Back to Communicating & talking skills

Support for Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)

When children and young people have needs related to communication, they may require support from a range of services. The information below sets out the range of support available in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin.

Where a support offer is not available in both council areas this is indicated with either Shropshire or Telford in brackets after the organisation name.

Scroll down to find more information about each organisation and links to their websites.

Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) (1).png

Coming soon

Both Telford and Wrekin and Shropshire local authorities have asked training providers to offer the Good Autism Practice training to schools and early years settings.

For more information about these principles see: Good Autism Practice Guidance | Autism Education Trust

If you would like to know more about whether your child’s school has accessed this training or has plans to please talk with the school SENCo

Baby Buddy app is for pregnant parents and for the first year of your baby’s life. It contains lots of information for parents including communication.

The Baby Buddy app is compatible on both iOS and Android phones. To download, click the link below.

https://www.bestbeginnings.org.uk/baby-buddy

Best Start for Life is a new national initiative that offers families information and advice about the first two years of their babies’ lives. The best start for life: a vision for the 1,001 critical days - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

In Telford this is delivered through a new network of Family Hubs which will support new parents with infant feeding, emotional wellbeing, healthy lifestyles and many other services. Best start for life - Best start for life - Family Hubs - Telford & Wrekin Council

In Shropshire it is delivered through existing services and Community and Family hub across the County. Community and Family hubs offer a range of services and activities to support children and families. Information can be found at Early help family hubs | Shropshire Council

Speech and Language UK give advice and guidance to families to help them support their child's skills.

Their free resources and services can help with understanding what to look out for, child’s speech, language and communication milestones, how to get support and even some simple ways you can help your child at home. 

Their team of speech and language therapists have written these helpful info pages, based on their most frequently asked questions from families. Some resources are free while for some there is a charge. 

Click here to visit their Resource Library for Families

Contact for families with disabled children exist to help families feel valued, supported, confident and informed Contact: the charity for families with disabled children

The Family Fund is the largest charity in UK providing grants for low-income families raising disabled or seriously ill children/ young people. For further details on how to apply, visit the website: https://www.familyfund.org.uk/

The Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Website also has links to charities supporting specific Speech, Language and Communication Needs Speech & language therapy (shropscommunityhealth.nhs.uk)

Mikey's Wish Foundation is a registered UK charity supporting people with all speech, language and communication needs, with an added interest of childhood apraxia of speech. https://mikeyswishfoundation.org

Visit also the Neurodiversity pages of this website that list useful national and regional websites for a range of needs Neurodiversity national organisations and useful websites (stw-healthiertogether.nhs.uk)

This service is provided by Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust and provides support for children, their parent carers, and educators with a wide range of Speech, Language and Communication needs across the iThrive map. The service is provided through three clinical teams:

  • Community/ Mainstream Education
  • Early Years Complex Needs
  • Specialist Schools and Outreach to Mainstream Education

The website provides information and support. Speech & language therapy (shropscommunityhealth.nhs.uk) and there is info on their Facebook page Shropcom Children's Speech and Language Service | Facebook

Advice is available for parent carers and practitioners through the SLT Advice line 01743 450800 Option 4

The following training workshops are now freely available via links on the website.

  • Attention and Listening
  • Vocabulary and concepts - for early years and school aged children
  • Supporting children with selective mutism

The team offers targeted support through.

  • Screening tools findings analysed by Speech and Language Therapists and referrals triaged to the most appropriate pathway.
  • An offer of training for parent carers and educators to meet the needs identified. The training offer is updated frequently. Please check the website for details of new workshops

Follow up care may include

  • First Assessments where children have met the threshold.
  • Further training and/or coaching for parent- carers or education settings.
  • Direct Speech and Language Therapy where the clinical evidence indicates this will specifically add value to the child’s progress.

There are specialist services crossing the three teams for children with the following needs:

  • Augmentative and Alternative Communication
  • Cleft and Nasality
  • Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)
  • Selective Mutism
  • Specific Speech Sound Disorder (SSD)
  • Stammering
  • Voice

Specialist Speech and Language Therapy/Teacher Services are commissioned for children with DLD and SSD including Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) to the end of Key Stage 1

Shropshire

The Severe Speech and Language Impaired Children's (SSLIC) Team is a school-based service which works with schools and parents to support children (in reception and up to key stage 1) who have a Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) or a severe speech disorder. The SSLIC Team is made up of Specialist Speech and Language Therapists and Specialist Language Teachers. Children are referred to SSLIC by their local speech and language therapist or by a speech and language therapist based at the Child Development Centre.

