If your child needs direct support from the Speech and Language Therapy service, they will have an assessment.
Following the assessment, communication targets will be agreed for the child and a ‘Package of Support’ will be offered. The ‘Package of Support’ will include everything the child needs to work towards the agreed target within an agreed timeframe.
This could include:
- Suggested strategies and techniques to support the child’s communication in their everyday environment
- Modelling sessions with a Speech and Language Therapist or Support Practitioner to demonstrate strategies and tools
- Training workshops for teaching staff and/or parents to learn about these strategies and techniques
- Suggestion, guidance, or provision of communication tools such as visual supports
- Review with a Speech and Language Therapist or Support Practitioner to ensure the plan and strategies are well understood and embedded, and communication is progressing
Remember: every package of support will be different, depending on the needs of the child at that given time.
A Speech and Language Therapist will always offer a ‘package of support’ individually tailored to best meeting the needs of the child for them to progress.
Once the package of support has been completed and the Speech and Language Therapist is confident everything is in place to help the child to meet their communication targets, the package of support may be closed to enable the work on communication to continue in the child’s everyday environment OR the child may need another package of support.
Ending a package of support does not always mean there is no longer a communication need; it just means the Speech and Language Therapist is confident everything is now in place for the child to meet their current target.
If things change or there are new concerns that require support, a new request for support can be made by contacting the service.
Our teams
There are 3 teams who work together to form the wider Speech and Language Therapy team. Your child will usually be seen by 1 team but may move across teams.
Community Team
Special Needs Team
Early Communication Support Team
You might be supported by Speech and Language Therapists as well as Speech and Language Support Practitioners. Support practitioners are specialist practitioners who deliver programmes of support and can help you embed the strategies at home or school.