Speech and language therapy services

If your child's speech and language skills do not improve, even after you have: 

• Tried different activities at home
• Raised your concerns with Norfolk NHS Healthy Child Service and/or had support from your child's nursery, preschool, or school
• Checked our core offer to see whether we are the appropriate service to support your child's needs

Parents of pre school children are able to make a request for support to a Speech and Language therapist if they have an identified speech language and communication need.

Parents of school-aged children should discuss their concerns with school who will raise these with their link speech and language therapist at a termly link planning meeting and next steps will be decided and communicated to you by the school.

Schools submit a request for support to the Speech and Language Therapy service when a specific Speech and Language need is identified and further targeted or specialist support is required.

If your child is home schooled or your concern is around stammering, you can make a request for support directly to the Speech and Language therapy service.

Your child can be referred to a Speech and Language therapist if they have an identified speech language and communication need.

Your child does not need an education, health and care (EHC) plan to get support from the speech and language therapy service.  

If English is your child's second language, English language support is available in schools. The speech and language therapy service is only for children with speech and language development needs. 

Additional information  

The speech and language therapy service will want to know:

• What speech and language assessments the NHS healthy child programme team or your child's place of learning has done 
• The speech and language support that has been tried. Your child's place of learning should supply their records

It is also helpful to include records of what you have done at home. 

Contact the NHS speech and language therapy service 

If the request is accepted

For preschool and home-schooled children, you will be offered an Early advice session. If under 2, you should contact JON in the first instance to discuss your concerns prior to making a request for support.

For school aged children, the link therapist will be in contact to arrange an assessment.

Your child's place of learning should continue to support your child using speech and language support tools and strategies.

You should also continue doing activities at home, as these really do help in the long term.