If you are worried about any aspect of your child’s speech, please speak to your child’s class teacher regarding your concerns. They will then be able to discuss possible activities and strategies with you that could be used to support your child at home and at school with their speech.

In some circumstances, the school may advise you to access specialist support from a speech therapist who, if it is felt appropriate, will provide you and your child a number of targets to work on at home to support your child with their speech. The school is committed to work with you in supporting your child in successfully completing these targets.

Referrals 

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

Support 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.

Please visit the website below which has many resources and ideas that you can use with your child. 

https://childspeechbedfordshire.nhs.uk/