Founded by Sarah-Jane Stevens & Lloyd Everett
Adelaide’s Specialist Developmental Therapy Practice
Working alongside your family at school, at home, and in the moments that matter most.
The Assist Approach
Same therapist. Same family. Year after year.
Most allied health practices work in clinic rooms with rotating therapists. We don’t.
We come to where your child actually is - in their classroom, in their playground, at home, in the everyday moments where real challenges show up. And we stay. The same Developmental Educator works with your family year after year, advocating at school meetings, in NDIS reviews, in conversations with paediatricians.
We do this because we’ve seen what changes for a child when they know someone hears them, sees them, and is working alongside them through whatever is hard. Real change in a child’s emotional life doesn’t happen in six weeks. It happens over years, with someone who actually shows up.
The people behind the work
These are the people you’ll know
Small team. Deep specialism. The same Developmental Educator year after year.
Sarah-Jane Stevens
Lead Developmental Educator
Sophia De Palma
Senior Behavioural Therapist 
Jade Banks
Senior Developmental Educator 
Maddy Robinson
Developmental Educator 
Lloyd Everett
Co-founder & Director
Melissa (Missy) Stevens
Client & Operations CoordinatorWhat families say
Real change, in their own words
“Sarah-Jane provides the children she works with activities that assist in developing their skills in areas of need. Even the most difficult children are engaged with positive outcomes. She provides valuable feedback to parents and teachers with helpful follow-up strategies.”
— Sam Konnis Deputy Principal, The Pines School
“My two children have been working with Sarah for three years now. They enjoy working with her and enjoy the program she provides. As a parent, Sarah is really easy to communicate with and takes on all feedback. She provides not only me, but the school with great strategies that assist in my kids excelling at school as well as consistency. I cannot recommend Sarah and her service highly enough.”
— Ellen F Parent
“Sophia has been an integral part of Rino's journey for a while now. She has an incredible ability to bring out the best in him, and he absolutely adores her. Their connection is so special, and a big reason his sessions are so successful is because he feels so comfortable with her — and it truly shows in the progress he makes. We are blessed to have Sophia and all her skills, and would be lost without her.”
— Daniella K Parent
Real change. The kind that lasts.
What changes
These are the things parents are excited to tell us about.
Big feelings become workable.
Your child starts to notice what's happening in their body before it overwhelms them. They learn to name what they're feeling — sometimes on their own, sometimes with support — and to ask for what they need. Meltdowns become fewer and shorter. The mornings, the bedtimes, the moments that used to break apart — they start holding together. Coping skills become real, not theoretical. Your child builds the resilience to know that big problems and small problems aren't the same thing.
Friendships form. School starts working.
Friendships begin to take shape. Your child gains the confidence to start a conversation, take a turn, navigate a disagreement, try again after a hard day. They become open to new friends and able to sit with different opinions without it falling apart. In the classroom, they ask for help when they need it. They use the strategies they've learned. They feel supported enough to actually focus on learning, not just on getting through the day.
Your child grows into their own life.
Daily routines stop being battles. Getting dressed, packing the school bag, settling at bedtime — these things start to flow. Your child gains confidence in the small independence moments first: making lunch, trying something new, going on an outing. Over time, the bigger ones follow — catching the bus, managing money, getting a license, holding a job. The goal was never to make your child match the world. It was to help them know themselves well enough to live in it on their own terms.
Get in touch
Tell us about your family.
Missy is the first person you'll speak to. She'll listen, ask a few questions about your child, and explain how we work — what we do, what we don't, and whether we're the right fit for your family.
No pressure. No hard sell. Just a conversation.
For parents
Not ready yet? Read on.
DE vs OT — which does your child actually need?
The differences that actually matter when choosing support for your child.
How to get help for your child with autism in Adelaide
A clear path through the system, written for parents starting out.
Coping with big emotions — a parent's guide
What's actually happening when your child melts down — and what helps.