The Kids First Blog

Rebecca is a Certified Practicing Speech Pathologist with two decades of paediatric experience supporting children with a range of communication challenges.  Throughout her long career, Rebecca has supported hundreds of children with unique needs, including those with Autism Spectrum Disorders, severe speech sound impairments, language difficulties, and literacy difficulties.    Before moving to Sydney in 2017 […]

Anne is an Early Intervention Specialist with more than 30 years of experience supporting children with additional needs. During her long career, Anne has worked as both a psychologist and teacher. She is also the proud parent of two neurodiverse children and brings her personal and professional insights to her work with Kids First’s families. […]

Taylah is a highly trained paediatric speech pathologist with a strong reputation for providing children with creative and engaging speech therapy that focuses on their individual needs. Prior to joining the Kids First team, Taylah worked for 6 years at the Hunter Valley Private Hospital. She also has extensive experience as an allied health assistant […]

Suzanne brings years of experience working with people of all ages to her role at Kids First. After a long career spent leading, supporting and training others for success, she has followed her passion for helping children and is in the final year of her provisional psychology internship. Suzanne takes a holistic, strengths-based approach to […]

Leaving the corporate world behind to embark on the rigorous road to a career in psychology is, according to David, the best thing he ever did (apart from marrying his wife and welcoming his baby daughter into the world!) As a provisional psychologist completing his clinical internship at Kids First, David brings his recent experience […]

The exciting opportunity you’ve been waiting for Are you currently studying occupational therapy at university? Are you keen to develop your knowledge and skills by working closely with an experienced multi-disciplinary team of paediatric professionals? Would a permanent part-time role at the Northern Beaches most awarded multi-disciplinary children’s practice be a helpful stepping stone for […]

Are you an experienced OT who is ready to take the next step in your career? This is a great opportunity to showcase your skills and mentor others along the way. You will be experienced in delivering assessments and interventions exclusively to children, however, what is most important is to be a team player and […]

In her role as Kids First’s Wise Choices program leader, careers Advisor Annika Williams provides young people and their families with an opportunity to access expert, objective advice and as they consider the many pathways that young people can take to as they pursue life beyond the school gate .

Kids First Children’s Services clinician, Dimity Blank, supports children and young people who require extra understanding. She is passionate about providing solutions for children and families when learning, behavioural, developmental or identity differences create stress, anxiety, and relationship issues.

Louise is an experienced Mental Health Clinician and Teacher who has been supporting children, adolescents, and families for more than 10 years. She helps children and their families with creative, evidence-based interventions that help them to reach their potential. Her broad understanding of children’s learning, development, and behaviour gives her a unique insight into kids’ […]

  Ever heard the saying ‘we have friends for reasons and friends for seasons?’ This might sound completely rational for a grown adult whose friendship with another person might have recently cooled, but for kids, losing a friend can cause anxiety and distress. Childhood friendships fracture for many reasons, but when they do, children with […]

I once taught a student whose anxious mum was always keen to speak with me. I understood that her earnest pursuit of my attention was simply an attempt to ensure the best for her sensitive only child and did my best to respond positively to her frequent emails, phone calls and unannounced after class visits. […]

Kate is a warm and empathic child and adolescent psychologist with vast experience working within NSW Department of Education, Catholic and Independent school systems, early childhood, and private practice settings. Kate is also a PsyBa-Approved Supervisor and at Kids First, she provides professional supervision support to the emerging clinicians who are part of our Stronger […]

Make a lasting impact on the lives of kids and families Your Impact You really ‘get’ that you positively and permanently impact young lives and the lives of those around them. And you really ‘get’ that being in a team of people who share that key value adds even more joy to the work you […]

Natalie Martin is an experienced paediatric occupational therapist who is a member of the multi-disciplinary children’s health team at Kids First Children’s Services in Sydney’s northern beaches

Renee Eyre is an experienced child psychologist who works at Kids First Children’s Services in Sydney’s northern beaches

After a BIG year, the run up to December holidays can be exhausting for children, families and hard-working teachers. When everyone is tired, the last weeks of preschool and school can be tricky. With routines out of kilter, exciting extra outings and a seemingly urgent need to catch up with everyone you know before 25 […]

Preview(opens in a new tab) One of the trickiest thing about starting school in Australia is that every state seems to do it differently! Instead of all children starting school when they are of a similar age, each state has its own set of rules about the age at which children can start school. And […]

Use your gifts to help kids thrive and not just cope! Your impact: As an occupational therapist, you’re committed to making a positive and permanent change to children’s lives. You love working in a diverse team and you get extra joy when you collaborate with like-minded colleagues who share your values. Of course, you… Have […]

Being stuck inside because of wet winter weather is a challenge for active, curious kids. So what educational games and toys will keep your kids engaged and entertained when they can’t go outside this winter? Kids First Children’s Services founder and teacher, Sonja Walker, gives her top tips… While computer games, Netflix, iPads and DVDs […]

