Who Created the Clever Cat Program?

Author, Speech Pathologist and creator of the unique Clever Cat Educational Resources^® -Katrina Walsh has put her knowledge and experience into a practical form for parents and teachers to use with their children.

For the past twenty years Katrina has assessed and provided Speech Pathology intervention to thousands of children and their families - giving children the ability to communicate more effectively. Katrina's expertise in teaching children to improve their communication skills includes - not only verbal communication - but also written communication skills - reading and spelling.

Katrina's knowledge and tricks can now be passed on to parents and teachers everywhere.

She trained at Sydney University and gained a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in 1988. She has been working as a Speech Pathologist since her graduation, firstly in Public Health and then in her own Private Practice.

She has been the owner/manager of a multidisciplinary Private Allied Health Team, and has supervised Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Psychologists, Social Workers, Audiologists and Early Intervention Specialists in both Public and Private Enterprises. Katrina has liaised closely with Medical Specialists both at major Childrens' Hospitals in Sydney and locally on the South Coast of New South Wales.

Katrina and her husband Ken have 5 children aged from 13 years to 6 years - a fantastic way to experience parenting and to learn what life can throw your way.

She commenced her Private Practice in 1991 on a small scale, which very quickly grew due to the large demand for Speech Pathology services. In 2001 she added other health professionals to her Practice to create a multidisciplinary team in Private Practice, employing an Early Intervention Specialist, an Occupational Therapist and Psychologist. This again quickly grew with huge demand, and two Secretaries and a further three Speech Pathologists were employed in 2003.

Her husband Ken managed the Practice - Australian Speech and Intervention Services. Katrina's role was extremely varied, and as owner of the Practice required specific clinical supervision for all staff; management of recruitment and clinical direction for the Practice. As a Speech Pathologist, she was responsible for managing the more complex difficulties children presented with; and was involved with regular joint consultations with both Westmead Children's Hospital and Sydney Children's Hospital; referral of children to other medical support eg Paediatricians; Ear, Nose and Throat Specialists; Orthodontists; Psychiatrists etc. Katrina also found herself acting as an advocate and case manager for families with children with complex care issues, and liaised regularly with Paediatricians, and other Paediatric Specialists.

Katrina also co-ordinated, planned, and ran several large seminars open to the public to provide information regarding Australian Speech and Intervention Services; and was guest speaker to many schools and preschools to discuss child behaviour, learning strategies and progress. Her multidisciplinary seminars have taught parents, preschool teachers and school teachers, school counsellors how to identify communication difficulties and how to implement specific activities to help to develop the childrens' skills. In her day to day clinical responsibilities she has also liaised with School Counsellors (Clinical Psychologists) and arranged multidisciplinary assessments for students from several Private Schools in the Illawarra.

The range of communication disorders Katrina has encountered are extreme and include

• learning and reading disabilities,
• developmental delay,
• autism,
• Aspergers Syndrome,
• cleft lip and/or palate,
• hearing impairment,
• stuttering,
• Velo-cardio-facial (VCFS) syndrome,
• cerebral palsy,
• Down Syndrome,
• Williams Syndrome
• "Pervasive Developmental Disorder - not otherwise specified";
• oppositional defiance disorder,
• conduct disorder,
• language delays/disorder,
• dyspraxia,
• articulation disorder.

Demand for her services has continued to grow. Due to the huge demand, Katrina started to explore other avenues to supply clients with services. Providing services on a one to one basis was restrictive due to the actual time available; and much of her therapy session time was spent educating parents on how to assist their children.

Encouraged to formalise her knowledge into a parents' resource, Katrina combined many of the successful and evidence-based activities that she used in her clinical sessions, into a "How-to Manual for Parents" and thus Clever Cat Educational Resources^® was created. This will enable her to access many more children than previously, and provide services to children in any geographical area.

Katrina now focuses on developing the Clever Cat Educational Resources^® in order to provide literacy services to as many children as possible, and to teach their parents effective strategies that can be introduced at home in a positive manner. She have been refining Clever Cat Educational Resources^® for several years, using evidence-based practise in her clinical role. She will continue to offer limited ongoing Speech Pathology services to children and their families and is looking forward with excitement and anticipation to the further development and provision of Clever Cat Educational Resources^®.