What to expect from us?
What to expect from us?
Input from the children’s speech and language therapy team may be delivered in a variety of ways.
Eating and drinking only or urgent requests
For eating and drinking only or urgent requests for help, such as inpatients, please call 01208 834 488 or send a referral form by email to the speech and language enquiries team.
General communication advice
To get general communication advice, email the request for help team with your contact details and a brief message. We will not be able to discuss a specific child or young person and will only be able to give you advice, unless you have parental consent to share information.
Request for help information
To discuss a child or young person’s specific communication needs, complete our request for help form. Parental consent needs to be obtained to complete the form. Instructions on how to complete the form are available on our request for help page.
Once you submit your form, your request will enter our waiting list for a call back. The team will review the information and arrange a time to call you back for a consultation with one of our team specialists.
Next steps
The most appropriate next steps will be provided depending on your child and the support they need. This may not necessarily be the speech and language team, instead it might involve signposting to other services involved with your child, or access to training for those supporting them.
The most effective way to make improvements is when everyone involved with your child is also involved in their treatment, including their educational setting.
Work with your speech and language therapist may be done in a variety of ways and will be for a specific amount of time depending on what your child needs and will best respond to.
It may include but is not limited to:
- a package of activities to try at home
- a phone or video call
- face to face, in clinic or at your child’s educational setting
COVID-19
Please note, during the COVID-19 pandemic the therapists are following a comprehensive COVID-19 risk assessment. This may require them to wear PPE including a mask or visor, apron, and gloves, dependent on situation and maintain social distancing where possible. A copy of this risk assessment can be provided on request.
Was not brought policy
There are high levels of demand for speech and language therapy. It is proven that the best results come from everyone involved with the child being actively engaged in their improvement plan. If your child is assigned a speech and language therapist, we need active engagement from home, setting and at times other professionals currently involved with the child.
The service follows a strict was not bought policy that will be implemented when there is a lack of engagement from those involved with the child. If your child is closed to the service, you will be able to make a new request for help in the future if it is felt further support is required.