What Early Start Australia does

Early Start Australia is a national, evidence-based early intervention and therapy provider serving children, teenagers, and young adults with developmental needs, disabilities, and delays. The company operates 38+ owned clinics across every Australian state and territory, delivering a multi-disciplinary portfolio that includes psychology, speech pathology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, dietetics, music therapy, art therapy, social work, developmental education, and allied health assistant services, alongside a broad set of specialised methodologies (ESDM, Hanen, DIR/Floortime, Lidcombe, PROMPT, LEGO Therapy, hydrotherapy, serial casting) and assessment services (autism, ADHD, cognitive, sensory, learning, motor, functional capacity). Services are delivered through four channels: clinic-based appointments, telehealth, in-school/early-learning-centre programs, and home visits, with online and phone booking supported by a referral system for healthcare professionals.

The business is a registered NDIS provider and a subsidiary of the APM Group, a global health and human services conglomerate. Revenue is generated across four streams: NDIS-funded therapy supports (recurring, drawn from participant plans under Capacity Building Supports), Medicare-funded assessments and therapy (recurring, with rebates up to $96 per session or 80% of cost depending on safety-net status), private fee-for-service appointments, and school or parent-funded sessions delivered in educational settings. Pricing is largely quote-based and follows NDIS fee schedules, with one disclosed packaged offering — the Quick Steps Holiday Program — priced at AUD 1,406–2,345 per two-week intensive. Customer acquisition is hybrid: direct-to-consumer via website, phone, and online booking; B2B/enterprise via partnerships with schools, early learning centres, NDIS support coordinators, plan managers, GPs, and paediatricians.

Customer segmentation spans early childhood (0–6), school-aged (7–12), teenagers (13–21), NDIS participants, parents and caregivers, schools, and an emerging older-adult (65+) cohort. The company employs 101–250 staff and is headquartered in West Perth, Western Australia, with no public revenue disclosure. Competitive positioning rests on national clinic distribution, NDIS regulatory credentials, multi-disciplinary capability, and evidence-based service breadth rather than technology or AI differentiation.

Name

Early Start Australia

Legal name

Early Start Australia

Website

https://earlystartaustralia.com.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Early Start Australia is a national NDIS-registered early intervention and allied health provider operating 38+ clinics across Australia, delivering multi-disciplinary therapy and assessment services to children, teenagers, and NDIS participants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Paediatric Allied Health Services

NAICS

Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (621340), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411), Social Assistance (624)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Autism & Neurodevelopmental Early Intervention Programs (EDACAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autism Early Intervention (Educational) (EDAKAKAB), Speech & Language Therapy (Early Intervention) (EDACAFAB), Family Coaching, Parent-Mediated & Home Visiting EI Services (EDACAFAJ)

Keywords

• Paediatric allied health
• Early childhood intervention
• Speech pathology services
• Occupational therapy children
• Autism assessment therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Nedlands

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices38 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. NDIS-funded services: Registered NDIS provider delivering therapy supports funded through NDIS plans. Services covered under Capacity Building Supports (Improved Daily Living) including occupational therapy, speech pathology, psychology, physiotherapy, and dietetics.
2. Medicare-funded services: Accepts Medicare referrals including Complex Neurodevelopmental Disorder referrals for autism assessments with rebates up to $96 per session or 80% of cost based on Medicare safety net threshold.
3. Private pay: Private fee-for-service appointments for families without NDIS or Medicare funding.
4. School-funded services: School or parent-funded therapy sessions delivered in educational settings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Early Start Australia delivers evidence-based paediatric allied health services including occupational therapy, speech pathology, psychology, physiotherapy, dietetics, music therapy, and developmental education for children and young people aged 0-21+ years. Services are delivered through a national clinic network, telehealth, schools, and home visits, with funding sourced from NDIS plans, Medicare rebates, school contracts, and private fee-for-service payments.

