What Is Telehealth Developmental Support?

Telehealth developmental support allows children and families to access suitable developmental, allied health and family support through secure online appointments.

For children, telehealth does not necessarily mean asking them to sit in front of a computer for an entire therapy session.

Particularly with younger children, an important part of telehealth can involve working directly with parents and caregivers.
A clinician may:

• Observe everyday interactions and routines
• Discuss concerns with parents or caregivers
• Help families understand their child's development
• Identify environmental barriers
• Develop practical strategies
• Demonstrate activities or approaches
• Help adapt routines
• Review what is and is not working
• Collaborate with educators and other supports
• Build family confidence and capacity

This can make developmental support relevant to the places where children actually live, learn and play.

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Who Can Telehealth Developmental Support Help?

Telehealth developmental support may be useful when a child or family would like help with areas such as:

• Communication
• Speech and language development
• Emotional regulation
• Sensory processing
• Attention
• Executive functioning
• Play
• Motor development
• Independence
• Dressing and self-care
• Mealtimes
• Toileting routines
• Sleep routines
• Transitions
• Behaviour
• School readiness
• Participation at childcare or school
• Family routines

Families do not need to know which professional or service they need before contacting us.

Our team can discuss what is happening and help identify which Belong Health service may be appropriate.

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Early Intervention Through Telehealth

Early developmental support does not always need to happen in a clinic.

For many younger children, some of the most valuable opportunities for development occur during ordinary everyday activities such as:

• Playing
• Getting dressed
• Mealtimes
• Bath time
• Going to childcare
• Going shopping
• Bedtime
• Playing with siblings
• Communicating with parents
• Moving between activities

Early intervention through telehealth can help families understand how to support development during these natural routines.

Depending on the child's needs, this might include support around:

• Early communication
• Play
• Sensory differences
• Emotional regulation and co-regulation
• Motor development
• Independence
• Routines
• Transitions
• Parent-child interaction
• Preparing for childcare or school

This approach can be particularly valuable because parents and caregivers spend substantially more time with their child than any clinician does.

Rather than relying only on what happens during an appointment, families can develop strategies that become part of everyday life.
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For broader information about developmental support for younger children, visit our Early Childhood Supports page.

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Parent Coaching Through Telehealth

Parent Coaching is particularly well suited to telehealth.

Instead of focusing only on direct therapy with a child, Parent Coaching helps parents and caregivers understand what may be happening and develop practical strategies they can use throughout everyday life.
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Telehealth Parent Coaching may explore:

• Communication
• Emotional regulation and co-regulation
• Sensory needs
• Behaviour
• Routines
• Transitions
• Independence
• Play
• Sleep routines
• Mealtimes
• School preparation
• Supporting siblings
• Working with childcare or school

Because appointments occur remotely, families can also discuss challenges from within the environment where they actually occur.

For example, a parent may be able to show a clinician the bedroom where bedtime difficulties occur, the bathroom associated with toileting challenges or the environment where morning routines become difficult.

Learn more about Parent Coaching WA

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Developmental Support While Waiting for an Assessment or Diagnosis

Families do not necessarily need to wait for a formal diagnosis before seeking appropriate developmental support.

Some families contact us because they have noticed differences in their child's:

• Communication
• Sensory processing
• Emotional regulation
• Attention
• Play
• Motor development
• Behaviour
• Routines
• Independence
• Learning
• Social interaction
• Ability to manage transitions

Others may already be waiting for an autism, ADHD, developmental or other assessment.

Where appropriate, support can focus on the child's current functional and developmental needs rather than waiting for a diagnostic process to finish.

Telehealth may provide one way for families to begin receiving guidance, particularly where local services have long waitlists or families live outside metropolitan areas.

Where diagnostic clarification is required, Belong Health's Psychology Assessment service is separate from our developmental and therapy services.

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Emotional Regulation and Co-Regulation Through Telehealth

When a child frequently becomes overwhelmed, the goal should not simply be to stop the outward behaviour.
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It is important to understand what may be contributing to the child's experience.
This might include:

• Sensory overload
• Communication difficulties
• Unexpected change
• Anxiety
• Fatigue
• Pain or discomfort
• Difficult tasks
• Too many demands
• Unclear expectations
• Transitions
• Hunger
• Environmental stress

Telehealth developmental support may help families recognise early signs of overwhelm and explore:

• Co-regulation
• Predictable routines
• Communication supports
• Sensory adjustments
• Preparing for transitions
• Reducing unnecessary demands
• Environmental changes
• Recovery following overwhelm

The focus is on helping the child feel safe, understood and supported, rather than teaching them to hide distress.

