National PEKE Centre

01/09/2026

🌿🌷🌸🌼 SEPTEMBER GROUP THERAPY SESSIONS 🌿🌷🌸🌼

We’re so excited to announce our group therapy sessions for the upcoming school holidays! We have planned our most popular and frequently requested groups so run, don't walk to secure your young person's spot!

Contact us via:
📞 (03) 5995 5592
💻 [email protected]

26/08/2026

An extremely important piece of research, particularly in light of the most recent NDIS reforms 📖

A major Australian study finds parents caring for young children with disability are twice as likely to say they are in poor health, feeling constantly in demand and lonely.

Read more: https://ab.co/4wMrN9x

25/08/2026

19/08/2026

Why can kids spin for SO long?! 🌀

If you’ve ever watched a child happily spin around and around — seemingly with absolutely no concern for becoming dizzy — you might have wondered how they can possibly tolerate it!

There’s actually a lot happening in the body when we spin.

🌀 The vestibular system is still developing
🧠 Children’s brains process movement differently
🌪️ Spinning can provide powerful sensory input
✨ And this can be even more noticeable in neurodivergent children

So the next time you see a child spinning around and around… 🌀
remember that it might not be “just being silly” or “making themselves dizzy.”

They may be exploring movement, seeking sensory input, regulating their nervous system, or simply having a really enjoyable time in their body.

13/08/2026

“Let’s wait and see.” ⏰ ⏱️

Sometimes families are told:

“I can see some signs of autism, but they’re still young. Let’s not diagnose them just yet. Let’s do six months of early intervention and see how they go.”

And sometimes what parents hear underneath that is:

“Let’s see if therapy changes things enough that they don’t end up being autistic.”

But that isn’t what early intervention is for.

Early intervention does not change a child’s neurotype.

It cannot make an autistic child become non-autistic — and nor should that ever be the goal of therapy.

A child’s neurodevelopmental differences aren’t something we should be trying to “intervene away” while we wait to see whether they persist.

Instead, early intervention should be about supporting a child based on what they need right now.

03/08/2026

Starting school is a big milestone, so it's understandable that one of the most common questions we hear is:

**"Is my child ready for school?"** 🎒

The truth is... it's not a simple yes or no.

"School readiness" is often talked about as though it's a checklist of skills that every child should have before they start school. But every child develops differently, and readiness is far more nuanced than ticking off milestones.

When Occupational Therapists are involved, we're not simply asking whether a child can hold a pencil, sit still, or write their name.

Instead, we're exploring questions like:
✨ What environments help this child thrive?
✨ How do they regulate their emotions and sensory experiences?
✨ How do they communicate their needs?
✨ What supports or accommodations might help them participate successfully?
✨ Is the school environment ready for *them* as much as they are expected to be ready for school?

Sometimes, what looks like a "lack of readiness" is actually a mismatch between a child's unique strengths and needs and the expectations placed upon them.

Our role isn't to make children fit into a one-size-fits-all model. It's to understand each child as an individual, identify the supports that will help them succeed, and work alongside families and schools to create environments where they can flourish.

Because school success isn't about being the "perfect" school-ready child—it's about ensuring every child has the opportunity to belong, participate, and learn in ways that work for them.

We love how this post highlights the many different factors that contribute to a child's transition to school, and why there is so much more to the conversation than simply asking, "Are they ready?"

21/07/2026

5 things at our neurodiversity affirming allied health clinic that just make sense 🌈 🧠 🤸‍♀️📚

30/06/2026

🐚 What helps bring you out of your shell? 🐢🦀🐌

Our reception wall has become a little space for creativity, reflection, and connection. Clients are invited to choose a shell buddy to colour in — a clam shell, turtle, crab, or snail — and share what helps them feel safe, confident, connected, and more like themselves.

For some, it’s music. For others, friends, animals, movement, nature, gaming, or a favourite person. Every answer is different, and every answer matters.

We love seeing our community’s colourful reminders that there’s no one “right” way to grow, connect, or come out of our shells. 💛

If you’re visiting the clinic, stop by the wall and add your own! We can’t wait to see what helps you shine.

24/06/2026

The current NDIS price freeze for Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology has significant impacts for small allied health businesses.

While the cost of delivering services continues to rise each year (including wages, rent, insurance, supervision, professional development, technology, and operational expenses), the maximum amount providers can charge under the NDIS has remained unchanged.

For small practices, this can create increasing financial pressure and may affect their ability to grow services, reduce waitlists, invest in staff development, and maintain long-term sustainability.

Ultimately, providers want to continue delivering high-quality, person-centred supports to NDIS participants. Understanding the challenges facing the sector helps explain why many clinics are advocating for pricing that better reflects the true cost of delivering services.

Thank you to Spot Therapy Hub for highlighting this important issue.

11/05/2026

If you’ve ever asked your neurodivergent child,
“How was your day?”

…only to be met with silence, “fine”, “I don’t know”, a shrug, or what feels like avoidance — this post is for you.

Many neurodivergent children want to connect and share, but broad, open-ended questions can feel overwhelming after a full day of processing, masking, social demands, transitions, sensory input, and navigating expectations.