Making the decision to pay for Independent Speech and Language Therapy support is a big step, especially if you have been worried for a while. You are picking someone out of the black hole of the internet and working out who is best for you. So before you start googling here are some tips/advice on what/who to look for:
Where do I look?
The best place to look for independent speech therapists is ASLTIP (Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice). As an independent therapist you have to register yourself and they check your qualifications etc. Once on the website you can find an SLT by putting in your postcode, the age of your child and a range close to you to come up.
Sometimes this list can be daunting with lots of options. Have a look at the therapists bio on the ASLTIP website and think about their skills match your needs. Most therapists also have a website and/or social media account you can look at. A lot also do a free telephone consultation for you to run your concerns by a therapist to see if a) they are the right fit for your child's needs and b) if you feel a connection with them.
You've decided who... now what?
At Treetops Speech & Language Therapy I will be able to tell you immediately whether or not I have capacity to see your child/and provide therapy if required. We will agree a date for me to see your child in person (or during the COVID-19 pandemic sometimes virtually). I will send you a Parent Questionnaire to complete so that I have a good idea about where your child is before I arrive, know their likes or dislikes and toys/characters they are into so that assessment can be directly tailored to their areas of interest.
On the morning of the appointment I try to send all my new clients a little video saying hello so they have seen my face before the appointment. I find this especially important during the COVID-19 Pandemic where mask wearing is essential and keeping a further distance away from clients is required.
The Appointment
So the time has arrived what should you expect... in simple terms fun. Your child should enjoy their session. That is not to say that we may have to do some work, but games are interspersed between activities which will allow me to determine where your child's difficulties are and what I may or may not be able to do to help.
For an initial assessment appointments will last up to an hour, with some of this time being allocated to providing feedback to you as parents/carers.
For an enhanced assessment appointment up to two hours of time will be allocated with time of providing feedback at the end.
A typical assessment may run as follows:
hello and encouraging your child to show me their favourite toys.
informal game or activity as an ice-breaker and for me to be able to observe your child's interaction skills.
formal assessment e.g. speech sound screen and/or language assessment to look at your child's spoken language or understanding of language.
games as a reward for completing or as a brain break between activities or assessment is quite intensive.
trial therapy strategies to determine if your child is ready for therapy.
feedback to you about conclusions from assessment and a discussion around next steps.
What will happen next?
At the end of your appointment you will agree a next step. This could be one of a few options including:
no further support because your child does not require support from a speech therapist
a block of therapy sessions
further assessment and therapy combined
support in your child's school/nursery
referral to an alternative professional (speech therapist or another professional). Sometimes a therapist may feel that they don't have the skill set to support you and your child, or they may feel that speech therapy is not the support you require. In these instances a referral (with your permission) will be agreed.
In all instances a report with the outcome of observations and assessments will be given to you which will include some strategies for you to try at home.
I am more than happy to speak to anyone with regards to speech and language concerns and discuss if speech therapy is the right next step for you. I offer a free 20 minutes telephone consultation for anyone with concerns. See my website for further details.
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