Service Terms

At Lifespan Therapies, we want families to understand how our services work, what to expect, and the responsibilities that help therapy run smoothly.

These Service Terms provide a plain-language summary of our main service conditions. Your individual Service Agreement or Schedule of Supports will contain the specific details that apply to your services.

Starting services

Services can commence once we have:

• completed the relevant intake and consent process

• confirmed that our service is suitable for your child’s needs and goals

• agreed on the proposed service arrangement

• confirmed funding or payment arrangements.

Service availability may depend on clinician capacity, location and the type of support required.

Fees and payment

Private and self-managed appointments are generally payable on the day of service unless another arrangement has been agreed.

Where an invoice is issued, payment is required within the timeframe shown on the invoice.

Plan-managed NDIS invoices are sent to the nominated Plan Manager. NDIA-managed services are claimed in accordance with current NDIS requirements.

Families remain responsible for ensuring sufficient funding is available for agreed services and for payment of any services that are not covered by the nominated funding arrangement.

For current pricing, please see our Fees & Billing page.

Keeping your account up to date

Accounts need to remain up to date for services to continue.

Where payments become overdue, we may pause future appointments until the account is resolved. Ongoing non-payment may result in services being reduced or ceased and the regular appointment time being released to another family.

We will contact you where possible before taking this step.

Cancellations and non-attendance

We require two clear business days’ notice when cancelling or rescheduling an appointment.

Where sufficient notice is not provided, a cancellation fee of up to the full scheduled appointment fee may apply.

A cancellation fee may also apply where:

• an appointment is missed without notice

• a therapist attends a home, school or community location and the appointment cannot proceed

• the appointment cannot reasonably continue due to circumstances within the family’s control.

For community appointments, applicable travel charges may also apply.

We understand that unexpected circumstances occur. Where there is a pattern of frequent cancellations or non-attendance, we may review whether the current therapy arrangement remains suitable.

If attendance cannot be maintained, the regular appointment time may be released and the family may need to return to the waitlist when they are ready to recommence.

Professional time outside appointments

Therapy can involve professional work outside direct appointment time.

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

• assessment scoring and interpretation

• therapy planning and review

• reports and letters

• development of individualised resources

• communication with schools, educators and other professionals

• case conferences and stakeholder meetings

• assistive technology or equipment applications.

Some planning and documentation may already be included within your appointment fee.

Where additional billable professional time is required, we will discuss the expected work, time and cost with you wherever reasonably possible before proceeding.

Home, school and community appointments

Therapy may be provided outside the clinic where this is clinically appropriate and agreed as part of your child’s service.

Community appointments may attract charges for:

• therapist travel time

• kilometres travelled

• parking or entry costs

• room hire or other venue costs where applicable.

Some community services may require a minimum appointment duration.

Families are responsible for ensuring the agreed location is safe

and suitable for therapy. A therapist may modify or cease an appointment if the environment is unsafe, unsuitable, or prevents the service from being provided appropriately.

Changes to therapy

Your child’s therapy may change over time as their needs, goals and progress change.

This may include changes to:

• appointment frequency

• appointment length

• therapy delivery method

• direct versus parent-focused support

• clinician or discipline involved

• location of therapy

• the amount of professional work required outside sessions.

Your therapist will discuss significant recommendations with you and work collaboratively with you when reviewing your child’s therapy plan.

Working together

Therapy works best when families and clinicians can communicate openly and work toward agreed goals.

We may review a service where there are ongoing concerns about attendance, engagement, safety, funding, payment or whether the service continues to be appropriate for the child’s needs.

Where possible, we will discuss concerns with you and explore suitable next steps before making changes to services.

Ending or pausing services

You may choose to pause or end services at any time.

Lifespan Therapies may also recommend pausing, changing or ending a service where:

• goals have been achieved or therapy is no longer required

• another service or model would better meet the child’s needs

• attendance or engagement makes therapy difficult to deliver effectively

• funding or payment arrangements are no longer available

• accounts remain significantly overdue

• there are safety concerns

• Lifespan Therapies is no longer able to provide an appropriate service.

Where appropriate, we will support transition planning or provide recommendations for next steps.

Privacy and information sharing

Personal and health information is managed in accordance with our Privacy Policy

Information may be shared with other people involved in your child’s care where you have provided consent, or where disclosure is otherwise required or permitted by law.

Questions or concerns

If you have questions about your service, fees or these terms, please contact our team.

If something isn’t working well, we encourage families to raise it with us so we can understand the concern and work toward an appropriate resolution.