Telford and Wrekin

Language Classes- Key Stage-1 education provision at John Fletcher Primary School and Wrekin View Primary School for children with specific speech, language, and communication needs.

Language Class – John Fletcher of Madeley Primary School

SEND | Wrekin View Primary

SALTIS- The Speech and Language Therapy Inclusion Service is an enhanced speech and language therapy offer for children up to Key Stage-2 in mainstream local authority schools.

Citizens Advice offers confidential advice online, over the phone, and in person, for free.  They advise on any issue, including benefits, debt, employment, consumer and housing. There are separate organisations for Shropshire and Telford.

Citizens Advice Shropshire

Citizens Advice Telford and Wrekin

There are whole setting approaches to supporting children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs

  • Early Years Foundation Stage Early Years settings: Two-year-old progress checker
  • Early Years Professional Development Programme
  • Early Child Practitioner
  • Early Talk
  • Stoke Speaks Out universal offer
  • Teacher/Teaching Assistant
  • Autism Education Trust training for education settings – Good Autism Practice

Shropshire:

  • Communication friendly spaces
  • The Shropshire Inclusive Practice in early years (the new name for Ordinarily Available Provision) will be coming soon on the Local Offer The SEND local offer | Shropshire Council

Telford and Wrekin:

  • Elklan Communication friendly setting status 
    Staff have completed Elklan's Communication Friendly Settings programme (CFS), to further support the communication and language development of children thus achieving a Communication Friendly Setting status.
  • The Telford Inclusive Practice in early years (the new name for Ordinarily Available Provision) will be coming soon on the Local Offer . SEND - Local offer (telfordsend.org.uk)

Please speak with the Early Years SENCo to find out more about Targeted Support for children with identified Speech, Language and Communication Needs

Social care covers a range of services that help people with day-to-day living. For children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), including autistic and neurodiverse children, this starts with an assessment of both their needs and the parent/carer’s needs and then the provision of appropriate support. Social care also means support for children with SEND who are looked after (in foster care or residential care) and those in need of protection (safeguarding).

Shropshire and Telford councils have their own social care teams and different ways to access them. The links include information about

  • Free childcare places- including lists of providers
  • Activities and clubs
  • Parenting support
  • Support Groups

Children's social care | Shropshire Council

Family Connect (familyconnecttelford.co.uk)

Family Hubs are one-stop centres where families are able to access information, guidance and support on a range of services, including infant feeding, mental health, healthy lifestyles and parenting classes.

Parenting support covers the pre-birth period, through the infant and toddler stage, and up to late teens, or the age of 25 for young adults with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Family Hubs provide a range of speech and language support for all ages such as:

For 3- and 4-year-olds, Home Learning Environment programme enhances

For Babies and Toddlers Home Learning Environment Project with Speech and Language UK. For more information see: Home - Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives

  • Tots Talking
  • Talking with Toddlers
  • How Babies Learn to Talk

https://www.telford.gov.uk/info/20087/healthy_telford/6640/best_start_for_life_-_family_hubs

The Shropshire Family Information Service (FIS) provides detailed information, advice and support on all aspects of family life for parents and carers of children and young people aged 0-19, and those practitioners supporting them. 

For access to resource packs and FIS online database follow this link  Family Information Service | Shropshire Council

Health visitors specialise in working with families with a child aged 0 to 5 to identify health needs as early as possible and improve health and wellbeing by promoting health, preventing ill health and reducing inequalities. Health visitors lead the Healthy Child Programme which includes immunisations, health information, developmental reviews, and access to a range of community services and resources.

Healthy Child Programme

Telford’s Healthy Lifestyle Advisors offer free and confidential support, to enable you to make healthier changes, using their expertise and knowledge of local services.

Healthy Telford - Telford & Wrekin Council

Inclusive Practice is the new name for Ordinarily Available Provision in schools and early years settings. It is the good quality, inclusive teaching and resources which should be available for all children and young people with special education needs or disabilities. Information about Inclusive Practice is coming soon to Shropshire and Telford’s Local Offers.

