CHILDREN at the Y WA’s Yappara House Early Learning Centre (ELC) in South Guildford  are benefiting from an innovative partnership with Edith Cowan University School of Medical and Health Sciences (ECU) and speech pathology students.

The ECU students have begun placements aimed at strengthening early language development during the most critical years of learning.

The program sees third-year ECU speech pathology students working directly with children at the Y WA Yappara House ELC as part of their clinical placement, delivering targeted support while gaining valuable, real-world experience.

The students are supervised by a qualified clinical educator and attend the centre weekly over a 12-week period, supporting children identified as needing additional help with speech and language skills.

This initiative, was first trialled at the Y WA’s Baldivis ELC in March 2025, before expanding to Brabham and Westminster centres from August to October 2025, and builds on the proven success of this partnership.

The continued rollout to the Y WA’s Yappara House ELC marks the next phase in strengthening early intervention support across the Y WA’s network.

Centre director Leeanne Coombes said the program is already making a meaningful difference for children, families and educators.

“With increasing demand for speech therapy services and long wait times for families, having ECU students working alongside our educators provides timely and valuable support right here in the early learning environment,” Ms Coombes said.

“Early childhood is such a critical time for language development. By embedding this support into our centre, we can identify and respond to children’s needs sooner, while also creating a rich learning environment where communication skills can flourish.”

The partnership complements the Y WA’s School ReadY Program, which is delivered across all its Early Learning Centres and focuses on three key developmental areas: literacy and language, social and emotional wellbeing, and numeracy.

As part of this program, children complete a language screen to identify those who may benefit from additional support.

“At Yappara House, we’re passionate about creating a sense of belonging where children feel confident to express themselves,” Ms Coombes said.

“This collaboration not only supports children who need extra help but also builds the confidence and capability of our educators and provides families with practical strategies they can use at home.”

The ECU students also contribute by developing resources that can be shared across the Y WA’s centres, helping extend the impact of the program beyond the placement period.

Y WA chief executive officer Tim McDonald said the partnership is a powerful example of how collaboration can deliver real outcomes for children and families.

“Collaborating with ECU speech pathology students bolsters our capacity to intervene early if children are having language difficulties,” Dr McDonald said.

“Our aim is to ensure children do not start school behind, as we know that research shows it is much harder to remediate a learning difficulty the longer it is left. The Y WA is proud to be nurturing the next generation of allied health professionals while delivering meaningful, early support for children, families and educators.”

With demand for early intervention services continuing to rise across Western Australia, the collaboration represents an important step in improving access to support, ensuring more children can develop the communication skills they need to thrive at school and beyond.