The Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) service in Redbridge provides specialist assessment, differential diagnosis, treatment and management of communication and/or feeding difficulties for children and adolescents aged up to 16 years, or up to 19 years for those with Speech Therapy indicated in their Education Health Care Plan.
We work with parents/care givers, early year’s practitioners, mainstream school staff, special school staff, social care teams and other healthcare professionals to create a supportive environment for the development of speech, language communication and feeding skills.
As a team, we support children and young people who are displaying difficulties with:
- Attention and listening
- Social communication
- Receptive language (understanding)
- Expressive language
- Articulation and phonology (speech sounds)
- Fluency (stammering)
- Voice production
- Selective mutism
- Eating, drinking and swallowing
We assess children’s speech and language skills using both formal (standardised) and informal assessment. Depending on the child’s needs, we may then allocate a care package.
In the preschool years we would usually see children and their families in their local community clinic. Preschoolers are seen for assessment, individual and/or group therapy, and review. If the child is very young, then research has shown that parents are best placed to help with the development of a young child’s speech and language skills, and so we also offer Parent Empowerment workshops to help parents/care givers to support their child’s needs at home.
School aged children with speech, fluency or voice concerns are also seen within their local community clinic, and may again access assessment, individual and/or group therapy, and review sessions as needed.
School aged children with language and social communication difficulties are usually seen in their school setting, including both mainstream schools and special schools. We will assess and identify the nature of a child’s difficulties, then work in partnership with those who are supporting the child on a regular basis i.e. we advise the school staff on how to manage the child’s communication environment in the classroom. Our role is to advise all communication partners about how to optimise communication and learning opportunities for each child, and help with differentiation (modifying and adapting) of the curriculum to make it more accessible to children with language difficulties.
Children with eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties are usually seen at Grovelands Medical Centre, or sometimes in their home or school setting if this is what is best for the child. They are seen within the context of a multi-disciplinary team, alongside other health professionals as needed to support their care.
Venue information
The clinic service is available from a number of locations in Redbridge including Loxford Polyclinic, Newbury Park Health Centre, South Woodford Heath Centre and Hainault Health Centre. Some children are also seen for Speech and Language Therapist within their school setting. Please contact the central service at Grovelands for more details.