What is this service?
A service providing assessment, diagnosis, advice and treatment for children with a range of speech, language communication and swallowing needs. Treatment may be offered on an individual or group basis, with and without the child present.
Not all children will require to be seen directly by a speech and language therapist. Many children can be supported through nursery or school staff carrying out targeted interventions which are rolling out across Stockport. Only where such support is not in place or the difficulty is so severe will a child be seen directly by a Speech and Language Therapist. For the majority of difficulties Speech and Language Therapists provide evaluation of speech and language targets and set further targets for children to work on with a support practitioner, as this has proved to be effective through research /experience.
Only those children who are taken onto a caseload will be given further regular individual advice from a named therapist. However the service is working to develop more flexible advisory approaches for children to support nursery/school staff.
The service also has an extensive training programme for nursery/school teachers/ support staff.
Training is also available free for parents for specific approaches, e.g.
Makaton – a signed language development programme for children with learning disabilities.
Social Stories/comic strip conversations – an approach for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders
Who is this service for?
This service is for children up to the age of 16 years (19 years if they have a learning disability and are in special education).
How to request the service?
Referrals are accepted from GPs, Health Visitors, Schools and other professionals providing parent has given permission. A parent can also request an assessment by calling the service directly. Referrals are directed to our Central Base at Beckwith House via Regent House.
If the child meets the access criteria they will be taken onto the caseload. In broad terms the access criteria is
- Children who have severe learning disabilities (1st centile scores on all assessments)
- Children who have specific language impairment with a large discrepancy between their general skills and language skills (1st or 2nd centile on language scores but other scores over 25th centile) will be taken onto the caseload.
- Children who have an autistic spectrum disorder with associated language difficulties
- Children who have swallowing disorders
Other factors will be taken into consideration also. If a child scores outside these scores but they have significant needs and it is shown Speech and language therapy are the only service with the skills to meet the child’s needs, they will be taken onto a caseload.
When is the service available?
The service is provided within normal working hours, 9.00am - 4.30pm. Although some parent training courses are running in evenings and some speech clinics for children with severe learning disabilities run on a Saturday morning.
Where is the service available?
1) The early years and speech sound service is provided within clinics based largely around 6 areas:
• Central Stockport – Beckwith House
• Heaton Norris
• Hazel Grove (clinic and Hospital based)
• Gatley
• Bramhall
• Brinnington
2) A nursery/school service operates for children who have identified special educational needs.
When will a child be discharged from the service?
A child will be discharged when they have skills within the normal range for their age or if there difficulties, are no longer severe in nature, when strategies are in place to support any ongoing difficulties, if an appointment is missed without prior notice, or if parent requests discharge.
The service is based at:
Floor 1 Beckwith House – Wellington Rd Stockport. (next to the George Pub)
The postal Address however is:
C/O 8th Floor Regent House
Heaton Lane
Stockport
SK4 1BS
Admin. Office: 0161 426 5200 / 5201/5202
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for Stockport Children's and Young People's Disability Partnership website.