The pathway helps children with speech, language, communication skills, fluency, and feeding difficulties by working with parents, carers, and key professionals.
Pathway steps:
Understand development
Children develop differently. Learn about language development at different ages on the Speech and Language UK website.
Talk to school staff
If your child is in school or nursery, discuss your concerns with their teacher or key worker. If they are not concerned but you still are, call the Haringey Speech and Language Therapy (NHS) advice line at 020 3224 4399. Any parent can call, even if their child isn't in a school or nursery.
Referral to Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) if your child:
- Is not using any words, or is speaking in single words.
- Has difficulties with speech clarity, stammering, voice disorders, or swallowing.
- The school or setting will help refer your child to a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT).
Assessment
The SLT service will contact you to arrange an assessment for your child. This will help determine the best support for their communication needs.
Outcome of assessment
If you and the school are concerned about your child's speech and language, an assessment will be done with one of three results:
Green: Communication is as expected for their age.
Your child's teacher and school will continue to support your child. You can also find many helpful resources to help your child on the Speech and Language UK website (external link).
Amber: Mild to moderate communication difficulty.
Your child's setting or teacher will adapt their teaching to help your child make progress. Your child will take part in an evidence-based intervention focussing on developing their speech and language skills. Your child's setting will invite you to a workshop to give you ideas on how to support your child. The school will re-assess your child's communication in four to six months. If your child is not making progress in their communication skills, your child's setting or school will seek specialists and advice and continue to implement Amber's approaches.
Red: Significant communication difficulty
- Children in nursery: your child's Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator (SENDCO) will put in place evidence-based approaches and meet with you to suggest ways you can support your child at home. Your child's SENDCO will work with you to make a referral to the Speech and Language Therapy Service.
- For children in reception and older: your child's Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator (SENDCO) will put evidence-based interventions in place and meet with you to suggest ways you can support your child at home. If your child continues to have significant communication difficulty after six months, your child's SENDC0 will work with you to make a referral to the Speech and Language Therapy Service.
The SLT will then offer an assessment and intervention as needed, along with support and advice for you and the school.