Product overview

Early Start Australia is a national early childhood intervention and therapy service provider offering a multi-disciplinary portfolio of allied health services for children, young people, and families. The company operates as a platform of integrated therapy services encompassing core therapy disciplines (Psychology, Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Dietetics, Music Therapy, Art Therapy, Social Work, Developmental Education, Allied Health Assistants) alongside specialised intervention services (Early Childhood Foundations, Mealtimes and Feeding Therapy, Assistive Technology, AAC, ESDM, LEGO Therapy, DIR/Floortime, Hydrotherapy, Toilet Training, PROMPT, Serial Casting, and programs including Quick Steps Holiday Program, School Readiness, Secret Agent Society, and Group Programs). Assessment services include Autism Assessments, ADHD Assessments, Psychology Assessments, Sensory Assessments, Speech Pathology Assessments, Learning Assessments, Cognitive Assessments, Motor Skills Assessments, and Functional Capacity Assessments. Services are delivered through clinic-based appointments, telehealth, and in-school/home settings. Early Start Australia is a registered NDIS provider serving participants across all Australian states and territories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Psychology Child psychology services providing support for learning, development, emotional regulation, mental health, and behavioural challenges including ASD, ADHD, anxiety, and developmental needs. For children, young people, and families.
• Speech and Language Pathology Speech pathology services for children with delayed speech and language development, addressing communication skills, literacy, social skills, stuttering, and feeding difficulties.
• Occupational Therapy Paediatric occupational therapy helping children develop independence in daily activities including self-care, fine and gross motor skills, sensory processing, and school performance.
• Physiotherapy Paediatric physiotherapy addressing movement, mobility, strength, developmental delay, neurological conditions, and physical development through exercise, movement training, and play.
• Dietetics Paediatric dietetics providing nutritional support for feeding disorders, fussy eating, food allergies, weight management, chronic conditions, and general nutritional concerns.
• Music Therapy Research-based music therapy practice supporting cognitive, motor, and sensory development using music-making methods within a therapeutic relationship.
• Art Therapy Art-based therapeutic approach for individuals where traditional talking-based therapy may not be suitable.
• Social Work Social work services providing counselling, child wellbeing support, and family assistance to improve emotional and social wellbeing.
• Developmental Education Developmental Educators work with people who have disabilities to develop their strengths and enhance quality of life.
• Allied Health Assistants Allied Health Assistants work under supervision of Allied Health Professionals to assist with therapeutic activities and program support.
• Early Childhood Foundations

Quantifiable outcome

• Early intervention is one of the best predictors of positive outcomes with or without a diagnosis

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• APM GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly Start Australia is part of the APM Group, a global health and human services provider enabling better lives for more than 2 million people each year. APM helps people find employment, improve health and wellbeing, and participate in community. Employees benefit from stability of a trusted organisation with access to global opportunities, secondments, and FIFO opportunities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Therapy Pro: NDIS-registered paediatric and adult allied health provider in Australia offering OT, speech pathology, psychology, and behaviour support with multi-state clinic coverage.
• Life Ready Mobile Rehab: Australian allied health provider offering in-clinic, mobile, and telehealth physiotherapy and occupational therapy, overlapping ESA's multi-modality delivery model.
• Ability Action Australia: Sister APM Group brand delivering NDIS-funded allied health services (OT, speech, physio, psychology) across Australia with a similar clinic-network model and participant base.
• Everyday Independence: Australian NDIS-registered allied health provider delivering OT, speech pathology, physiotherapy, and positive behaviour support through a national clinic and in-home model for children and adults.
• Therapy Focus: Western Australia-based NDIS provider of paediatric and adult allied health services including OT, speech pathology, psychology, and physiotherapy — strong overlap in target geography and service mix.
• Koorana Child and Family Services: Not-for-profit provider of early childhood education, early intervention, and family services in NSW, overlapping ESA's early childhood intervention and family-centred model.
• Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect): Australia's largest autism-specific service provider, delivering assessments, early intervention, schools, and therapy across the country with overlapping autism-assessment and EI capabilities.
• Noah's Ark Inc. Australian provider of early childhood intervention, kindergarten inclusion, and therapy services for children with disabilities and developmental delays, focused on the early years segment.

Broad incumbents

• Plena Healthcare: Larger Australian allied health platform spanning paediatrics, aged care, and workplace health — overlapping paediatric service lines but operating across broader end markets than ESA.

Emerging players

• Kids Are Kids! Therapy and Education Centre: Western Australia-based paediatric allied health provider delivering OT, speech pathology, psychology, and physiotherapy for children with developmental needs — comparable early-years focus on a smaller scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCEt7MqXoxJwoZZmBYZiXRwA
• Facebookfacebook.com/EarlyStartAustraliaHO
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/early-start-australia
• Instagraminstagram.com/early_start_australia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Early Start Australia