Who Can Help?

Health professionals

Health Visitor

Health visitors are qualified nurses who have had extra training in the development of babies and young children.  they may be your first port of call if you have any concerns. Health Visitors regularly check that babies and you children are developing in the usual way.  The two to two and a half year check is often key in identifying speech or language difficulties, as this is often when the first signs of SLCN become obvious.  Your Health Visitor may advise you on ways to help your child’s speech and language or, if she is particularly concerned, refer you to the local speech and language therapy service.

GP (General Practitioner)

This is the formal term for your family doctor.  He or she can discuss any concerns about your child’s talking, understanding or behaviour.  If appropriate, your GP can make a referral to the speech and language therapy service and/or to a developmental paediatrician.

Speech and Language Therapist (SLT)

Speech and Language Therapists are qualified to diagnose and treat all forms of SLCN, though some may specialise in particular types for e.g. speech difficulties.  there is a community speech and language therapy service in all areas, run by the local NHS.

Speech and language therapists who work for the community service are mostly based in Children’s Centres, larger GP surgeries or other community centres.  Other speech and language therapists are based in nurseries, schools or hospitals.  There is also a growing number of private speech and language therapy practices which, of course, charge for their work.

Some community speech and language therapy services employ Speech and Language Therapy Assistants. They are people who have been trained to carry out specific tasks or practice under the direction of a qualified Speech and Language Therapist.

Audiologist

An Audiologist is a health care scientist who assesses, diagnoses and treats people with (possible) hearing problems.  Young children are routinely checked for their hearing, and any who are struggling to talk or understand other people might be referred to an audiologist for a fuller assessment. SLCN is, however, much more common than hearing difficulties, so in most cases the possibility of a hearing problem is quickly ruled out.

Paediatrician

A paediatrician is a specialist doctor who assesses, diagnoses and treats children.

A Developmental Paediatrician focuses on children who are not developing in the usual way.  Developmental Paediatricians are usually based in hospitals and work with a team typically comprising a speech and language therapist and clinical psychologist.  Other professionals such as an audiologist or occupational therapist may be included or a referral may be made separately.

The Developmental Paediatrician oversees the assessment process and undertakes or arranges any medical tests such as a blood test.  The speech and language therapist assesses your child’s speech, language, and communication skills. The clinical psychologist assesses your child’s behaviour and the way they play.  An audiologist assesses your child’s hearing and an occupational therapist checks your child’s coordination, balance, motor skills, sensory integration and organisation.

Following the assessment, you should receive a report.  This may give you a formal diagnosis and will generally outline the help your child will need to address their difficulties.  This can be particularly helpful for a potential or actual EHC (Education, Health and Care) Needs Assessment – the process that precedes the issuing of an EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan).

A Community Paediatrician oversees the wellbeing, health and development of children in their area. This includes a wide range of duties such as organising routine vaccinations (delivered generally by community nurses) at one end of the scale, and assessing and overseeing children with developmental difficulties at the other.

Community Paediatricians may be based primarily in the community or divide their time between the community and the local hospital.  In some cases, community paediatricians also take on the role of developmental paediatrician.

Local authorities who are carrying out an EHC Needs Assessment generally approach the local community Paediatrician for health advice.

Education professionals

SENCO/SENDCO

This stands for Special Educational Needs (and Disability) Coordinator. All state schools in England are required to have a SENCO and some independent schools also do so.

The SENCO is a qualified teacher who has been trained for the role. He or she is responsible for coordinating all the information about the children with SEND in the school and arranging appropriate support for them.

Most Early Years Settings have a SENCO (although only maintained nursery schools are required to have a qualified SENCO). The SENCO in most nurseries or playgroups will be someone who has agreed to take on the role, and who may have some training on identifying and supporting children with SEN. Some local authorities have an Area SENCO who provides advice and guidance to early years providers about SEN in general and developing appropriate skills and knowledge.

FE Colleges are expected to have a named person who, like SENCOs in schools, has oversight of SEN provision to ensure that support is coordinated. They may or may not be called a SENCO.

Teaching Assistants (TA)

Most schools have some TAs to assist the teachers. They might be allocated to a particular class, or work with children who need extra help. Some schools and/or local authorities may arrange some training for TAs, or the TAs themselves may attend courses at a local college. However, there is no absolute requirement for TAs to have any formal training.

Some schools have HLTAs (Higher Level Teaching Assistants). HLTAs have particular expertise in a specific aspect of learning such as SLCN, Reading Difficulties or Behaviour.

Specialist Teachers

Most local authorities have teams of teachers (and perhaps TAs) who focus on specific areas of difficulty, such as SLCN. These Specialist or Advisory Teachers work with teachers in mainstream schools or nurseries to help them meet the needs of children with SEN. They may also work directly with the children.

Educational Psychologists (EP)

Educational Psychologists are specially trained to assess children’s learning skills or needs and/or any behavioural issues. They advise teachers how best to support children with difficulties and play a key role in the EHC Needs Assessment.