SEND - Local offer (telfordsend.org.uk)

The SEND local offer | Shropshire Council

The Learning Support Advisory Team works with children and young people aged 4 to 18, senior leadership staff, teachers, teaching assistants and school support workers. They offer learning assessments and advice, access arrangements, observations, advice and support for children and young people with a special educational need. Learning Support Advisory Team (LSAT) - SEND - Local offer (telfordsend.org.uk)

Libraries provide services for children and young people to support their early development and their engagement and interest in reading. To gain more information about the Shropshire services, click here to visit their website.

Rhyme time is a session for rhymes, stories and songs for children up to 5 years in Shropshire. Further details at your local library.

For more information about the Telford and Wrekin services, click here to visit their website.

Bookstart is a national programme aimed to encourage parents and carers to enjoy books with their children at an early age as possible. There are packs of free books available aimed at age range 1-5 years, which are delivered via the early years settings. For more information see: About Bookstart: free books for your child | BookTrust

Bounce and Rhyme is an interactive session based at Southwater Library in Telford for children aged under 5 years. Nursery rhymes, fun action songs are shared, and parents have an opportunity to socialise. It is completely free of charge; however, you must book a place. You will find more information and booking details by clicking this link.

The Local Offer is an information resource for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities hosted by Councils across England

The SEND local offer | Shropshire Council

SEND - Local offer (telfordsend.org.uk)

The Maternity Voices Partnership (MVP) collects and collates feedback from Service Users to drive service improvements and improve the quality of maternity services. 

shroptwmaternityvoices.co.uk

See also Pregnant/New Baby (stw-healthiertogether.nhs.uk)

PACC is Shropshire’s Parent Carer Forum. It is an independence parent carer led organisation. It supports the SEND Community within the Shropshire Council area, aiming to help make Shropshire a great place for SEND families to thrive and have the same opportunities as everyone else.

They focus on three key work areas: Influence and Change; Information Provision; and Community Support.

They provide a variety of support offers:

  • Preparation for Adulthood Navigators
  • Buddies and Buddies Jnr Community Groups
  • Activity Coordination
  • Learning and Information Sessions

Their commitment to their community is to empower Parent Carers to influence change in local systems and services by sharing their experiences, to inform families to support them to make aspirational decisions for their children, and to create a supportive community within which SEND families can thrive.

Shropshire Parent and Carer Council

Parent and baby/toddler groups locally support children’s development, parent- child interaction and children’s listening, understanding and talking

To find your local toddler group in Shropshire, you would need to enter your postcode on the website below:

https://www.familiesonline.co.uk/local/shropshire/clubs-and-classes/baby-toddler

Parent and toddler groups are available in the Telford and Wrekin Borough. You can find your local group by searching here Childcare | Live Well Telford

Also see Best start for life - Best start for life - Family Hubs - Telford & Wrekin Council and the Family Hubs offer booklet on their website

The Parenting Team offers a variety of services to parent carers with children, including those with SEND, such as advice and parenting courses. You can contact their helpline or book on their courses, there are no specific access criteria. They offer a range of courses and support services for parents of children of all ages. The team is made up of experienced children and family practitioners who have had additional training and experience in Early Talk, Early Talk Boost and SEND.

The Parenting Team | Shropshire Council

PODS Charity in Telford and Wrekin, incorporates the Parent Carer Forum which involves and represents families of children with a disability or additional need.

PODS Charity wider service offer includes:

  • Parent Carer groups, workshops, training, engagement events
  • Challenges at Home support sessions for supporting behaviour, anxiety etc (pre-autism diagnosis).
  • Befriending Scheme
  • Family based activities, Holiday Clubs, After School Clubs
  • Peer Befriending Service
  • Perinatal and 0-2years early years offer
  • A Preparing for Adulthood Navigator who works with young people and their parent carers to prepare for life as an adult.

PODS is a parent carer/peer led charity with staff and volunteers who have the relevant ‘real life’ experience to support families who have a child with a disability or additional need (aged 0 – 25)

PODS Telford

School Nurses are part of the 0-19 team who care for children and young people, aged 5 – 19, and their families, to ensure their health needs are supported within their school and community. For SEND children the service extends to the age of 25. They work closely with education staff and other agencies to support parents, carers and the children and young people, with physical and/or emotional health needs. 

Each member of the 0-19 team has links with many other professionals who also work with children including community paediatricians, child and adolescent mental health teams, health visitors and speech and language therapists. The school health nursing service also forms part of the multi-agency services for children, young people and families.

