School Age Speech and Language Service

We support children according to their communication needs.  We do this by working with parents / carers, teachers, setting staff and other professionals. We also work closely with colleagues in the Specialist Inclusion Support Service (SISS) and SISS Speech Language & Communication Disorders Team. Together, we all, support young people with communication difficulties in mainstream and specialist schools. We work with schools to recommend adaptations and targets that ensure young people communicate as effectively as possible within their learning environment.

What happens during an assessment?

The first appointment will be on the telephone to discuss your child and their communication. This may include:

• How your child feels about their communication,
• Any specific areas of communication you need advice on,
• Your child’s early developmental and health information,
• What support is currently in place.

If you have accessed another NHS Solihull therapy service, including Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, or Specialist Assessment Service for your child, you may have already completed this part of the process. Please let the therapist know so they can access and share this information, with your consent.

We will send specific information and resources to support your child at their school, nursery and/or at home.

If required, we will suggest an appointment to complete further assessments with your child.

Please visit the following links for more information on how communication will usually develop.

• Resource library for families – Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives
• The Stages of Gestalt Language Development (meaningfulspeech.com) For children who use echolalia (repeat what others say)

Following further assessment, the therapist will explain what the assessment has shown and talk through the next steps.

What happens after assessment?

If your child has an assessment, following this, the Speech & Language Therapist will write a report which will include:

• Information from the young person, their parent/carer and teachers (if appropriate) about communication at home, school/nursery and in their spare time.
• Description of the assessment process and the results of any formal assessments completed.
• Individualised recommendations to support areas of concern.

Reports are sent to parents/carers, the young person’s GP, and other relevant professionals as agreed with parents/carers. SLT reports can be used to inform a young person’s Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), although few children who receive speech & language therapy will require an EHCP.

For some children, we may suggest a package of care such as a visit into school, and/or a series of sessions in clinic to coach adults around the child.

For many school-aged children, this report marks the end of their involvement with the SLT service as their language needs are best met through school (see SLT discharge for further information).

Parents/carers and professionals are welcome to contact the Speech & Language Therapy service by telephone for further information and advice until the young person reaches their 18^th birthday.