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Sensory Support From Home

Telehealth can offer a useful advantage when understanding a child's sensory environment: the clinician can sometimes see the environment where challenges actually occur.
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Families may be able to show their clinician:

• The child's bedroom
• Clothing
• Mealtime setup
• Play areas
• Bathroom or toileting environment
• Homework space
• Sensory resources
• Lighting
• Noise sources
• Home routines

This can help identify practical changes that may be difficult to recognise during a clinic appointment.

Children may experience sensory differences relating to:

• Sound
• Touch
• Clothing
• Movement
• Light
• Food textures
• Smells
• Crowded environments
• Body awareness
• Movement seeking

Where a child requires a specific formal assessment or hands-on clinical assessment, face-to-face appointments may still be required.

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Telehealth Support for Routines and Transitions

Transitions can be difficult for some children, particularly when they involve uncertainty, sensory changes or moving away from a preferred activity.
Examples include:

• Getting ready in the morning
• Leaving the house
• Starting childcare
• Going to school
• Moving between classrooms
• Ending screen time
• Mealtimes
• Bath time
• Bedtime
• Appointments
• Community outings

Telehealth developmental support may help families explore why particular transitions are difficult and develop practical strategies such as:

• Visual supports
• Predictable routines
• Advance preparation
• Communication supports
• Additional processing time
• Sensory adjustments
• Transition objects
• Reducing unnecessary transitions

Strategies should be individualised rather than expecting every child to respond to the same approach.

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School Readiness Through Telehealth

School readiness involves much more than knowing letters, numbers, colours or shapes.

Children may also benefit from support with:

• Communication
• Emotional regulation
• Sensory needs
• Independence
• Following familiar routines
• Asking for help
• Toileting
• Dressing
• Opening food containers
• Managing transitions
• Fine motor skills
• Participating within a classroom environment

Telehealth can allow clinicians to work with parents before school begins and, where appropriate, collaborate with educators.
For more detailed information, visit our School Readiness Support WA page.

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Telehealth Support for Autistic Children and Families

Telehealth may provide a useful support option for some autistic children and their families.

Support may focus on:

• Communication
• Sensory needs
• Emotional regulation and co-regulation
• Daily routines
• Transitions
• Independence
• School participation
• Parent Coaching
• Understanding behaviour
• Environmental adjustments

Some autistic children may also be more comfortable participating from their familiar home environment rather than travelling to an unfamiliar clinic.

Our approach is neurodiversity-affirming. Support is not aimed at making an autistic child appear less autistic or teaching them to mask harmless autistic characteristics.

Instead, support focuses on understanding the individual child, reducing barriers and supporting communication, autonomy, participation and wellbeing.

Learn more about Autism Support for Children Under 9

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Telehealth Support for Children With ADHD

Telehealth developmental support may also be useful for children with ADHD or children experiencing differences with attention and executive functioning.

Support may explore:

• Starting tasks
• Organisation
• Remembering routines
• Transitions
• Emotional regulation
• Time awareness
• School participation
• Managing everyday tasks
• Environmental supports
• Parent strategies

Rather than simply expecting a child to "try harder" or "pay attention", support can explore what changes to the environment, expectations or routines may make participation easier.

A formal ADHD diagnosis is not necessarily required before families seek appropriate functional support.

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Occupational Therapy Through Telehealth

Some Paediatric Occupational Therapy services can be delivered through telehealth where clinically appropriate.

This may include support around sensory needs, emotional regulation, routines, independence, self-care, motor development and participation.

Other Occupational Therapy assessments or interventions may require face-to-face appointments.

We have a separate page explaining exactly how online OT works, what it may help with and when face-to-face assessment may be more appropriate.

Learn more about Occupational Therapy Telehealth Services

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Speech Pathology Through Telehealth

Some Paediatric Speech Pathology services can also be delivered online.

