Bec has over 20 years experience as a speech pathologist, working with those needing assistance across the age range. She has also completed her Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) in 2021.
Since completing her speech pathology studies, Bec has worked in Australia and the United Kingdom, providing highly specialised support to people with developmental and acquired disabilities. Bec has focused her career on working with individuals with complex disabilities, having a firm belief in everyone’s right to communicate in the way most functional to them. Bec has worked alongside children, adults, their families and carers, with varying skills, needs and challenges to support them to reach their maximum potential through research based intervention. There is nothing Bec enjoys more than seeing client’s reach their goals and supporting them to achieve these goals.
Through her experience, Bec has developed a keen interest in assisting those individuals with complex needs in the areas of complex communication – high and low tech Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems and dysphagia assessment and management, including fussy and problem eaters. Bec is passionate about assisting people to live their lives with as much independence as possible.
Bec is also passionate about supporting speech pathology practitioners through clinical supervision, offering both individual and group clinical supervision services.
Throughout her career, Bec has completed various professional courses and holds certification or recognition of training in the following:
– Talking Mats Accredited Trainer – A visual communication framework to improve the lives of people with communication difficulties by increasing their capacity to think about and express views about things that matter to them
– PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) – a unique Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) resource for individuals with autism spectrum disorder or developmental disabilities who have difficulty with spoken words
– DIR Floortime – Developmental Individual Difference Relationship Based Model focuses on promoting help for children to reach milestones in their emotional development by encouraging the child to interact with others through play
– SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory) Approach to Feeding for Fussy Eaters or Problem Feeders
– KCS (Key Concept Sign) – uses a core vocabulary of specially selected words that comprise of concepts and ideas, considered to be the most appropriate for children and adults with communication and language difficulties. Each word (or concept) is matched to a hand sign. KWS uses Auslan signs, the native language of the Australia Deaf Community)
– PODD (Pragmatic Organisation Dynamic Display) – a communication aid that contains symbols and words to support communication between people with complex communication needs and their communication partners. These can either be low tech (in book form) or high tech (on a device)
– ALS (Aided Language Stimulation) – a communication strategy where the communication partner teaches symbol meaning and models language by combining their own verbal input with selection of vocabulary on the Augmentative and Alternative Communication System (AAC)
– Colourful Semantics – a method of teaching individuals how to understand and build sentences
– Dysphagia Disorders Survey (DDS), Dysphagia Management Staging Scale (DMSS), Choking Rating Scale (CRS), Pneumonia Rating Scale (PRS) – standardised screening and clinical evaluations for feeding and swallowing in children and adults with developmental disabilities
– Cervical Auscultation – swallowing assessment tool
– Positive Behaviour Support Qualifications – including IABA certification
– DeafBlind Communication
– Neurodevelopmental therapy training, including typical and atypical development of the infant and young child.