Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) Service To Schools

The Speech and Language Therapy Schools Team helps children and young people from 4 to 16 years old who may need some extra support with understanding and communicating their needs.

To access this service, the child or young person must be registered with a Newham GP or attend a Newham School. We work with parents, carers and school staff so that they can provide support and activities to help these children and young people at home, at school and in their community.

The Speech and Language Therapy Schools Team is staffed by qualified Speech and Language Therapists who are supported by Speech and Language Therapy Assistants and Administrators.

A photo of the Speech and Language Therapy Service to Schools team.

Address

84 West Ham Lane,
West Ham Lane Health Centre, Stratford E15 4PT

Phone

020 8221 9300

Email

children.slt@nhs.net

What do we do?

We provide a specialist assessment and advice service for school aged children and young people with language, communication and social interaction needs.

We offer workshops for parents of primary school aged children to help them to support their child at home.

To help school staff to identify and support children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), we also offer a wide range of training sessions which school staff can book onto. This training supports the schools to put in place appropriate strategies and to deliver interventions to help children to develop their language and communication at school.

Moroney, N. (2006). Box clever: Improving children’s talking through play. Bulletin of the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists, 650, 18-19. — Moroney, N. (2006). Box clever: Improving children’s talking through play. *Bulletin of the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists, 650*, 18-19.

Some schools in Newham commission our team to provide additional Speech and Language Therapy sessions in their school.

We also work in some Resource Provisions and a Special School (JFK) for children with Complex Needs or Autism. This part of the service is funded by the London Borough of Newham.

Who do we see?

We see children and young people who have speech, language, and communication needs which are significantly affecting their social, emotional, and / or learning development. The children who we see present with a range of needs which may include:

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)
Social communication difficulties, including Autism
Selective Mutism
Language Disorder associated with conditions such as Downs Syndrome or Cerebral Palsy.

Imagine of Speech and Language Therapist reading a book with a child

If a parent / carer would like an assessment of their CYP’s language and communication, they are advised to speak with the Special Needs Coordinator (SENCo) at their child’s school. They can then discuss their concerns with the SENCo and find out what language and communication support has already been offered at school. The SENCo will check the referral criteria and then make the referral to our service.

The referral criteria can be found using this link: Criteria for Referral to School

To access our services, please use our referrals page.

For school aged children with language and communication difficulties, GP referrals will no longer be accepted. GP's are requested to ask parents to speak to the school SENCo to discuss their concerns.

For school age CYP with voice, fluency or speech sound difficulties please refer directly to the service using the SCYPS Child Development Services and Therapies Referral Form. Age criteria are up to 11 years old for voice and speech and up to 7 years old for fluency.

Or please follow this link to clinic SLT services.

If a parent / carer would like an assessment of a CYP’s language and communication skills, they are advised to speak with the Special Needs Coordinator (SENCo) at their child’s school. They can then discuss their concerns with the SENCo and find out what language and communication support has already been offered at school. The SENCo will check the referral criteria and then make the referral to our service.

For CYP who are home schooled the parent / carer can click here for information on how to refer to our service.

After a referral has been accepted, a letter will be sent to parents and school with details of the current waiting times for assessment. This letter also has links to the SCYPS SLT YouTube Channel with ideas to support language and communication development at home.

When it is time to carry out the assessment, we contact parents and the SENCo to arrange an appointment to see the CYP in school. A member of the Schools SLT team will telephone parents to discuss the CYP’s language and communication in more detail and to take a case history.

Usually, we will observe children in the classroom and / or other school environments e.g. playground / soft play room. We may also carry out some assessment with the CYP in a quiet room. The full school assessment usually takes between 1 to 2 hours.

We will also talk with staff who know the CYP best and usually ask the class teacher to complete a questionnaire about the CYP’s language and communication skills in the classroom.

We will then meet with you either directly in school or via a telephone or video consultation. Following the assessment, we will write a report which will include advice on ways to help the CYP at home and at school. We usually also recommend specific intervention programmes for trained school staff to deliver in school and invite parents to a SLT workshop.

For children and young people who attend a school outside of Newham or who are home schooled, the assessment will take place in a Health Centre Clinic, usually in the school holidays.

Our current waiting time for an assessment is 5 months.

SCYPS YouTube Channel

SCYPS Youtube

SCYPS Instagram Page

SCYPS Instagram

Useful videos

'Amazing Things Happen' – a short film explaining what the world looks like for a child with autism
'DLD 123' – a short film explaining about Developmental Language Disorder

'Wait wait I'm not finished yet ' - a film about children who stammer and how they feel
'Through the eyes of a child' - how it feels as a young child to be spoken to by parents
Language Enrichment Video - ELFT Schools Speech and Language Therapists

Useful Websites

NHS Choices
The Communication Trust offers advice and strategies
British Stammering Association
Michael Palin centre for Stammering

National Autistic Society
National Deaf Children's Society
Action for Children - children's charity that supports and speaks out for the UK's most vulnerable children and young people
Contact a family - provides support, advice and information for families with disabled children, no matter what their condition or disability.
The Literacy Trust - independent charity that transforms lives through literacy

I CAN - works to support the development of speech, language and communication skills in all children with a special focus on those who find this hard: children with speech, language and communication needs.
Autism Education Trust - "At the AET, we believe that autism is a difference not a deficit". This website link directs you to the page on 'celebrating autistic strengths and differences'.
Adult Learning Newham

Office address:

Specialist Children and Young People Services (SCYPS)

Speech and Language Therapy Service to Schools

West Ham Lane Health Centre

84 West Ham Lane

Stratford E15 4PT

Telephone Number:

02082219300

Email:

Children.slt@nhs.net

You can also speak to your child’s school Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) for further information about our service.

We are based at West Ham Lane Health Centre, however most of appointments will take place in school.

Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) Service To Schools