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Children's Speech and Language Therapy

Information and Advice

Where do we work?

  • Child’s home
  • In mainstream school
  • In special schools
  • In nurseries
  • In playgroups
  • Children’s Therapy Department (clinic)
  • Hospital wards for feeding
  • CDU

What we do

  • Provide general advice, support and information.
  • Provide specialist assessment
  • Agree and set joint goals
  • Provide specialist advice and support for families and ‘the team around the child’ to be able to implement strategies and achieve goals.
  • Deliver clinic-based individual and group therapy.
  • Support staff in educational settings to set up and run their own groups.
  • Provide specialist training for parents and staff in settings.
  • Provide training to develop the wider children and young people’s workforce.

Service Summary

We are a team of Speech and Language Therapists who provide a child centred and family oriented approach.

Working closely with our partner services in Health, Education and Social Care, we contribute our expert knowledge of communication, speech, language, and feeding and swallowing to the team of professionals working with the child and their family. 

We provide support for families and staff from a variety of settings, so that they can help the child to reach their full potential in their everyday lives.

We focus on meaningful targets, jointly agreed with families, which promote the child’s wellbeing and independence as well as supporting their learning.

Useful Links

  • www.ican.org.uk
    I CAN is a UK charity for children with communication difficulties. It provides a combination of specialist therapy and education for children with the most severe and complex disabilities, information for parents and training and advice for teachers and other professionals. They also work to ensure that the needs of these children are taken into account in all children's policy and carry out research to find the best ways to support these children.
  • www.afasic.org.uk
    Afasic is a UK charity, established to help children and young people, their families and the professionals working with them. Afasic is also a recognised training provider that offers a range of services that include a helpline, publications, support groups, and membership.
  • http://www.ace-north.org.uk/
    The centre provides specialist support and expertise in the field of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and Assistive Technology (AT).  The team can provide a range of core specialist services including assessments, equipment loans, training and information.
  • http://www.afasicscotland.org.uk/Secondary.htm
    Afasic Scotland/Secondary provide some useful information on working with children with specific language difficulties in secondary school.
  • www.commtap.org
    For specific advice around differentiated speech, language and communication targets for both early years and primary.
  • The following websites have excellent information, advice, support and resources on a wide range of speech, language and communication needs:
    www.talkingpoint.org.uk
    www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk
    www.webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/...org.../every-child-talker-ecat
  • For advice around quality first teaching and inclusion for children with speech language and communication needs in schools:
    • Advanced training materials for speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).
      Module 5, units 10-18
      www.education.gov.uk/lamb

For advice on stammering

 

  • www.stammering.org
    The BSA is your first point of contact for information and support on stammering. Specific advice on the educational problems of a child with a stammer is available from the British Stammering Association Officer.
    The BSA also provides a Teachers’ Video Pack and CD Rom, and a variety of practical guides for professionals working with primary and secondary aged pupils with a stammer.

 

For advice around Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Social Communication difficulties:

Feeding and swallowing difficulties

Dysphagia referral form

Dysphagia referral guidelines

The The Early Years team work with children aged between 0-5. We work closely with parents and other professionals involved in your child’s care to develop and support your child’s communication skills.

Ages and Stages


Ages and Stages - A quick guide for parents of what to expect and when
Ages and Stages- 18-24 months
Ages and Stages- 2-3 years
Ages and stages 3-5 years

Communication pyramid

The pyramid outlines the way that a child’s skills develop. Skills at the bottom of the pyramid have to be in place before they will develop skills at the top. Click on the area of the pyramid for our information sheets about what to do if your child has difficulties in that area.If you have tried these activities and are still concerned, please see our Making a Referral section, to refer a child for an assessment with a Speech and Language Therapist.

Pyramid Image

Other useful links and resources for children in the Early Years

Creating Opportunities for Communication
For support with language using sign:The early years signing pack
For support for children that are reluctant to communicate:Encouraging Confident Communication

Hanen

For lots of handy tips and resources please see Hanen the website

Information sheets about the parent training programmes we offer: