Foundations and Friends

26/10/2026

At Foundations & Friends, support looks different for every child — because every child is different. 🌱

We’re a neuroaffirming, child-centred allied health team based in Emerald, Victoria, offering a range of supports for children, young people and families.

Our services include:

• Psychology
• Play Therapy
• Art Therapy
• Social Work
• Counselling
• Positive Behaviour Support
• Developmental Education
• Continence Nursing
• Allied Health Therapy Assistance
• School Readiness
• Education-based support
• Group therapy
• Holiday programs

Our goal is to help families find support that feels safe, practical and genuinely suited to their child.

Whether you’re looking for therapeutic support, skill building, behaviour support, parent and family guidance, or simply aren’t sure where to start, we’d love to chat. 🤎

📍 Emerald, Victoria

🌱 Ready to explore support for your child and family?

You can self-refer by clicking the link provided
https://foundations-for-childhood.splose.com/public-form/451631ac-9c45-4e16-bdc7-9ddfd6cf2cff

20/10/2026

Social support shouldn’t be about teaching a child to mask, fit in or change who they are.

It can be about helping children:

✨ Find people who share their interests
✨ Experience connection in ways that feel natural to them
✨ Understand their own communication style and those of others
✨ Express their needs, preferences and boundaries
✨ Navigate misunderstandings without being taught that their way is “wrong”
✨ Build confidence in creating friendships that feel safe and genuine

Our interest-based groups create opportunities for connection to grow through shared enjoyment, mutual understanding and belonging not pressure to perform socially.

Because meaningful friendship isn’t about fitting in everywhere. Sometimes, it begins with finding the people and spaces where you can be fully yourself. 🤍

15/10/2026

The environment is part of the therapy. 🌿

Our spaces are thoughtfully designed to support calm, connection and regulation, because children engage more freely when they feel safe, comfortable and accepted.

There are opportunities to move, play, create, explore or take a quiet moment. Children aren’t expected to sit still, make eye contact or begin talking before they feel ready. Instead, they’re supported to engage in ways that feel natural and manageable for them.

A sensory-considerate, child-led environment can help reduce overwhelm, build trust and give children the space they need to express themselves, connect with their therapist and participate meaningfully.

It may look playful and relaxed—but every part of the space has a purpose. 🤍

12/10/2026

11/10/2026

“Does my child need a diagnosis to access support?”

No! not to get started, and sometimes not at all. 🌿

Many families seek support for emotional regulation, anxiety, social connection, confidence, communication or developmental concerns without their child having, or needing a formal diagnosis.

Under current NDIS arrangements, children younger than 6 may also be eligible for early-intervention funding based on developmental delay or concerns across self-care, social/communication, cognitive/play/safety or motor skills without needing a specific diagnosis.

For some children, a diagnosis may be helpful. It can provide a clearer understanding of their strengths and support needs and may assist families, therapists and educators to:

✨ Plan ongoing individualised support
✨ Advocate for appropriate adjustments
✨ Build shared understanding across home, school and therapy
✨ Explore relevant services or specialist supports
✨ Provide evidence for future support applications
✨ Continuing on the NDIS scheme after 7 years old

For other children, a diagnosis may not be necessary or something their family chooses to pursue. Support can be based on the child’s individual needs, whether or not those needs have a diagnostic label.

A diagnosis doesn’t change who a child is, and they don’t need one to be welcomed or supported by us. 🤍

07/10/2026

Support shouldn’t stop at the therapy-room door. 🌿

We support children across home, school and community environments through collaborative, individualised approaches that respond to their real-life needs.

Our Allied Health Assistants can also provide outreach support to help practise strategies, build everyday skills and work towards therapy goals where they matter most. With a lower hourly rate than clinician-led sessions, families may be able to access more support hours and make their available funding go further.

03/10/2026

Not every feeling can be put into words and it doesn’t have to be. 🎨

Creative Arts Therapy uses art, movement and self-expression to help children and young people explore emotions, process experiences, build confidence and strengthen their sense of identity.

There’s no need to be “good at art.” It’s about having a safe, creative way to express what’s happening inside.

29/09/2026

Therapy doesn’t always look like sitting in a chair and talking.

Sometimes, it looks like:
✨ Building cubbies
✨ Painting and creating
✨ Playing games
✨ Swinging and moving
✨ Telling stories

Because through play, children can communicate, process experiences, practise new skills and make sense of their world, all in ways that feel natural and safe to them.

It may look like play, but it can be incredibly meaningful therapeutic work. 💛

26/09/2026

Looking for the right support for your child or family? 🤍

We currently have limited availability across some of our individual therapy services and group programs.

Reach out to explore the available options, find the right fit or join a waitlist for your preferred service. You don’t need to be an NDIS participant to access support with us.

24/09/2026

Support doesn’t have to feel clinical. 🌿

We offer counselling and holistic support for children and parents, using creative, relational and strengths-based approaches that honour each person’s unique needs.

A warm, supportive space to feel heard, build confidence and discover practical ways forward, together.