Speech and language therapy for children

Children could have difficulties with their communication due to:

• Language delay
• Developmental language disorder
• Autism/social interaction difficulties
• Specific difficulties in producing sounds
• Hearing Impairment
• Cleft palate
• Stammering
• Voice disorders
• Selective mutism
• Feeding and swallowing difficulties
• Mild, moderate or severe learning difficulties
• Physical disabilities

Local arrangements for children’s speech and language therapy in Merton can be accessed by contacting the locality lead for the service based at The Civic Centre, Morden.

This speech and language therapy service provides support to schools in Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster. The school aged service is for pupils who have significant speech, language and communication needs.

The community education speech and language therapy service has recently completed a period of service redesign and development. Our speech and language education service work closely with schools.

Should you have any concerns about your child’s communication skills in the future, please discuss these directly with the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) at your child’s primary school.

The following services are provided in these three boroughs:

• community early years speech and language therapy services

• community education speech and language therapy services

Helpful information

• What to expect from your early years speech and langauage therapy service (PDF)

• Eating and drinking difficulties

• Directions to Cheyne

For more information about the services provided, please contact your local clinic.

Inclusion criteria for our community early years’ service:

• A service for children up to the age of five years or the term before they start school (whichever is sooner) who have identified or suspected speech and language difficulties.
• The child needs to have a GP and home address within the tri-borough or Merton area.

Exclusion criteria for our community early years’ service:

• Any child over five years of age or in school (whichever is soonest)
• If a child’s GP/address is not within the tri-borough or Merton area.

Our speech and language therapists (SLTs) regularly attend local children’s centres.

They are able to:

• provide information on general strategies and advice to support your child’s communication development

• discuss any concerns or questions you may have

• make a referral to the SLT service should you wish.

Download more information (and dates) for Westminster (PDF)

Download more information (and dates) for Kensington and Chelsea (PDF)

Download more information (and dates) for Hammersmith and Fulham (PDF)  

SLTs in Hammersmith and Fulham have also been working jointly with children's centres on the NSPCC 'Look, Sing, Say' initiative.

You can find out more and sign up for brain-building tips via the NSPCC webiste.

Our paediatric speech and language therapist teams run a series of drop-ins for parents and carers on the topics of: autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental language disorder and Makaton.

Running throughout the year at a range of locations across Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham, please click on the links below to find out what is happening near you and when. 

These informative workshops are for parents/carers of children under the age of five years. You do not need to reserve a place, but please arrive promptly if you are attending. There are no crèches available. Please do not bring your child with you.

"Parent workshops for children with social communication difficulties (SCD) / autism spectrum disorder (ASD)" - further information and dates can be found here (PDF)

These two hour workshops are for parents/carers whose child under the age of five years has received a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or where there are concerns around social communication skills. The workshops are repeated throughout the year in different locations.

Makaton Taster Sessions - further information and dates can be found here (PDF)

These 90 minute workshops are for parents/carers with a child under the age of five years who would like to learn about Makaton. The workshops are run by an early years speech and language therapist.

• Makaton training for parents leaflet (PDF)

A range of training options is available to staff working in early years including early years practitioners, voluntary staff and health visitors, to help support all children and young people’s communication including: 

• foundation training – this one-day introductory course will provide early years practitioners with an overview of speech, language and communication development from birth to five years

• advanced training – communication partners: developing language skills in small groups (level 1). This 2½ hour course will provide early year practitioners with an overview of how to plan and run language groups to support children’s speech, language and communication development

• advanced training – communication partners: developing language skills in small groups (level 2). This 2½ hour course will provide early year practitioners with an opportunity to build on the knowledge already acquired from Level 1 to learn about a wider range of activities to support language development.

Training courses booking form

• Early years speech and language therapy service foundation and advanced training courses booking form (Word doc).

SENDCO advice surgery

In addition, we offer a telephone advice surgery for practitioners who would like support from the CLCH early years speech and language therapy service during the following dates and times:

• Tuesday 28 May 13:30-17:00

• Tuesday 25 June 13:30-17:00

• Thursday 25 July 09:00-12:30

• Monday 12 August 13:30-17:00

• Monday 16 September 09:00-12.30

• Thursday 31 October 09:00-12.30

• Wednesday 13 November 13:30-17:00

• Thursday 5 December 13:30-17:00

Telephone 020 7792 7788 during the above dates and times. The SENDCO advice surgery does not operate outside of this schedule.

An early years speech and language therapist will be available during surgery sessions to advise practitioners on issues such as:

• adult-child Interaction strategies

• running communication supportive groups

• supporting early identification of speech, language and communication needs

• advice around accessing training

• follow up advice after training

• creating communication supportive environments

• using visual supports in the environment

• whether a child will benefit from an SLT referral.

NB: We will not discuss individual children during the telephone advice surgery sessions. If you have questions about a child in your setting, please contact the child’s clinic-based SLT.

More information about early years speech and language therapy services is available from the relevant London borough website:

• Hammersmith & Fulham

• Kensington and Chelsea

• Westminster

Further information and dates are available below regarding SLT training (called 'learning workshops').

These workshops are on offer to staff who work in mainstream schools across Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham. 

• Introduction to language for thinking - all dates (PDF)
• Introduction to blank levels - all dates (PDF)
• Narrative skills (KS2) - all dates (PDF)
• Secondary strategies - all dates (PDF)
• Self-help skills - all dates (PDF)
• Using colour-coding to support language (PDF)
• Using visuals in the classroom (PDF)
• Vocabulary learning (PDF)
• Speech and Language Therapy Learning Workshops Timetable Summer 2019 (PDF)

Contact telephone numbers
Early years: 020 8102 3575 
Education:   020 8102 3507 

*Bessborough street clinic early years team : 020 8102 3501
 

Parsons Green Health Centre

Parkview Centre for Health And Wellbeing

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital

World’s End Health Centre

Colville Health Centre

Westminster, The Medical Centre

Bessborough Street Clinic