Supporting Independence. Participation. Everyday Life.
Practical, individualised support for children, young people and adults with neurodevelopmental conditions.
L.E.T.S. supports people to develop skills, build independence and participate more fully in everyday life and their community.
Led by Developmental Educator Melinda Ferguson, support is tailored to each person's strengths, needs, environment and individual goals.
Plan Managed
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Self Managed
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Privately Funded
Individualised Support for Neurodevelopmental Needs
L.E.T.S. provides individualised, evidence-informed support for children, young people and adults with neurodevelopmental conditions and developmental differences.
Led by Melinda Ferguson, L.E.T.S. draws on recognised practice across Developmental Education, Behaviour Support and Learning Difficulties Therapy to understand each person's strengths, functional needs, environment and goals.
Working from a human-rights framework, support focuses on reducing barriers, building skills and capacity, and promoting full and equal access, inclusion and meaningful participation in educational settings, the community and everyday life.
L.E.T.S. works with Plan Managed and Self Managed NDIS participants with appropriate funding, as well as privately funded clients.
Neurodevelopmental Conditions & Support Across the Lifespan
L.E.T.S. supports children, young people and adults across Thornton, East Maitland, Branxton, Paxton, Ellalong, Pelaw Main, Cessnock and surrounding areas with neurodevelopmental conditions that can affect learning, communication, behaviour, movement, social interaction and everyday functioning.
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Support to develop communication, social participation, emotional regulation, everyday skills and greater independence.
ADHD
Practical strategies to support organisation, routines, attention, self-regulation, planning and everyday participation.
Specific Learning Disorders
Support for difficulties with reading, written expression or mathematics, including dyslexia and related learning differences.
Intellectual Disability
Individualised support focused on functional abilities, daily living skills, communication, decision-making and greater independence.
Communication Disorders
Support to develop practical communication skills and strategies for participation, relationships and everyday interactions.
Motor Disorders
Support where neurodevelopmental differences affect movement, coordination or motor functioning.
Melinda's experience also includes working with people with Fragile X Syndrome, Triple X Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Developmental Language Disorder, Non-Verbal Learning Disorder, Down Syndrome and other developmental, learning, communication, speech and language needs.
This list is not exhaustive. If you are unsure whether L.E.T.S. can provide the support you are looking for, please get in touch.
Developmental Education for Everyday Life
Developmental Education is an individualised, evidence-informed approach that supports people with disability to develop skills, build independence and participate more fully in everyday life and their community.
Despite the title, Developmental Education is not classroom teaching or tutoring. It is a disability profession focused on capacity building, inclusion, participation and meaningful outcomes across everyday life.
Developmental Educators consider both the person and their environment, working collaboratively to understand strengths, functional needs, goals and barriers to participation.
Support may involve assessment, collaborative goal setting, skill development, behavioural and developmental strategies, capacity building, life transitions and community inclusion.
How L.E.T.S. Can Help
Developmental Education
Individualised support focused on developing skills, independence, capacity and meaningful participation in everyday life.
Educational & Functional Assessments
Assessments to identify individual strengths, functional needs and areas requiring support, helping inform appropriate strategies, interventions and goals.
Learning & Skill Development
Evidence-informed approaches to support functional learning, literacy, numeracy and individual skill development.
Executive Functioning
Practical strategies to support organisation, planning, routines, attention, problem-solving and greater independence in everyday life.
Capacity Building
Developing practical skills, strategies and confidence to increase independence, choice and participation across different environments.
Inclusion & Participation
Supporting people to identify and overcome environmental and attitudinal barriers and promote greater access, inclusion and meaningful participation in education, the community and society.
Collaboration
Working with participants, families, Support Coordinators, schools and allied health professionals to support consistent strategies and meaningful outcomes.
Individualised Support. Practical Outcomes.
No two people experience neurodevelopmental differences in exactly the same way. Support is tailored around the individual, their environment and what they want to achieve.
Daily living and independence
Social and communication skills
Emotional regulation
Routines and organisational skills
Community access and participation
Learning and functional skill development
Life transitions
Confidence and self-advocacy
Working towards NDIS goals
Assessments and reports
These are areas Melinda can work on with an individual; they are not separate packaged programs.
Meet Melinda Ferguson
Melinda Ferguson
Developmental Educator | Behaviour Support Practitioner | Learning Difficulties Therapist
Melinda Ferguson coordinates L.E.T.S. and brings more than 20 years' experience as a Learning Difficulties Educator within the NSW Department of Education.
Her experience spans Primary, Secondary and Special School settings and includes executive roles in Special Education and mainstream schools, coordinating literacy programs across local groups of schools, programming and coordinating large Reading Tutor Programs.
Today, Melinda brings this extensive educational and disability-sector experience together through Developmental Education, providing individualised support for children, young people and adults with neurodevelopmental conditions.
Her practice draws on her accreditation and experience across Developmental Education, Behaviour Support and Learning Difficulties Therapy, using a human-rights framework to promote access, inclusion, participation and greater independence.
Qualifications & Professional Credentials
- Master of Autism Studies
- Graduate Certificate in Autism Studies
- Bachelor of Education - Special Education / ESL / EFL
- Certified Sounds-Write Practitioner
- SPELD NSW Teachers' Certificate Course
- Current Working With Children Check
- Current National Police Check
Professional Registrations / Numbers
- Developmental Educator - DEAI No. 33241128
- Behaviour Support Practitioner - P1344790
- Learning Difficulties Therapist - M22668
Funding
L.E.T.S. can work with:
Plan Managed NDIS Participants
Self Managed NDIS Participants
Privately Funded Clients
Full pricing is shown on the Contact / Get Started page
Frequently Asked Questions
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NDIS & Funding FAQs
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Referrals & Getting Started
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Ready to Take the Next Step?
Every person has different strengths, needs and goals. if you're looking for individualised Developmental Education and neurodevelopmental support across Thornton, East Maitland, Branxton, Paxton, Ellalong, Pelaw Main and surrounding areas, get in touch with Melinda to discuss how L.E.T.S. can help.
