The Berry Street Clinic

Get to know The Berry Street Clinic

From The Berry Street Clinic's website.

• Our approach

  The clinic uses a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach built around understanding each child as a whole. Paediatricians act as the central coordinators of care, working closely with psychologists trained in neuropsychology and speech pathologists to integrate medical guidance with allied health expertise. Rather than functioning in isolation, clinicians collaborate regularly to ensure assessment findings, medical care, therapy recommendations, and practical strategies align in a meaningful way. Sessions are structured, evidence-based, and tailored to the individual child, with initial paediatric consultations typically lasting 60–90 minutes to allow for thorough discussion of concerns, developmental history, and examination where appropriate.

• Working with families

  The clinic prioritises communication with and involvement of parents and carers throughout the process. Practitioners are happy to speak with parents privately if sensitive family matters are difficult to discuss in front of children, and adolescent consultations may include private time between the young person and the paediatrician. For non-urgent concerns between appointments, families can email the clinic and receive a response within five business days. Where appropriate, the clinic may liaise with schools, and paediatricians incorporate assessment findings into long-term developmental monitoring and care planning, keeping families informed of progress and next steps.

• Meet the team

  The team comprises seven paediatricians (Dr Natasha Fernandez, Dr Claire Smyth, Dr Mayuri Sivagnanam, Dr Claire Mowry, Dr Sarah Ford, Dr Eric Chung, and Dr Amira Barsoum) who lead coordinated care, alongside three psychologists trained in neuropsychology (David Long, Kathleen Rolfe, and Minji Park), a speech pathologist (Shanthi Anker), an audiologist (Lee Ann O'Connor), and an education consultant (Doreen Murray). Paediatricians provide medical oversight and developmental review, while the allied health professionals offer specialist assessment and intervention services across cognitive, behavioural, communication, and educational domains. The clinic's strength lies in how these disciplines work together collaboratively rather than in isolation, ensuring integrated, medically guided care.

• Your first visit

  The first appointment begins with completion of intake forms and questionnaires sent after booking, along with any relevant existing reports or documentation to streamline consultation time. During an initial paediatric consultation, the practitioner conducts a medical review, discusses your concerns and your child's developmental history, and performs examination and management planning as appropriate. For families exploring assessment, an initial telehealth meeting with the psychologist helps clarify the referral question and determine the most appropriate assessment approach. Parents or caregivers typically attend, though practitioners are happy to speak with parents privately if needed, and adolescents may have part of the consultation privately with the paediatrician.