The best way for children and young people to get the help they need with their speech, language, communication and their eating and drinking, is to support them daily in the environments where they feel most comfortable. The people who the child or young person talks to every day make the biggest difference. It is the small but consistent changes that happen at home and school that lead to improvement.
In Hackney and The City we offer a range of services to support children and young people’s speech, language and communication development.
For everyone:
We provide advice and support to families and professionals in promoting the communication development of all children. There is lots of information available on this website and on our social media @HackneyTalk on X and @gethackneytalking_ on Instagram. Professionals should look at our training offer to see what is available.
For those who need some support:
Speech and Language Therapists work with Early Years settings, nurseries, academies and schools to support the speech, language and communication and/or eating, drinking and swallowing needs for children and young people with identified needs. Education providers can click on the training link to find out more or contact their setting’s link Speech and Language Therapist. Parents and carers may be particularly interested in some of the activities listed on this website. Professionals who know your child will have ideas to share too so talk to school staff, nursery staff and health visitors for support.
For those who need specific support:
Speech and Language Therapists from our service start by assessing a child and young person. This usually consists of an interview with the parent or carer, followed by observation and direct work with the child or young person.
Many people think that Speech and Language Therapists will only work individually with a child. To make a change with speech, language and communication children and young people need support throughout the day. Whilst Speech and Language Therapists will work individually with children and young people we will also:
- Provide advice and training to families and teaching staff. This might be about adults changing how they interact or doing some specific activities.
- Develop targets so that everyone is working towards the same goals for your child.
- Run groups targeting a specific area. Groups are great for language and communication as they offer a more natural environment for developing communication skills. The Speech and Language Therapist may train others to carry out the group.
- Regularly review a child or young person to make sure that they are continuing to progress well and that the programme is updated and continues to be precisely what is needed.
To the untrained eye much Speech and Language Therapy may sometimes look like play. Skilled therapists want to get the best out of children and young people and the best way to do that is for them to have fun. The best speech, language and communication sessions will ensure the child or young person has worked hard, but not realised it as they have been enjoying themselves.
We believe that speech, language and communication are best supported wherever the child or young person talks on a daily basis. So our staff work in a wide range of settings including:
- Children’s Centres and Children and Family Hubs
- Primary schools
- Special schools
- Autism resource provisions
- Neonatal Units
- Early Years settings
- Secondary schools and academies
- Pupil Referral Units
- Child Development Centres
- Language Resource Schools
- Further Education Colleges
- Other community settings.
Speech, language and communication (as well as eating and drinking) skills do not develop in isolation. They develop across the day in all the places your child goes. Therefore our Speech and Language Therapists will work with you and a wide range of professionals including early years practitioners, teachers, SENCOs, Educational Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Health Visitors, School nurses and doctors.
If you are a school (either within or outside of Hackney and The City) and are interested in commissioning our services there is more information on the traded services area.
