The best way of ensuring that children and young people get the help they need with their speech, language and communication (as well as their eating and drinking) is to ensure that they are supported on a daily basis in the environments where they feel most comfortable. It is the people who the child or young person talks to every day who make the biggest difference. It is the small but consistent changes that happen at school and at home 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:
There is lots of information available via this website for families and professionals. Look around this website to learn more or follow us on twitter (@HackneyTalk) to hear about the latest talks and drop in sessions that we run locally. Education providers can click on the training link to find out more.
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 for children and young people with identified needs. Education providers can click on the training link to find out more or contact their school’s link Speech and Language Therapist. Parents and carers may be particularly interested in some of the activities for early years, primary and / or secondary listed on this website but are also advised to talk to your child’s teachers for advice.
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 special 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 children and young people do much of their learning at school in groups. 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
- 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
- and 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 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.
For schools who commission our services you have access to a range of information and resources in the secure area.
