Secret Agent Society
Secret Agent Society Program – now being offered via telehealth
The Secret Agent Society is a spy-themed social skills program for children aged 8-12 years old. The program helps children who have difficulty managing anxiety and need to boost their social skills toolbox. For students who are in upper primary school, it is a wonderful preparation for secondary school.
The Secret Agent Society has scientifically researched results and uses innovated and well-targeted resources to engage children and make learning fun. The program makes a big difference to how children with social and emotional difficulties manage their home and school life.
For more information, visit the Secret Agent Society website.
Melbourne Child Development, incorporating Robyn Stephen & Associates, have been running Secret Agent Society groups since 2013 and are regarded as one of the most experienced practices running the program in Melbourne.
Program Structure
A 60 minute individual Pre-Program Assessment session via telehealth is required so that our Speech Pathologists can best understand your child’s needs, their suitability for the program, and match them within the groups appropriately.
At the beginning of the program a 75 minute Parent Induction Session and a 60 minute Child Induction Session are conducted via telehealth and a Teacher Information Session is conducted via phone call in order to introduce the program and its concepts to everyone involved in the child’s support team. One of the strengths of the Secret Agent Society is that it integrates the program content into everyday life for the children, so by including parents, carers, and teachers in the process, the strategies and approaches learned within the weekly sessions can be implemented in the family and home life, and in the school environment with great success.
The Secret Agent Society group sessions are then held once a week for 90 minutes, and run over 10 weeks, followed by sessions three and six months later. Included each week is a parent feedback session, where one of the Speech Pathologists facilitating the group will meet with all the parents and discuss the weekly session and how the strategies can be used at home or at school during the week. For the telehealth program, the Child Group Sessions take place in the first 60 minutes, and the Parent Group Sessions take place in the last 30 minutes of the 90 minute sessions.
To enrol your child in the program an administration fee of $272 is required prior to booking the Individual Pre-Program Assessment. This fee is non-refundable* and will be taken off the Individual Pre-Program Assessment.
*Should the group not proceed for reasons determined by Melbourne Child Development, any administration fee paid will be refunded.
2020 Program Dates – Intake 2: Telehealth Groups
Parent Induction Group Session: 27 May 2020 at 4:45pm – 6:00pm
Child Induction Group Session: 3 June 2020 at 4:45pm – 5:45pm
Group Session 1: 10 June 2020 at 4:45pm – 6:15pm*
Group Session 2: 17 June 2020 at 4:45pm – 6:15pm*
Group Session 3: 24 June 2020 at 4:45pm – 6:15pm*
Group Session 4: 1 July 2020 at 4:45pm – 6:15pm*
BREAK: 8 July 2020 – no session
SAS Halfway Check-in Group Session: 15 July 2020 at 4:45pm – 6:15pm *
Group Session 5: 22 July 2020 at 4:45pm – 6:15pm*
Group Session 6: 29 July 2020 at 4:45pm – 6:15pm*
Group Session 7: 5 August 2020 at 4:45pm – 6:15pm*
Group Session 8: 12 August 2020 at 4:45pm – 6:15pm*
Group Session 9: 19 August 2020 at 4:45pm – 6:15pm *
3 month Agent Reunion Group Session: 18 November 2020 at 4:45–6:15pm *
6 month SAS: Talk, Graduate, Celebrate Group Session: 17 February 2021 at 4:45pm–6:15pm*
*90-minute Telehealth Group Sessions are structured as:
- 60 minute Child Group Session: 4:45pm – 5:45pm
- 30 minute Parent Group Session: 5:45pm – 6:15pm
Program costs
Funding and Rebate Options for the SAS Program
- Helping Children with Autism and Better Start for Children with a Disability (FaHCSIA) – Children who are registered under this funding may use it for these sessions.
- 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.
- 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.
- Private Health Insurance – Check with your Private Health insurer to see if you are covered for Speech Pathology 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 necessary discuss with your plan manager if there will be any out of pocket expenses (e.g. Third-party managed plans). Please note that Melbourne Child Development has decided not to become a registered NDIS provider – those with an NDIA managed plan will need to seek an NDIS registered provider.
Program Terms and Conditions
- Enrolment to this program requires commitment to all sessions.
- An administration fee of $272 is required to enrol in the program for administration costs. This fee is non-refundable* and will be taken off the cost of the Individual Assessment Session
- A cancellation fee of 50% of the per session cost will apply if cancellation occurs with less than two business days notice. Cancellation fees are usually the responsibility of the parent/carer as most funding and rebate programs do not cover these.
*Should the group not proceed for reasons determined by Melbourne Child Development, any deposits paid will be refunded.