School Holiday Programs

School Holiday Programs

Each school holidays Melbourne Child Development offers a variety of programs for children to work on social interaction skills and communication goals in a unique one-on-one or small group environment with the specialised guidance of our Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists and Psychologist. The Programs are designed to be fun, while helping your child to improve their communication and develop important social interaction skills typical of everyday playground and classroom interactions.

Please add your details to the contact form at the bottom of this page to be emailed when we open registrations for our next holiday programs.

How does the program work?  

Please read carefully as there are some changes to the way our programs are run. 

  • Pre-Program Assessment: If your child hasn’t attended Melbourne Child Development in the last 18 months, we do a pre-program assessment to allow the Speech Pathologist to gain an in-depth understanding of your child’s needs and how best to tailor the program to your child’s goals. 
  • A four-day program of children’s group sessions: 90 minutes per day over four days. Activities in the social skills groups aim to increase the children’s understanding of other people’s thoughts and choices in relation to social situations. They also aim to provide strategies to improve regulation and practise responding to different circumstances.  
  • Parent feedback: Parents are introduced to evidence-based interventions and the topics covered, as well as strategies you can use to support your child’s new skills at home. We also provides feedback on the program as well as video content from the groups to see the progress of your child’s skill development. Parents will also learn how to continue to consolidate your child’s new-found skills at home. 
  • Summary Report: Your child’s group facilitator will write up an individualised post program summary report of the progress they have made. 

What sort of things will children be doing and learning?

Your child will be involved in various activities and games, all of which are designed to increase social communication (whether that be verbal or non-verbal communication). These aim to improve turn-taking, form new relationships, increase positive interactions and use appropriate language. The sessions are long enough for your child to truly interact with the group which is guided by the knowledge and expertise of a Speech Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, or Psychologist.

How does it increase social skills?

Activities in the social skills groups aim to increase the student’s understanding of other people’s thoughts and choices in relation to social situations. They also aim to provide strategies to improve regulation and how to respond to different circumstances. We draw on evidence-based intervention from the following programs:

  • Social Communication Intervention Program
  • Hanen Talkability Program
  • Social Thinking – Incredible Flexible You
  • Developmental Individual Relationship Model ; DIR®/Floortime™
  • Secret Agent Society
  • Visual supports

What programs are available?

The four programs that we offer are Making Playmates, Building Buddies, Hanging Out and SAS Cadet Mission Recharge. Once we have received all registrations and the pre-program assessments have been completed our team of clinicians work together to match children into suitable groups. We are then able to individualise the programs to suit the goals of the participants, to ensure each child benefits from the program.

Making Playmates

Suitable for: 3-5 year olds
Introduction to foundational social thinking and behaviour skills drawing on the ‘We Thinkers’ social thinking program.
Topics covered: Thinking thoughts and feeling feelings, Group Plan, Whole body Listening. This includes opportunities to put these ideas and further extension of the topics into practice in naturalistic play settings.

Building Buddies

Suitable for: 5-7 year olds
Follow on from Making Playmates, building on foundational social thinking and behaviour skills, drawing on the ‘We Thinkers’ social thinking program.
Topics Covered: Hidden rules, Expected and unexpected behaviours, Size of the problem, Flexible and stuck thinking. This includes opportunities to put these ideas and further extension of the topics into practice in naturalistic play settings.

Hanging Out

Suitable for: 7 – 11 year olds
Drawing on concepts from the evidence-based ‘Social Communication Intervention Program’ to promote pragmatic language skills in middle to upper primary school aged children.
Topics Covered: Comprehension Monitoring, Understanding Social Context, Emotions in Context. This includes opportunities to put these ideas and further extension of the topics into practice in naturalistic play settings.

SAS Cadet – Mission: Recharge!

Suitable for: 9 – 15 year olds
Cadets who have already completed the Secret Agent Society Program within the last two years and want to top-up their toolkit.
Topics covered: Revision of SAS relaxation gadgets and Codes, SAS computer game, SAS board game. This includes opportunities to put these ideas and further extension of the topics into practice in naturalistic game and group communication settings.

What makes the program so great?

  • The knowledge and expertise of Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists and Psychologist with over 30 years collective experience.
  • A collaborative approach from Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy and Psychology disciplines to assess individual needs and provide recommendations.
  • And most importantly…something fun for your child to look forward to in the school holidays!

How do I register my child?

If your child is new to Melbourne Child Development or hasn’t accessed our services in the last 18 months, we complete a pre-program assessment to allow the clinician to gain an in-depth understanding of your child’s needs and how best to tailor the program to your child’s goals. Once we have received your Registration form and Administration fee payment, we will contact you to arrange this assessment.

Terms and Conditions

  • Enrolment to this program requires commitment to all four sessions.
  • An administration fee is required to enrol in the program for administration costs. This fee is non-refundable* and will be taken off the cost of the first therapy session.
  • If your child is new to Melbourne Child Development or hasn’t accessed our services in the last 18 months, your child will complete a pre-program assessment to allow the Speech Pathologist to gain an in-depth understanding of your child’s needs and how best to tailor the program to your child’s goals.
  • A cancellation fee of 50% of the per session cost will apply if cancelled within 24 hours of the session time. Cancellation fees may be the responsibility of the parent/carer as most funding and rebate programs do not cover these.

*Should Melbourne Child Development be unable to offer you a place in the School Holiday Social Skills Program, any administration fee paid will be refunded. Please note that as the administration fee is allocated towards the therapy, it is separate from the Pre-Program Assessment payment which is not refundable.

Funding and Rebate Options for the School Holiday Programs

  • Medicare – Chronic Disease Management Plan (CDMP) (previously named EPC – Enhanced Primary Care Plan) – Your General Practitioner is the person who determines whether your child qualifies for this program. These Medicare rebated session can only be used for individual therapy sessions and will therefore only apply to the pre-program assessment, but not group or dyad sessions.
  • Medicare – Helping Children with Autism and Better Start for Children with a Disability – Your Paediatrician/Psychiatrist/General Practitioner (GP only for Better Start for Children with a Disability) is the person who will determine if your child is eligible for this program. These Medicare rebated session can only be used for individual therapy sessions and will therefore only apply to the pre-program assessment, but not group or dyad sessions.
  • Private Health Insurance – Check with your Private Health insurer to see if you are covered for Speech Pathology/Occupational Therapy sessions and/or Speech Pathology/Occupational Therapy Group sessions in your extras cover.
  • NDIS – Children who are registered under this funding program may be able to use it for these sessions. Please check your plan, and if your plan is Third Party Managed you will need to speak with you plan manager to determine the out of pocket expense that will be payable to Melbourne Child Development for your sessions.
    Please note that unfortunately those with an NDIA managed plan are not able to use our services.

Please add your child’s details below if you would like to be contacted once registrations for the upcoming School Holiday Program are open.