When Judy realised that her son Asher was having difficulties socially at kindergarten, she reached out to The Benevolent Society.

“When we went to kindy... he struggled making friends,” she says. “For me, that was a bit of a sign that something might have been going on that might need investigating.” A range of services were offered to the seven-year-old, including speech pathology and occupational therapy (OT) to develop his play skills and emotional literacy.  

Kicking goals 

Seven months on, Asher is thriving at school. His conversational skills and confidence have improved drastically, and he's made lots of new friends. 

“I have seen his friendship base grow from just a couple of people to this massive friendship base which is fantastic,” Judy says. “That tells me he's been taking in all the stuff that he's been doing with OT and applying that in social situations. I've seen his confidence improve as well within his schoolwork and reports from his teachers.” 
And best of all, therapy is fun! 

“For Asher, he responds really well to proprioceptive input which is pressure on the joints of his body,” says Kiah, his Occupational Therapist. “So that's why with climbing on the net, Asher can really tap into his concentration, and when I'm asking questions about his emotions at the same time, he's got that regulation he's experiencing through those physical activities. So we're able to combine two of his goals into one activity.” 

Positive Change 

For Kiah, it’s been incredibly rewarding seeing the positives changes therapy has made to Asher’s life.  

“Working with Asher has really shown me exactly why I wanted to be an OT, and how thankful I am to be in this role,” she says. “Getting to see the changes that it makes to people's lives and the improvements in their quality of life.” 

Pictured above: Kiah and Asher during a therapy session

Judy is incredibly grateful for the support her son has received and the difference it’s made in their lives. “I have seen massive improvements,” she says. 
The Benevolent Society has a range of teams and professionals who can help you or your loved one with disability.  

The majority of our clinical health and disability services can be funded through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and we also offer privately funded payment options and teleheath options where required. 

To find out more about how The Benevolent Society can help you, please call our Support Centre at 1800 236 762 or view our Services & Programs page.