Information for parents/carers
What service do we offer?
- Assessment, goal setting and practical advice on speech, language, and communication needs and/or swallowing difficulties.
- Self-management advice, information, and support.
- Individual/group therapy (intervention).
- Parent/carer workshops.
- Practitioner Training.
Our speech and language therapist (SLT) and assistants (SLTA) aim to support you to:
- Be more confident in supporting your family member’s speech, language and communication or swallowing needs.
- Increase your knowledge about how to support your family member’s speech, language and communication or swallowing needs.
- Develop new skills to use to support your family member’s speech, language and communication or swallowing needs.
What happens once the referral has been accepted?
The information provided on the referral form will be used to decide what happens next. We will call you on the phone to discuss the concerns about the speech, language, or communication needs, we will ask about the problem and agree a goal that you hope to achieve through accessing speech and language therapy.
You may then be offered a follow up appointment in clinic (or sometimes at home) you will be notified of the date/time by phone. Appointments in a school/nursery setting will be arranged directly with the setting. If your child is being seen in school/ nursery you should confirm with either school or the CSLT service that you wish to be present. Appointments may last around an hour. The SLT will talk to your child’s teacher about your child’s development as well as their speech, language, and communication needs or swallowing difficulties.
The SLT will assess the speech, language and communication or swallowing needs using a range of resources. The information gathered will be used to create a care plan which will support you to achieve the agreed goal.
What happens after the assessment?
The SLT will talk to you and/or care/school staff about further help that the service may offer. Options may include an episode of care comprising of:
- Parent workshops
- Training/Practitioner workshops (for nursery/school/education staff)
- 1-2-1 intervention
- Group intervention
- Programme of strategies and activities to carry out regularly
The SLT will write a report or support plan giving details about the assessment outcome and recommendations. This will be shared with you and those professionals who are able to support your speech, language, and communication or swallowing needs.
We might send you a text with links to online resources that will help you to support your child’s speech, language, and communication needs and/or swallowing difficulties.
If appropriate, you will be asked for your consent for onward referral to another service e.g. Audiology for a hearing assessment, Paediatrician assessment or referral to the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service.
At the completion of an episode of care you and the professionals involved will have received a support plan. This will include strategies, advice, and details of re-entry to the Children's Speech and Language Therapy service if required later.
How can you and others can help?
To gain maximum benefit from SLT support, attend all appointments offered.
Regularly carry out the strategies and activities recommended by the SLT on the support plan regularly. Progress can be made if the recommendations are followed.
It is important that the training workshops recommended are attended.
You and care/school staff may be asked to download advice sheets from the SLT Toolkit, these support the verbal advice you will have been given in the appointment.
Please ensure you inform us of any change in address, home / mobile telephone number, or GP practice.
Who will be at the appointment?
Therapist - Your family member’s care will be overseen by a qualified SLT. All our SLT’s are registered with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) and Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT)
Assistant - Some parts of your family member’s care may be delivered by a SLT Assistant under the guidance of the SLT.
SLT Students - As part of their practical training, SLT students may work with your family member under the supervision of the SLT. If you do not want a student to be involved in the appointment, please tell the SLT.
Where will the SLT appointment take place?
Pre-school children with speech, language and communication needs are usually seen in health centres and occasionally at home or in early years settings.
School age children with speech, language and communication needs are usually seen in school, although some school-age children are invited to be seen in a health centre (e.g. where the child has a Leeds address/GP but attends a school outside of Leeds).
Children & young people with swallowing difficulties are typically seen at home or in an education setting.
Adults who stammer will be invited into a health centre. Adults seen by the Communication Aid Service will be offered a visit at home visit or in their care setting.
Confidentiality
SLTs keep records about the treatment your family member receives from our service. We use the secure electronic system used by all health care professionals working within Leeds Community Healthcare to record and share relevant information about contacts we have with you and your family member with other healthcare professionals. We will only share information with your consent and where it is appropriate to the care we are providing.
What happens if your child is not brought?
Your family member will be discharged from the CSLT service if you fail to attend an appointment in clinic without contacting the CSLT service in advance. If your child is unable to be in school on the day that he/she has an appointment with the SLT, please notify the CSLT service as soon as possible. Your child will be discharged if you or school fail to contact the CSLT service in advance.
What do we do with feedback?
If you have a complaint, concern, comment, or compliment, please let us know by speaking to a member of staff. We learn from your feedback and use the information you provide to improve and develop our services.