Jackson’s Story: Building Confidence Through Speech

Jackson has been developing his speech and language skills over several years with the support of his family, school and Julia his Speech Pathologist at Firstchance.

At times, communication felt really challenging. Like many children learning new and difficult skills, Jackson would sometimes avoid speech activities by hiding under the desk when things felt too hard or overwhelming. This is a very typical and understandable response when children are asked to engage in tasks that stretch them.

Jackson’s Speech Pathologist, Julia, took a strengths based approach, meeting Jackson where he felt comfortable. Sometimes that meant joining him under the desk, building trust and connection, and supporting him from that safe space before gradually introducing new challenges. With consistent, individualised support, Jackson has been able to build his skills in a way that works for him. Over time, he has developed not only clearer speech, but also confidence and resilience.

Recently, Jackson reached a significant milestone. He stood in front of his school group and delivered an Acknowledgement of Country using clear, confident speech, an achievement that was recognised with a school award. This moment reflects just how far Jackson has come, not only in his communication, but in his confidence to participate and share his voice with others. His family and teachers are incredibly proud of his progress, and so are we.

At Firstchance, we know that every child’s journey looks different. Jackson’s story highlights the importance of meeting children where they are, supporting them through challenges, and celebrating every step forward.

This story is shared with permission from Jackson’s family.