Depending on the child's needs, this may include support for communication, language, speech, AAC and parent communication strategies.

For younger children, telehealth Speech Pathology may involve substantial parent and caregiver coaching so communication opportunities can be supported throughout everyday routines.

Learn more about Telehealth Speech Pathology Services

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Positive Behaviour Support Through Telehealth

Belong Health can provide Positive Behaviour Support through telehealth where appropriate.

This may involve working with families, participants, carers, educators and other supports to understand behaviour, identify contributing factors and develop appropriate strategies.

Because Belong Health already has a dedicated service page covering online PBS in detail, families looking specifically for behaviour support can visit:

Positive Behaviour Support via Telehealth

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Counselling Through Telehealth

Belong Health also provides Counselling via telehealth for suitable children aged 7+, teenagers and adults.

Counselling is different from developmental support and may be appropriate where support is primarily related to emotional wellbeing, anxiety, self-esteem, coping, relationships or other counselling needs.

Learn more about Telehealth Counselling

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One Telehealth Service or a Multidisciplinary Approach?

Sometimes the difficulty families experience is working out which service they actually need.

A child may have overlapping needs involving communication, sensory processing, emotional regulation, routines, independence or behaviour.
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Because Belong Health provides multiple allied health and developmental services, families can contact us even if they are unsure whether they need:

• Occupational Therapy
• Speech Pathology
• Parent Coaching
• Positive Behaviour Support
• Counselling
• Developmental Support
• School Readiness Support
• Psychology Assessment

We can discuss the concerns you are seeing and help identify an appropriate starting point.

For an overview of all services available remotely, visit our Telehealth Services page

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Telehealth Developmental Support and Thriving Kids WA

Thriving Kids WA is being progressively introduced across Western Australia for children aged 0–8 years with developmental delay and/or autism with low-to-moderate support needs.

Families looking for information about Thriving Kids pathways can contact Thriving Kids Connect WA for information, advice and navigation support.

Thriving Kids Connect WA
1300 WA KIDS (1300 925 437)

Belong Health is not currently a commissioned Thriving Kids WA provider.

Families may still contact Belong Health about developmental or allied health services available through our existing service and applicable funding pathways.

For detailed information about the program, eligibility and the transition from existing arrangements, visit our Thriving Kids WA page

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Telehealth Developmental Support Across Regional and Remote WA

Western Australia is enormous, and where a family lives can significantly affect their ability to access developmental and allied health services.

Families in regional, rural and remote communities may face:

• Long travel distances
• Limited local services
• Long waitlists
• Fewer specialist clinicians
• Time away from work or school
• Travel and accommodation costs
• Difficulty attending regular appointments

Telehealth can reduce some of these barriers.

Belong Health provides appropriate telehealth services to families throughout Western Australia, allowing families to access support without travelling to Perth or Mandurah for every appointment.

This can be particularly useful for families who want regular Parent Coaching, developmental guidance or other services that can appropriately be provided remotely.

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What Do I Need for a Telehealth Appointment?

In most cases, families need:

• A phone, tablet or computer with a camera
• A reliable internet connection
• A suitable space for the appointment
• An adult available where caregiver involvement is required

Depending on the appointment, your clinician may also suggest having particular toys, everyday objects, visual supports or activities available.

One advantage of telehealth is that clinicians can often work with the toys, routines and resources the family already has rather than relying entirely on specialised clinic equipment.

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Is Telehealth Suitable for Every Child?

No.
Telehealth can be very useful, but it is not appropriate for every child, assessment or intervention.

Suitability may depend on:

• The child's age
• Communication needs
• Goals
• The type of support required
• Safety considerations
• Family preferences
• Available technology
• Whether hands-on assessment is required
• Whether physical observation needs to occur in person

Some families may benefit from a combination of telehealth and face-to-face appointments.
Our team can help determine whether telehealth is appropriate for the support your family is seeking.

Contact Belong Health
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If you would like to learn more about telehealth developmental supports, Occupational Therapy, Speech Pathology, parent coaching, emotional regulation support, Positive Behaviour Support, Psychology assessments, or developmental consultation services, contact Belong Health today.

​Our team supports children and families across Perth, Mandurah, regional WA, and throughout Western Australia through flexible telehealth services.

