If you follow Scope on social media, you might recognise Phoenix and her mum, Alana, who starred in a YouTube video for us where they hosted a “thank you” tea party for Scope Speech Pathologist, Karen Hofer.
Scope recently caught up with Alana to find out what she, Phoenix and Karen are up to now.
“Karen has been amazing. She’s been working with Phoenix since she was 3 months old. We didn’t know what was ahead for us back then; but having that support from Scope, and from Karen in particular, was an integral part of the journey for us as parents,” Alana said.
“She has supported Phoenix with speech and sign language particularly early on, but it’s much more than that. They have a beautiful connection, it’s almost like Karen can sense what she needs; how to challenge her; encourage her and bring out her best.”
It’s been four years since the ‘tea party’ video and Alana told us what they have been doing since then.
“Phoenix is at school now, and she loves it. She loves to tell everyone about school, about her teachers, and all the things she can do. She has more friends than I did when I was that age! She’s been to summer school with some of her older cousins, too. They’ve taken her under their wing, and she will model their behaviour. She wants to be one of the ‘big kids’.”
The future is certainly bright for Phoenix and Alana told us more about her hopes for her daughter.
“We’re still on a journey, particularly with the transition into school, and Karen is right there with us. She just has such a wealth of knowledge – whether it’s seeking out the right school or navigating the NDIS, her experience has been invaluable. She is still our go-to person for lots of things!”
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