self managed already, then Bob's your uncle!

Sam is a volunteer founder and director of the Self Manager Hub, and a member of the NDIS Self Management Working Group as part of her work with the NDIS Independent Advisory Council.

pic desc: an illustration of a person with long hair and bright clothing sitting cross legged in a comfy chair with a laptop on their lap with a thought bubble containing the "I ❤ ndis" logo. Our TGS logo, the name of the course and my name are also there, all on a very bright green background, to catch your attention!

26/02/2023

Live Webinar: Understanding your NDIS Plan - led by me, Sam Paior.
BRAND NEW: this Tuesday at 10:30am SA time online on Zoom for 1.5 hours.
Intro price: only $45.
This is a basic intro for people who don't have a lot of experience and want to get it right, or just feel like they missed the basics, or want a refresher. Chock full of little tips you won't be expecting :)
What we cover:
- Who’s who of NDIS
- Your Profile
- Goals
- Money Management
- Stated Supports
- Support Categories
- Getting more info
- Making changes to the plan
What we don't cover:
- How to get into the NDIS
- What to do to get a good plan reassessment result
- How to decide what you and can’t buy with your NDIS funds
- How to find and choose providers
(we have other courses for this stuff - check them out at the link!)

You'll get an invoice you can send to your plan manager, or claim direct as self manager.
Yes, it's recorded and if you sign up **and pay** before Tuesday, you can watch the recording, even if you don't make it on the day!
Most of your questions will be answered at the event link at https://www.thegrowingspace.com.au/events/

Hope to see you there! Will likely be a small group so will have time for quite a few questions!

pic esc: an image of nuts and bolts with an I