What happens when I need to cancel an appointment?

We get it, when the unexpected happens…
We have all been there… the day of a planned therapy appointment your child wakes with a chesty cough, a gunky eye or snot… Other times it can be a clash of appointments; tough to manage!

We all want to see your child make the most of the sessions they have booked, even if they are not able to be there in person. We kindly ask that in order to value your time and your therapists time, we commit, and expect families to commit to all confirmed appointments. Confirmed appointments have been reserved for your family and the S+C team have often prepared with significant planning in advance. Our cancellation terms are referenced in our Cancellation, and align with the NDIS Cancellation Policy for providers.

Cancellation Policy Applies
We will always do our best to be flexible with options for cancellations and appreciate your understanding that our cancellation policy must be consistently applied to ensure we run efficiently and can help as many families as possible!

Making the most of your appointment time
Why not ask us to make the most of your time, by requesting your team use your planned appointment time to work on something else that will benefit your child

1. Develop Resources

Your therapist can create resources aimed at helping your child achieve their goals at home, daycare, or school. These resources may include visual schedules, communication boards, or step-by-step guides designed to assist with daily routines and tasks. Therapists may be able to modify educational materials from school or design new resources that specifically address your child’s needs. An OT session may be used to develop a Social Story- a great tool in helping your child comprehend new concepts, manage challenging situations, or prepare for upcoming events. We can tailor these resources to reflect your child’s current experiences, whether it’s adapting to a new school year, welcoming a new sibling, or adjusting to changes in their routine.

2. Collaborate with Other Professionals

There may be other team members involved with your child- GP, Paediatrician, allied health professionals from other locations or school. A missed appointment can be used to initiate communication and collaboration among professionals involved in your child’s care. By sharing insights about your child’s progress, goals, and effective strategies, therapists, teachers, doctors, and other specialists can ensure a more unified approach across various environments, leading to improved outcomes for your child. Some families ask our team to write to or arrange a phone call with the school team, kindy team, support coordinator or Key Worker. It is always valuable to have families join these calls or meetings too, and if you are not able to, we can update you on the discussions, or email notes afterwards if you prefer.

3. Reports and Recommendations

If your child has an NDIS funding package, your therapist can utilise a cancelled session to begin drafting NDIS progress reports or recommendations for the NDIS or other funding body. We can update your child’s goals, review some footage of their progress at home or pre film if we know they will be away, giving our team time to analyse and share insights with you during the next visit. Families are always welcome to have the appointment (in person or online) with the therapist even if their child cannot attend; it can be really valuable to refine goals together, reflect on progress, understand any new challenges that have arisen for your family, and ensure we are maintaining up to date records and are well prepared or even ahead of time when it comes to Reports required for funding bodies.

4. Exploring Additional Opportunities / Equipment / Community activities

Is your child in need of new adaptive equipment? Are you interested in a specific therapy program? Or perhaps you’re seeking local community activities that complement your child’s developmental goals? Maybe you are interested in modified sports for your child? In these instances, your therapist can dedicate time to researching various options, providing you with informed recommendations and insights and can fill you in at the next appointment with info or resources.

5. 1:1 Session with Parent or Carer (phone call, online session or in person)

Anytime your child cannot attend a session, your therapist can change to an online session or phone call. This can be really helpful to enhance your skills as a parent. It may empower you to navigate challenges effectively while supporting your child’s development. These conversations can cover strategies for targeting therapy goals at home or brainstorming solutions for areas where your child may be facing difficulties. Additionally, this one-on-one interaction can be an excellent opportunity to discuss new priorities or plan for important transitions in your child’s life. A 1:1 session can also be for a support worker or therapy assistant who may grow in confidence working with your child following a 1:1 session to build their skills in working with your child. The more people who understand your child’s needs, the better they can support them. Your therapist can use this time to provide training or professional development for individuals involved in your child’s daily life, such as therapy assistants, support workers, school staff, and even family members. This collective understanding ensures a cohesive and supportive environment for your child’s growth.

The S+C Team are always keen to discuss these options and what you would like for your child in the case of cancellation ahead of time. By understanding potential activities or topics to explore during a cancellation, we have an understanding of your family priorities and if you are not able to make it to the session, there is a plan in place to maximise the time and benefit to your family,