Allied Health Assistant (AHA) roles have become increasingly present within speech pathology and occupational therapy clinics across Australia and the world.

As parents, often the first question that comes to mind is what exactly IS an AHA?

An allied health assistant, or AHA as we love to call them in our clinic, is not for the fainthearted. To be an AHA you need to have relevant health based qualifications or be studying towards this. Often, our future Speech Pathologists, or Occupational Therapists bring their knowledge to these roles while completing their final years of university study or perhaps the AHA has or is studying towards a relevant certificate in allied health assisting.

The role of our AHA’s is to implement a plan devised by the supervising speech pathologist or OT. Often, the speech pathologist or OT that assesses your child will work with you and your child to develop a report and goals for their therapy. From here, the speech pathologist or OT works closely with the AHA to plan sessions and activities that will help your child journey towards these goals.

In some sessions your Speech Pathologist or OT will be present, either face to face or via Zoom link and in the other sessions you will be in the capable hands of your AHA. After each session, your child’s AHA will discuss with the speech pathologist or OT how the session went, the child’s responses to tasks and discuss and plan adjustments for the next session. During your journey with our clinic, you are welcome and encouraged to deliver feedback, make suggestions and ask questions with your Speech Pathologist  or OT at any time.

Secondly, and unsurprisingly, we might also wonder whether this is the best option for our child- will they be given what they need to achieve their goals?

At Hanrahan Health, we have observed the positive impact our Allied health Assistants have delivered with many clients. Given that your child’s supervising speech pathologist or OT will plan your child’s therapy from their goals right through to each activity they complete in a session as well as ensuring that our AHA’s have the relevant and specific training needed for each activity we know that your child will be supported towards their goals 100% of the way.

We pride ourselves on open communication not only between you as a parent and the AHA but everyone involved to ensure we are all supporting your child to achieve the most success possible.

Lastly, our Goulburn Allied Health Assistant Georgia, explains a little about her experience working with clients to achieve their best-

Working with Hanrahan Health as an Allied Health Assistant has been one of the most rewarding opportunities so far. As a fourth year Speech Pathology student studying at the University of Sydney it has been incredible to come home and support my local community.
I have had the opportunity to work under the supervision of Speech Pathology team members with many clients across Goulburn and Crookwell whether at some of the many primary and high schools, within the clinic or being welcomed into client homes for therapy sessions.

I along with all other AHA staff have been given incredible amounts of training by Hanrahan Health to implement activities and programs used with these clients and have been overwhelmed with the amount of progress and achievement our clients have experienced in our sessions. If you are considering whether your child would benefit from therapy delivered by an AHA, I couldn’t recommend this experience for your child enough. I truly believe that the support and training offered to AHA staff by the supervising speech pathologists and OTs at Hanrahan Health and their extensive wealth of knowledge in approaching therapy and goal setting provides an amazing foundation for your child’s success in our sessions.