Occupational Therapy for Autism in Sydney's St George Region
Neuroaffirming occupational therapy for autistic children at our Kogarah clinic — for families across St George and the Sutherland Shire.
Square One Therapy Hub is an occupational therapy clinic in Kogarah, Sydney, working with autistic children and their families across the St George region — Hurstville, Rockdale, Bexley, Carlton, Allawah and Beverley Park — and across the Sutherland Shire, a short drive north over the Georges River.
We focus on what your child wants to be able to do — the practical, everyday goals — and build those skills in ways that respect how your child experiences the world. Sessions run at our Kogarah clinic, and home, school and preschool visits are available across St George and the Shire by arrangement.
Every autistic child is different. Some find loud spaces overwhelming, some take longer to find their words, some struggle with the transitions and unwritten rules of school and friendships, and some are flying through milestones with one or two specific areas where they'd benefit from support.
Looking for our full paediatric OT service? → Paediatric Occupational Therapy Kogarah
As autistic children grow into teenagers and adults, many continue to benefit from practical OT support for study, work and daily routines — we also offer occupational therapy for adults.
Travelling from south of the Georges River? See our Sutherland Shire paediatric therapy page for directions and travel times.
When OT can help
- Sensory sensitivities — sound, light, touch, food textures, clothing
- Difficulty with transitions, change or unstructured time
- Big emotions that feel hard to ride out
- Trouble with handwriting, scissors, dressing or other fine motor tasks
- Avoiding or struggling with playground equipment and gross motor play
- Differences in eating, mealtimes or food preferences
- Difficulty with school routines, organisation or completing tasks
- Social participation — joining play, friendships, group activities
How we help
- Initial assessment to understand your child's profile, strengths and goals
- Sensory and self-regulation strategies tailored to your child
- Practical skill building — dressing, mealtimes, handwriting, classroom skills
- Home and school programmes so strategies extend beyond the clinic
- Parent coaching and education so you feel confident supporting your child
- Functional Capacity Assessments and NDIS reports where needed
- Liaison with school, preschool and other treating professionals
What occupational therapy can do for autistic children
Occupational therapy looks at all the things your child does every day — getting dressed, playing, eating, going to school, making friends, regulating big emotions — and works out what's getting in the way of doing them with confidence and independence.
For autistic children, this often includes sensory processing differences, executive function and planning skills, fine and gross motor skills, social participation, and emotional regulation. We meet your child where they are and build from there.
A neuroaffirming approach
We do not try to make autistic children seem less autistic. We support them to participate in the things they want to participate in, in ways that work for their nervous system.
That means embracing stimming, honouring sensory needs, building communication in whatever form works best for your child (including AAC where helpful), and partnering closely with you as the expert on your child.
Autism support for St George and Sutherland Shire families
Our clinic is at 4 Short Street, Kogarah, with free on-site parking and a five-minute walk from Kogarah station on the T4 Illawarra Line. That makes us straightforward to reach from Hurstville, Rockdale, Bexley, Carlton and Allawah, and a 15–20 minute drive over the Captain Cook Bridge from Sutherland, Miranda, Caringbah and Cronulla.
Many autistic children benefit from a combination of OT and speech pathology — and our clinic has both, under one roof, with shared goals and regular communication between therapists. If your child also needs physiotherapy support, that's available too. For Shire families in particular, having all three disciplines in one location means one trip instead of three.
How our team supports this
Occupational Therapy
Everyday skills — dressing, handwriting, play, coping with change — built around what your child wants to do.
Explore serviceSpeech Therapy
Speech pathology for clearer speech, understanding language, and getting thoughts into words.
Explore serviceSchool Readiness Assessments
A multidisciplinary look at your child's academic, motor, social and self-care skills before they start Kindergarten — using the Bracken (BSRA-4) and PDMS-3.
Explore serviceCommon questions from families
Which suburbs do you cover for autism occupational therapy?
Our clinic is in Kogarah and we see families from across the St George region — Hurstville, Rockdale, Bexley, Carlton, Brighton-Le-Sands, Allawah and Beverley Park — as well as the Sutherland Shire, including Sylvania, Miranda, Caringbah, Cronulla and Sutherland.
Do you see Sutherland Shire families?
Yes. We are about 15–20 minutes north over the Captain Cook Bridge from most Shire suburbs, or a direct T4 Illawarra Line trip from Sutherland or Caringbah to Kogarah. There is free on-site parking at the clinic.
What happens at a first appointment?
The first session is an initial assessment where we get to know your child's profile, strengths and goals, and talk with you about what you want therapy to achieve. From there we build a plan and, where relevant, home and school strategies.
Does my child need an autism diagnosis to access OT at Square One?
No. We work with children with and without a formal diagnosis. A referral is not required — you can self-refer or come via NDIS, Medicare, or a paediatrician.
Is occupational therapy for autism covered by NDIS?
Yes. Occupational therapy is an NDIS-funded support under Capacity Building. We work with self-managed and plan-managed participants.
Do you offer home or school visits for autistic children?
Yes. In addition to our Kogarah clinic, we offer home and school visits across the St George and Sutherland Shire regions.
Do you need a diagnosis for my child to see an OT?
No. You don't need a diagnosis to access OT — you can come privately or via a Medicare CDM referral. A diagnosis can help with NDIS access, but it's not required to start therapy with us.
Is your approach neuroaffirming?
Yes. We don't try to make autistic children seem less autistic. We focus on the goals your child and family want to work toward, in ways that respect how your child experiences the world.
Can my child see an OT and a speech pathologist together?
Absolutely — many of our families do exactly that. Our OTs and speech pathologists share notes and set aligned goals so therapy works together rather than in parallel.
How is OT funded for autistic children?
Most commonly via the NDIS (self- or plan-managed), Medicare CDM referrals (5 sessions per year with a GP's care plan), private health rebates, or private pay. We'll talk you through the right pathway on a free 15-minute call.
Do you do school or home visits?
Yes — we offer home, school and preschool visits across the St George region by arrangement once your child is on caseload.
Ready to get started?
Speak directly with our director. No obligation — just a chat about how we can help.
Free call-backs and discovery calls are with our director, subject to availability, one per family, with no ongoing commitment.