Some occupational therapy rooms are full of crash mats and things for children to jump onto. Not only are these types of jumping and crashing activities fun for your child, they also have a lot of sensory benefits. A crash mat can provide proprioceptive input and deep pressure for your child which leads to better […]

We’ve all been there … you’re in a play group or at story-time at your local library… All the other toddlers in the room are babbling away a mile a minute to anyone who will listen, and your child is quietly enjoying building a stack of colourful blocks or flipping through the pages of a […]

Your children are at home. Perhaps preschool is closed for a while – and there’s only so many repeats of Peppa Pig that you can bear! You’re committed to ensuring that your children develop all of the positive skills they need to have a happy, healthy, confident start to primary school – but you’re not […]

  Is your child lovable, but challenging? If your 3 to 6 year old’s tantrums, tears, dramas and downright defiance are driving you to despair, you are not alone! Don’t miss this FREE webinar full of practical tips that will help you and your child to build better behaviour (and, even more importantly, a strong […]

It’s a new preschool year and you’re hoping it will be the best one yet for your child. Kids First’s Early Learning Support Specialist, Kirsty Gale, shares eight tips for getting your little one’s first days of kindy or daycare off to a great start. 1. Goodbye tears usually don’t last for long Many children […]

Morgan has a Masters’ degree in Occupational Therapy and more than a decade’s experience as an OT. A long-standing member of the Kids First team and the busy mum of two active girls, she has a unique understanding of the challenges that many children and families face. Throughout her career, Morgan has worked extensively in […]

Bilingual children have unique language and learning skills As the parent or preschool teacher of bilingual children, your desire to help the kids in your care make the best possible start is natural…but how can you achieve this? 15% of Australian children live in homes where languages other than English are spoken. It’s important for […]

Originally from Western Australia, Rhiannan attended Curtin University where she completed a Bachelor of Health Science (Occupational Therapy – Honours). She has extensive experience working with children and adolescents with additional needs and prior to joining the Kids First team, worked for the Autism Association of WA for several years. Rhiannan’s work in paediatric private […]

“What is the one thing you’d like parents to know as their children join your class this year?” We recently asked some local teachers this question as they prepared for the school year ahead. All agreed that you play a huge role in your child’s chances of school success this year. 1. Build a positive […]

Australia’s bushfires have brought unprecedented loss, fear and sadness to our nation and as ‘city slickers’ it’s hard not to feel guilty as our country cousins struggle with drought, fire and untold tragedy. All is not lost, however, because the spirit of Aussie mateship is alive and well – and it is something we can […]

Your child is starting at a new school soon. Perhaps it’s the first year of ‘big school’, or maybe high school is just around the corner. You may have moved to a new area – or even a new country – and the social landscape in your child’s new setting is as unfamiliar for you […]

Does your child: Have frequent tantrums? Meltdown at the slightest provocation? Find it hard to calm down after experiencing ‘big emotions’? Seem unable (or unwilling!) to listen or following instructions? Struggle to interact appropriately with other kids? Avoid messy play? Pinch, bite or hit other children? Get frightened by sounds like a flushing toilet, vacuum cleaner or […]

A psychologists who works with children in Sydney’s northern beaches says that while it is normal for children to occasionally become bored with one another, time spent with siblings is an important part of building family relationships and teaching kids to co-operate, respect and compromise with others. Brothers and sisters can be great friends and […]

If you have extras health insurance, getting value out of your membership is probably a high priority for you and your family. Many families invest in ‘extras’ cover to protect themselves against the costs of health services that can unexpectedly blow the family budget. However, it’s important to know that most health insurance funds reset […]

Social Skills Camps give kids with unique needs the chance to learn and practice their social skills while having fun with peers. School holiday programs in Sydney’s northern beaches

For children with learning and thinking differences, making connections with others can be difficult. As parents and teachers, it can be worrying to watch a child we care about struggle because we know that friendships and feelings of belonging are vital to our kids’ learning, development and well-being. If your child, or a child you […]

It can be difficult to help your child to develop the social skills and resilience they need to cope with playground politics. As an adult, understanding how these skills develop in children may be helpful start as you parent your child. Equally, resources that you can use with your child to build their understanding of […]

Kirsty’s 20 year teaching career has been dedicated to helping children meet their full potential and providing parents and educators with practical strategies that improve children’s learning, social and emotional futures. With a Masters’ Degree in Special Education, Kirsty’s post-graduate training in supporting children and families with unique needs means that she is a respected […]

Is making and keeping friends a minefield for your child? Does your child struggle because of: Conflict with other kids? ‘Best friend’ issues? Social isolation? Difficulties with joining a game or fitting in? Exclusion from groups? Don’t miss this valuable free presentation by experienced Psychologist Louella Covich. At this important parent seminar, Louella will explain […]

Managing mean kids in the playground can be easier when your child knows what to say. Teacher and Kids First Children’s Services founder, Sonja Walker, shares 10 easy responses to teach your child to make handling the politics of the playground easier. When a child is being bullied, it’s easy for adults to tell them to […]