Call us

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Frequently Asked Questions About Telehealth Developmental Support

What is telehealth developmental support?
Telehealth developmental support allows suitable developmental, allied health, coaching and family support to be provided through secure online appointments.
Support may focus on communication, emotional regulation, sensory needs, routines, independence, behaviour, school readiness and participation.

Can early intervention be provided through telehealth?
Yes, some early intervention and developmental supports can be delivered through telehealth.
For younger children, this often involves working with parents and caregivers to build strategies into everyday play, communication and family routines.

Is telehealth suitable for young children?
It can be.
Young children do not necessarily need to sit in front of a screen for an entire appointment. Telehealth may instead involve observation, play, interaction and substantial coaching of parents and caregivers.

Does my child need a diagnosis before accessing developmental support?
Not always.
Appropriate developmental support can often focus on a child's current functional needs while a family is exploring or waiting for assessment.

Can we use telehealth while waiting for an autism or ADHD assessment?
Potentially, yes.
Where appropriate, families may begin receiving support around communication, regulation, sensory needs, routines, independence, behaviour or other functional concerns without waiting for diagnostic assessment to be completed.

Can telehealth help with emotional regulation?
Yes.
Support may help families understand what contributes to overwhelm and develop strategies involving co-regulation, communication, sensory adjustments, routines, transitions and environmental changes.

Can telehealth help with sensory needs?
Yes.
Telehealth can be particularly useful for discussing the child's actual home environment and identifying practical sensory or environmental adjustments.

Can telehealth help with school readiness?
Yes.
Depending on the child's needs, telehealth may support communication, emotional regulation, sensory needs, independence, routines, transitions and preparation for school.

Can autistic children receive developmental support through telehealth?
Yes, where telehealth is appropriate for the individual child and family.
Support may involve communication, sensory needs, regulation, routines, Parent Coaching, school participation and environmental adjustments.

Can children with ADHD receive developmental support through telehealth?
Yes.
Support may focus on executive functioning, organisation, routines, transitions, emotional regulation, participation and practical environmental strategies.

Can parents receive coaching without their child attending the whole appointment?
Yes.
Some Parent Coaching appointments may primarily involve the parent or caregiver, depending on the goals and service being provided.

Can Occupational Therapy be provided through telehealth?
Yes, some Occupational Therapy services can be delivered through telehealth where clinically appropriate.
Belong Health has a dedicated Occupational Therapy Telehealth Services page explaining this service in more detail.

Can Speech Pathology be provided through telehealth?
Yes.
Some Speech Pathology services can be provided remotely, including communication support and parent coaching where appropriate.
Visit our Telehealth Speech Pathology Services page for more information.

Can Positive Behaviour Support be provided through telehealth?
Yes.
Belong Health provides Positive Behaviour Support via Telehealth where appropriate.

Does Belong Health provide telehealth counselling?
Yes.
Belong Health provides Telehealth Counselling for suitable children aged 7+, teenagers and adults.

Can regional WA families access Belong Health?
Yes.
Belong Health provides appropriate telehealth services throughout Western Australia, including regional, rural and remote communities.

Can telehealth and face-to-face services be combined?
Yes, where appropriate.
Some families may use a combination of telehealth and face-to-face support depending on their location, goals and the type of service required.

Is Belong Health a Thriving Kids WA provider?
Belong Health is not currently a commissioned Thriving Kids WA provider.
Families can still contact Belong Health about our existing developmental and allied health services while separately accessing current information about Thriving Kids WA.

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Looking for Developmental Support From Home?

​You don't need to know exactly which service your child needs before contacting us.
If you are concerned about your child's:

• Communication
• Emotional regulation
• Sensory needs
• Routines
• Behaviour
• Attention
• Independence
• Transitions
• School readiness
• Everyday participation

our team can discuss what is happening and help determine whether telehealth developmental support or another Belong Health service may be appropriate.

Depending on your child's needs, this may include:

• Parent Coaching
• Occupational Therapy
• Speech Pathology
• Positive Behaviour Support
• Counselling
• School Readiness Support
• Developmental Support
• Psychology Assessment

Contact Belong Health
Providing telehealth developmental support across Western Australia, including Perth, Mandurah, Peel, regional, rural and remote WA.

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Last Edited October 2026