Private AAC Assessors

In New Zealand, Communication Assistive Technology can be applied from through Whaikaha's EMS (Equipment and Modification Scheme) following an assessment.

These assessments can be done publicly through TalkLink (anyone can self refer here) or pay privately for an assessment. .

All funding applications must be made by an appropriately qualified CAT1 or CAT2 accrediated assessor. We advise the public to confirm that the assesor has an up-to-date CAT1 or CAT2 accrediation and current ATANZ membership prior to engaging wih them. Costs for assessments will vary between clincians.

Here is a list of clinicians in private practice

Clinician	Contact details	CAT Level	Region	Telepractice offered	Ages served	Experience	Focus areas
Denise Poole	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. www.communicationconnect.link	1	Northland	Yes in conjunction with at least 1 in person visi	Children, Adults who had communciation difficulties as children	I have 30 years experience with CCN, 12 of these years working in Special Needs Schools.	Aquired Disability (Injury, head/neck cancer, TBI, stroke, Aphasia, etc), Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Down Syndrome, Intellectual Disability, Motor Neuron Disease, Neurological Conditions (Parkinson, MS etc)
Ami-Lee Wildman	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.	1	Auckland			Experience working with children with varied complex communication difficulties, including autism, Down Syndrome, global developmental delays, and apraxia of speech.	Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Down Syndrome, Intellectual Disability
Andrea Fehrensen	Fehrensenspeech.com	1	Auckland	Yes	Children, Adults who had communciation difficulties as children	Special School with various clients with different complex communciation needs	Autism, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Down Syndrome, intellectual Disability
Michelle Chamberlain	https://aspirecomm.co.nz/ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.	1&2	Nationwide	Telehealth only	Children, young adults	10 years experience working with CCN clients from preschool age, school aged children to young adults.	Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Down Syndrome, Intellectual Disability
Kamini Naidoo	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.	1	Waikato	Yes	Children	20+ years experience	Autism, Acquired disabilityCerebral Palsy, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Down Syndrome, Intellectual Disability
Kathleen Jones	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://www.kjspeech.co.nz	1&2	Tauranga, Western BOP	Yes	Children, Adults who had communication difficulties as children	16 years experience as a speech language therapist. Working in a specialist school setting for the previous 5 years and in child development team for children 0-3 prior to that.	Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Intellectual Disability
Elisa Mynen	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://speechie.co.nz	1	Palmerston North	Only in special circumstances	Children, Adults who had communication difficulties as children	I have 30 years' experience helping people with communication needs and their families repair communication and restore relationship. I believe that anyone who does not have robust, effective verbal language should be presumed competent to learn and develop communication skills and have access to an organised visual language system.	Autism, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Down Syndrome, Intellectual Disability
Sarah Courtnage	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.	1	Kapiti Coast	Yes	Children	I have worked at Mahinawa Specialist school and Wellington Early Intervention Trust. I have extensive experience working with children with complex communication needs and their whānau.	Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Down Syndrome, Intellectual Disability
Shannon Hennig	http://www.inclusive-communication.co.nz	1	Greater Wellington	Yes in conjunction with at least 1 in person visit	Children, Adults who had communication difficulties as children	I have over 20 years experience	Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Down Syndrome, Intellectual Disability
Hilde Van Santen	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.	1&2	Top of the South Island	Only in special circumstances	Children	Over 25 years of experience working with preschoolers, school age children and young adults in Special Schools, Rehab Centres, Private Practice and Child Development Team.	Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Down Syndrome, Intellectual Disability
Sarah Houlahan	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. www.makingconnections.co.nz	1&2	Based in Christchurch, available for clients online across New Zealand	Yes	Children, Adults who had communication difficulties as children	I have over 10 years of experience assessing and working with children and adults with complex communication needs. I also have a Master's degree in Specialist Teaching Autism and my research project focused on supporting young adults with Autism in their use of communication devices.	Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Down Syndrome, Intellectual Disability
Megan Bell	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.	1	Southland and Central Otago	Yes	Children	I have experience working with a wide range of children with complex communication needs, both in special school settings and, more recently, in the community through my private practice.	Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Down Syndrome, Intellectual Disability

- last update October 2025

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