Speech & Language Therapy explained

Who we help

• Children who are late to start talking

• Children with difficulties in listening and concentrating

• Children who have difficulties understanding what is said to them

• Children who struggle to link words together and form sentences

• Children with unclear speech

• Those who have difficulties in playing or interacting

• Children who are not making the expected progress at school

• Children who are anxious about speaking

• Children who live in Hastings, Battle, Bexhill, Eastbourne, Stonegate, Ticehurst and surrounding areas

What to expect

The first contact is usually by phone where we will gain a general picture of your child and any concerns you have and together we decide whether we are able to help.

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First Appointment

The first appointment will take place in either your home or the child's school/nursery.  We will spend time playing with your child or carrying out activities with them, observing them and talking to you/setting staff.  We may seek your permission to speak to other people in your child's life to find out any further information.

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We will then share any conclusions and recommendations with you with as much explanation as possible and if therapy is required, we will discuss how and when to do this. The assessment usually lasts from 1-1.5 hours. Information is then shared with you in writing in the form of a summary report, unless a more detail report is needed or requested by you.

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Therapy

The aims of therapy sessions and the number of sessions will be agreed.  Therapy may be ongoing or in blocks. Therapy should be fun and rewarding and so each session is carefully planned taking in to account the child's needs, interests and attention span!  Our sessions aim to develop you child's skills directly, whilst also enabling the parent/carer to support the targeted skill at home/in their educational setting too.

Therapy is a dynamic process and so we are constantly reflecting on what is working well and what progress is being made. We do schedule review points in to the therapy process and the outcome of these will determine what suggestions we will make about what should happen next.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I know your therapists have the appropriate professional qualifications and checks?

Our qualified Speech and Language Therapists are registered with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and the Health and Care Professions Council. Every Therapist holds an up to date Enhanced DBS certificate.

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Do I need a referral from a doctor to come and see you?

No, you can contacted us directly to come and make an appointment.

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Is it common for children and young people to need Speech and Language Therapy?

In the recent report 'Bercow: 10 Years On' it is stated that "More than 1.4 million children and young people in the UK have speech, language and communication needs (SLCN)" 

It also reports that:  "More than 10% of children and young people have long-term speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) which create barriers to communication or learning in everyday life:

• 7.6% have developmental language disorder

• 2.3% have language disorders associated with another condition such as autism or hearing impairment

• SLCN also include conditions such as speech difficulties, stammering and many others.

How along will my child need therapy for?

The answer to this will depend on the significance of the difficulty, your child's motivation and engagement in sessions and in the support of parents/carers and staff.  It is something we discuss with you before commencing therapy and at review points along the way. You are free to cease therapy at any stage.

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What are the costs involved?

This is partly dependent on your requirements so please feel free to contact me to discuss this further.

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