Every child deserves to be heard, understood and given the chance to thrive at home, in the classroom and beyond. I provide specialist speech and language therapy for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), working alongside families, schools and other professionals to make sure the right support is in place as early as possible.
The government's recent education white paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, sets out a clear ambition: every child with SEND should be able to attend their local mainstream school and have their needs met by well-trained staff, with earlier access to professionals such as speech and language therapists. It points to a new 'Experts at Hand' service and a stronger focus on early identification through Individual Support Plans, so that support doesn't depend on how long families have to wait or fight for it.
This shift towards earlier, more consistent, evidence-based support is exactly the kind of work I already do and I'm here to help families and schools access it now, without waiting for system-wide change to catch up.
Speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) are one of the most common and often least visible types of SEND. I carry out individualised assessments that combine parent and school information, direct work with your child and observation in their everyday setting, so needs are identified early rather than left until they become barriers to learning.
Wherever possible, children do best learning alongside their friends and peers. My therapy sessions are designed to support children with SEND to participate fully in mainstream classrooms building the speech, language, social communication and emotional regulation skills that underpin access to the curriculum, friendships and confidence.
I work collaboratively with teachers, SENCos, educational psychologists and other professionals already involved in a child's care contributing to Individual Support Plans (ISPs) and, where relevant, providing evidence to support Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and Specialist Provision Packages.
Bespoke training for school and nursery staff helps create communication friendly classroom environments where children with SEND are set up to succeed without needing to wait for a formal diagnosis or statutory process. This includes practical strategies for supporting language, social communication and emotional regulation across the whole setting.
I know that for many families, getting the right support can feel like a fight. My aim is to make that process feel manageable with clear communication, practical recommendations and therapy that fits around your child and family, whether that's at home, in school, or online.
If your child has SEND, or you think they might and you're not sure what kind of support would help, get in touch. We can talk through what's going on, what an assessment would involve and how therapy could fit alongside any support already in place at school.
