Kids First Children's Services is a supportive safety net for Northern Beaches families, established in 2007 by teacher and author Sonja Walker.
Reviews of Kids First are uniformly positive, with no critical feedback present across the 15 submitted reviews. The strongest recurring theme is praise for Sonja and the broader team's community workshops on topics like school readiness and child behaviour, which educators and parents from multiple early learning centres describe as practical, accessible, and immediately applicable at home. Parents who used the clinical services — particularly speech therapy — also report noticeable progress in their children and appreciate that therapists communicate home strategies clearly and, in at least one case, coordinated directly with the child's preschool.
Summarised from Google reviews.
Kids First Children's Services is a supportive safety net for Northern Beaches families, established in 2007 by teacher and author Sonja Walker. They empower children to thrive by providing tailored therapy from a multidisciplinary team of speech therapists, occupational therapists, child psychologists, and teachers working together under one roof to meet each child's unique needs.
Assessment and treatment of communication difficulties including speech sounds, language development, stuttering, voice, and feeding and swallowing. Speech pathologists work with children and adults to help them communicate clearly and confidently.
Assessment and therapy provided by a registered psychologist to support mental health, emotional wellbeing and behaviour. Psychologists work across the lifespan — helping children, adolescents and adults understand and manage challenges such as anxiety, depression, trauma and learning differences.
A talking-based support that helps people work through emotional difficulties, relationship challenges, grief, stress or mental health concerns. A counsellor listens without judgement and helps you develop coping strategies and a clearer sense of direction.
A therapy that helps children and adults develop the everyday skills needed for daily life — from dressing, writing and play to sensory processing and school participation. Occupational therapists assess what is getting in the way and design practical strategies to build independence and confidence.
Accommodation and daily living support for people with disability who need assistance to live as independently as possible. Support workers assist with personal care, household tasks, community participation and skill development.
A thorough evaluation by a psychologist using standardised tests, interviews and observation to understand a person's cognitive, emotional and behavioural functioning. Results inform diagnosis and guide recommendations for therapy, school adjustments and support services.
Early intervention services for young children.
Therapy delivered to small groups of children or adults with similar goals, allowing participants to practise skills, build connections and learn from shared experiences. Groups are facilitated by a qualified therapist and can cover areas such as social skills, emotional regulation or anxiety management.