School nurses

There are whole school approaches to supporting children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs. Speak with the SENCo for your child’s school to find out more about how these approaches support children with SLCN

  • Reception Baseline
  • Teacher/Teaching Assistant
  • Primary Talk
  • Communication friendly setting status (Telford)

Staff have completed Elklan's Communication Friendly Settings programme (CFS), to further support the communication and language development of children thus achieving a Communication Friendly Setting status.

Targeted Support for children with identified Speech, Language and Communication Needs in school includes:

SENDIASS offers parents and young people advice and support on any concerns they might have around special educational needs and /or disability (SEND) and explains options, rights and responsibilities. There are separate organisations for Shropshire and Telford, both have lots of information on their websites and you can contact them direct.

SENDIASS support enables parents and young people to take an informed and effective part in making decisions about the child's education. Staff undertake extensive legal training in SEND to ensure they have a good knowledge of all the relevant legislation and guidance.

Shropshire SENDIASS

Telford SENDIASS

SIS supports children and young people with hearing and/or visual difficulties and their families from birth to 25 (if they are still in post 16 education locally).

The amount of support or involvement depends on the level of need, which can change over time. We use the National Sensory Impairment Partnership (NatSIP) eligibility framework to guide decisions about levels of support. For some children this may mean weekly support and for some this may mean a monitoring yearly visit.

We aim to provide a wide range of support to ensure children and young people have:

·        a good quality of life

·        achieve their academic potential

·        are included in their local community

Early Language Facilitation Programme (ELF)-

This service objective is to support families of children who have undergone neonatal hearing screening and who are referred to the ELF service by an ENT consultant. Support is focused on children who are not considered to require hearing aid intervention at the conclusion of the Newborn Hearing Screening Process but where there are ongoing concerns regarding hearing levels. This includes children with conductive hearing loss, mild sensori-neural hearing loss and unilateral sensori-neural hearing loss. The service objective is to monitor the communication development of this group of children and make recommendations on management of hearing loss.

Telford Family Support Groups (at Stepping Stones):

Little Stars for Visually Impaired pre -school children and their families.

Tuesdays 9.30 am -11.30am in Term Time.

Family Group for Hearing Impaired pre -school children and their families.

Thursdays 9.30 am -11.30am in Term Time.

For Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin

Website: Sensory Inclusion Service - SEND - Local offer (telfordsend.org.uk) (although hosted by Telford, this also supports families in Shropshire)

Talk Boost has been developed by Speech and Language UK. These are evidenced based time limited interventions for children who need a boost to help them develop their listening, understanding and talking and to catch up.

  • Early Talk Boost and Talk Boost Key Stages-1 and 2 are targeted intervention programmes, to enhance young children’s communication they have been launched in settings and schools.

Early Talk Boost - Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives

Talk Boost - Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives

In Shropshire, needs are identified using a whole family assessment and action plan which helps identify what support is needed, and by whom, to meet your child and family’s needs. The action plan could include support from one service or a selection of services, depending on the outcome of the whole family assessment.

This plan of Early Help is coordinated by one lead worker, an Early Help Family Practitioner, who is the family’s main point of contact. The lead worker will help you access the services you need quickly and easily. They will arrange regular review Family Meetings so that you and the services involved can ensure that the support being provided is still meeting your family’s needs.

Find out more about the Early Help service via this link Shropshire Early Help

Early Help is about children, young people and families getting the right help at the right time, to prevent issues from getting worse.

Targeted Early Help (previously known as Strengthening Families and now delivered as part of Family Hubs) is needed when existing support is not enough to enable the child, young person or family to make progress. At this point an Early Help Family Worker may be allocated to provide support around specific needs.

Strengthening Families offer family support (0-19) at the family home on a one-to-one basis for targeted vulnerable families. Early Intervention Practitioners offer early help parenting strategies and whole family support by bringing together the right services around the family.

Telford Strengthening Families

General resources:

If you would like specific support for your child parent carers and education staff can call the Children’s SLT Advice line on 01743 450 800 and choose Option 4

Young carers are usually thought of as children caring for parents but brothers and sisters of children who have a disability, chronic illness, or mental health difficulties may be classed as young carers.

Young carer services offer professional guidance, connect young carers with other young carers, and provide important breaks from caring responsibilities. In Shropshire and Telford, there are local groups who provide one to one support, regular meet ups with other young carers and holiday activities.

Shropshire Young Carers

Telford Young Carers
 

More information about local services that support children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities can be found on the Local Offer website for your area.