TalkAbility™

For parents of autistic children and children with social communication challenges

TalkAbility™ is a Hanen training program that teaches parents how to support their child’s social communication with practical strategies woven into everyday life.

From joining play to understanding that people have different thoughts and feelings, you’ll learn what social communication is, why it matters and how you can help your child grow their skills and confidence in social settings.

Helping kids communicate with confidence

TalkAbility™ is designed for pre-school and early primary-school aged kids who are speaking in sentences but find it tricky to:

Understand other people’s feelings or point of view
Take turns in conversation or join in play
Build and maintain friendships
Make sense of the “hidden rules” of social situations
Have meaningful back-and-forth conversations

Combining online and face-to-face sessions delivered by our certified Talkability™ presenter Holly Trounce, the program empowers you to better understand your child’s world and become their partner in play—fostering conversations and friendships as they grow.

Please note: at this stage, Talkability™ is only available to families across the Geelong region to accommodate all session types.

Family-centred

Designed for parents of autistic children or kids needing support with social communication

Research-based

Developed by The Hanen Centre and delivered by a certified TalkAbility™ Speech Pathologist

Flexible delivery

The program includes 9 parent-only sessions, 4 home visits and a guidebook

NDIS-funded

Available for eligible participants under Capacity Building – Improved Daily Living

What’s involved?

The program is thoughtfully structured to take you step-by-step through the training, including:

A pre-program assessment at home, with you and your child
A group orientation session
8 x parent-only education sessions
3 x at home visits with your child, spread throughout the program
1 x end of program report session
A Talkability™ parent guidebook to keep

The Hanen approach aligns with NDIS support because it focuses on building parent capacity. It’s an innovative and cost-effective way to help you work with your child toward their communication goals.

The strategies you’ll learn in TalkAbility™ are grounded in the things your child already enjoys and does each day. This means their social skills can grow in ways that feel natural, meaningful, and genuinely fun for both of you.