NDIS
Feeding, swallowing & mealtime support for NDIS participants in Newcastle & the Hunter Region
THRIVE provides specialist feeding, swallowing and mealtime support for NDIS participants across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter Region. Our multidisciplinary team includes Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Psychologists and Behaviour Support Practitioners who work together to support safe, confident and meaningful participation in mealtimes.
We support self‑managed, plan‑managed and NDIA‑managed participants.
What we support
Feeding
- Sensory‑based feeding challenges
- Selective eating
- Restricted food variety
- Autism‑related feeding difficulties
- ARFID‑informed feeding support
- Oral‑motor feeding concerns
- Mealtime stress or refusal
- Participation in home, school or community mealtimes
Swallowing (Dysphagia)
- Coughing or choking during meals
- Difficulty swallowing food, fluids or medications
- Disability‑related swallowing concerns
- Dysphagia associated with neurological conditions
- Mealtime safety concerns
- Texture modification and mealtime recommendations
Mealtime Participation
- Routines and structure
- Sensory regulation
- Environmental supports
- Behavioural feeding challenges
- Support‑worker training
- Capacity‑building for families and teams
Our NDIS‑aligned approach
Feeding and swallowing support at THRIVE is Speech‑Pathology‑led, with Occupational Therapy, Psychology and Behaviour Support involved when sensory, emotional or behavioural factors are contributing.
We focus on:
- safety
- participation
- capacity‑building
- functional outcomes
- family and support‑team collaboration
- evidence‑based practice
Our goal is to support safe, confident and meaningful mealtime participation across home, school, community and supported environments.
What to expect
What we do not offer under NDIS
To ensure clarity and reduce confusion:
- We do not offer Support Coordination
- We do not offer adult Occupational Therapy outside feeding/mealtime needs
- We do not offer telehealth swallowing assessments
Everything we offer is strictly within feeding, swallowing and mealtime participation.
Telehealth for NDIS participants
Some aspects of feeding therapy — such as parent coaching, strategy sessions and team training — can be delivered via telehealth. However:
Swallowing (dysphagia) assessments cannot be completed via telehealth.
For safety reasons, dysphagia assessments must be completed in person.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — we support self‑managed, plan‑managed and NDIA‑managed participants.
Yes — we provide assessment reports and progress summaries aligned with NDIS requirements.
Yes — we communicate with support coordinators, plan managers and care teams as needed.
Yes — we offer capacity‑building training for safe, consistent mealtime support.
No. You can contact us directly to arrange an appointment. Referrals from GPs or other health professionals are welcome but not required.
You’ll receive clear information about the findings, along with practical strategies and recommendations tailored to your goals and routines. If further support or collaboration with other health professionals is helpful, we will discuss this with you.
We are based in Newcastle, NSW, and support families across the Hunter region and Central Coast, including Lake Macquarie, Maitland, and Port Stephens.
Some aspects of feeding therapy — such as strategy sessions and carer training — can be delivered via telehealth. However, swallowing assessments cannot be completed via telehealth for safety reasons and must be done in person.
Yes, we are able to take bookings for Flexible Endoscopic Assessments (FEA) from August.