Speech therapy - going private

[MrsPear]

So ds 5 is suppose to be having, in the words of the professionals, fortnightly speech therapy. This was suppose to have started in September. It hasn't happened. So we are now beyond fed up and I am looking at going private. Do you think the school will be OK at working with a private therapist and take on board any recommendations? I know I can just ask but I am nervous. Also any hints or tips on what to ask / look for when trying to find a speech therapist welcome. DS has problems due to deafness so it seems esp hard to find someone with the right experience / qualifications.

[senvet]

Also you can threaten JR - but the words must be clear ie where they say 'forthnightly speech therapy' do they say 'would benefit from' or is it clear then dc must have it eg wording like 'dc will be given' or 'dc will have'.

Also, is it clear that the therapy must be given by a qualified speech and language theraist? Or would the wording be satisfied if a TA who had read a book was giving it?

Does it say if it should be 1 to 1, or in a small group, or in-class?

Assuming that it is pretty clear that there should be fortnightly 1 to 1 or small group sessions delivered by a qualified therapist, you could try wrting to legal dept saying that the letter/email or whatever has said that dc requires this, and that as the law states that dcs needs must be met, they have broken the law.

You could look to get IPSEA or one of the other charities to do it as a letter-before-action on JR.

JR is in theory availalble as a last resort after all avenues of complaint have been followed but there is an exception for urgent things like a child's education where the time and chance of early intervention can never be given back.

There may even be a way of taking avtion to get the private SALT fees paid back to you - I think a solicitor could look at 'reliance on a misrepresentation'. I know it exists, just really don't have a clue if it would apply to you.

[Lesley25]

We use a private salt at dss son- but his first school wasn't keen at all. Definitely worth checking with the school first.
... We now have Nhs salt and to be honest, knowing what I know now how shite it is I wouldn't fight it expensively through a tribunal.

[2boysnamedR]

I have private slt go in after school. School don't like it. They don't work with her either. But it's that or nothing so little choice.

Don't automatically assume school will try to make the most of it ( as denial is 100% free but getting on board costs effort).

[beautifulgirls]

We had a really supportive school yrR-Yr2 and I took DD out to see a SALT privately for an afternoon every other week. I would take suggestions of work in to the school and the TA would spend time with DD most days helping her and I did some at home too. It made a great difference to DD and the school were very welcoming of the support. I occasionally had the SALT in school to meet with staff too. DD is now at specialist school where she gets SALT and OT on site which is much better for her overall.

[Bilberry]

I had a private SALT who works well with the ms school my ds was in at nursery (ds now at a language unit). I think she now spends a day a week at that school working privately with five or six children. This includes occasionally setting up small groups with ms children (the school puts out notes to that child's class asking parents if they will agree to this) and advising staff. However, that same SALT said there are other schools in the area she is not allowed in. The local school won't allow a private dyslexia teacher in much to the annoyance of some parents so their attitude depends on the profession and probably also personality.

[Handywoman]

My dd's private SALT is welcomed into a number of local MS primary and secondary schools. But the Head-teacher would not allow her to set foot on the premises of my dd's school.

Sadly if the Head Teacher doesn't want it, they will say no. Unsupportive Heads will come up with all manner of crap excuses - in our case citing crb checks as the problem. But unfortunately it is hard to get around. And really, if they won't let them in it tells you all you need to know!

Knowing what I know now, I would consider changing schools for this sort of thing, if practical.

[Mistrywoman]

Just started private SALt weekly session at dd school due to crap Herts salt service. Other than training staff they r not interested in doing 121 therapy. Obviously too Much hard work. So far things going well.lets see after 6 weeks what private therapist says about dd progress.

[MrsPear]

A little update: my son is still awaiting allocation of a SaLT by the local authority. So I spoke to his class teacher (she confirmed with the head) and they are happy to read and action any recommendations from private SaLT. So we are going ahead with an assessment on a Saturday and then fortnightly sessions thereafter. There is a shortage of specialist SaLT's in the area at the moment. It was finding one with the right qualifications that I found difficult too.