to think the school are just giving me an issue but no solutions.

[arrrghhhhwaiting]

My DC's (age 3 in nursery class) primary school have told me my son has speech delay, and that I need to get his GP to refer him to speech therapy. I got invited in to a meeting to say he'd been assessed with the SENCO.

It just feels like they are telling me he is having problems but not offering any kind of support (to him, or me) to resolve it.

Can anyone advise if they should be offering him some specific help? They said they'd try to give him more 1:1 time, but couldn't say how much or who would be doing (i.e. Teacher or TA). They also said he was behind on development matters on everything except creativity.

Having said I'll have to wait about a year to get the speech therapy referral, I feel like I'm just being left to worry about him for a year.

Someone has mentioned he should have an IEP if the school are saying he needs help. Does anyone know whether or not it's reasonable of me to ask for one (I suspect they haven't done one, they haven;t mentioned it).

Thanks (sorry its long)

The thing is, with speech delay you need targeted intervention. They could do things that have worked before with other children but the teacher and TA would just be guessing. Sometimes you can spot what is missing but not know what to do to fill in the gap. I know I have spent ages doing things with children and then been told that it was a waste of time as they needed to do something else first. It is frustrating, but the sooner you get into the system the sooner you will get a professional opinion.

So the nursery have alerted you to a possible problem and are now going to give him extra support. Sounds like they are doing fine.

They aren't responsible for the waiting list for SALT, nor are they going to be experts in the area. If your worried you need to fight to get seen by SALT sooner rather than getting upset with the nursery.

One of the solutions is a referral to a speech therapist.

I'm surprised the SENCO can't refer him though, they do at my DC's school.

Is it the fact it's a nursery rather than a school that's causing the issue so you have to do the leg work?

It's worth looking at your local children's centre/sure start. My 2 nearest ones have SALT attend twice a term ish, and you can just drop in and discuss any concerns. They may be able to give you advice to follow while you wait for a proper referral.

You should be able to self refer for SALT, if you google speech and language and your area, there should be a helpline number, and you could discuss things with a SALT.

If they have said that he is delayed in most areas, then you need to ask your gp for a referral to a developmental paed. You may also be eligible for portage (which is a development through play therapy, which occurs in your home - in some areas this stops at 3, others it goes up to reception age - so worth googling - also possible to self refer.)

With most of these things there are long waiting times, and often a lack of urgency, so be prepared to make phonecalls, ask lots of questions and press for targets.

There may be more advice if you post on the Special needs:children board.

Good luck.

Waiting lists are a way of life with any kind of SN/SEN.

They're much worse than they were 3 years ago too.

It's not fair, it's not right, but welcome to the world of 'provision'.

Most LEAs or NHS teams have a speech and language drop in centre for the under 5s. You need to get on the NHS speech and language list before they are 5 as the wait is normally far longer. Go to your GP or your Health Visitor as they have all the numbers and addresses for this kind of thing.

Normally the drop in is once a month but you may still need to have an appointment.

Speech and language is something the school will not be able to help you with. Their advice is already helpful in that they have identified there may be a problem with his speech and language and they have told you where to go for advice.

Believe me, I am telling you this as a mum of a statemented child with a severe speech and language disorder.

Oh no, I don't mind doing the leg work, if I know what to do. They called me in for the meeting and said all these positive things that they would be giving him extra support while we wait for speech therapy.
Then after the meeting, when I had a clear head, I thought it would be good to know what that support was. I guess I was thinking even if they said its just 10 minutes once a week 1:1 with the TA on Fridays I could then talk to her at pick up on Fridays, ask what they'd done, maybe I could repeat the same activities at home etc, or at least talk to my child about what they'd been doing.
But when I asked them what form the support would take, who'd be doing it, it all just went very wishy washy, and they said they couldn't tell me who'd be doing it, or how often etc.

Likewise, I appreciate the waiting list exist. CrohnicallyTired thanks for the suggestion of the Sure Start centre, I'll call round the local ones and see if they have any sessions.

hazeyjane Thanks for your reply especially too - I hadn't heard of portage. Will call the SALT helpline. You seem quite knowledgeable. Do you think its best to pay private rather than wait? I was worried about trying to 'pick' the right person myself, but if there will be a helpline that might help. Might see if I can move the thread to special needs too :)

ican have a phone number on which you can speak to a SaLT. She will then be able to give you ideas which you can share with the school.

Yes, they can write an IEP for him, but at present are perhaps not sure what it is they should be doing with him.

Agree that a lot of CCs have bought in a SaLT for a morning a week or some such to support local children.

Personally, I think you, and the school can probably do a lot if you are given some direction. Unless you are minted, a private SaLT costs a bomb.

Have you got yourself referred yet ? It's not clear from your OP. The lists in our area are ridiculous, which is why you should try and get the referral now, but also look for support elsewhere.

In my part of Devon, children are seen very quickly, within a month or so when the GP refers for speech therepy.

Children are seen for about 6 half hour sessions and the results of the intervention can be quite quick.

In my preschool we might ask to see the recommendations of the therapists and try to incorporate these in some small group sessions.

I do recommend the ican website for some really helpful ideas of games to help children with their speech. And also for an idea of what the stages of speech development are.

About this time last year DD1 (then 3.5) was taken by me to the GP to have her hearing checked as I felt there was some delay/clarity issue. Nursery had not been too concerned as she was everything-delayed (prem).

She had hearing loss caused by wax, we treated it and earlier this year had a check (wax had cleared) but speech was still unclear and we were referred to SALT.

Due to therapist illness out appointment was delayed, and then we've been waiting for a group to start. It starts next week, over a year after the problem was identified and she's started school so I'll have to get her out each week. I went to a parent group day so we know what we'll be doing and I can see how the program will work fr her.

She's improving a bit, and having extra help at school but it's taken a long time for us to get help. Nursery have done their bit and you need to follow this up (I'd get his ears checked too).

Wow Finn - I'm extremely jealous. Talk about a postcode lottery.

If they are referred here, it will be a year before they are seen for assessment, and then, for the tiny weeny fraction of those that they will actually see for some intervention, they will still have to wait a further 9 months for that to start.
and at the system but very of what Devon is providing.

My little boy had speech delay and was referred for SALT by the HV at his 2 year development review. I think we waited about 3 months for the initial appt with a kind of assistant who did a course of 2 sessions over 6 months. I think as he was still young they were hoping he'd improve. She explained simple exercises for me to do. We then got referred by her to an actual speech therapist, who fully explained his issues and gave me some work sheets and referred him for a group course and a hearing test. Again I got a workbook prior to the course and all the parents were called in to practice the sounds and actions with the therapist so we could practice at home properly with our DC. I copied all the work books and gave them to his nursery, but apparently he has become quite resistant to doing it, I think perhaps as its singling him out from his peers??

I would say before you start any therapy get his hearing checked via a GP referral as this can have a long waiting list too. Also I would look into a private appt if you can afford it just to give you some idea of what the issues are, and at least you can start some practice at home, you need to practice quite regularly. Private appts are about £35 a session in my area..up norf.

I agree it will be difficult for your nursery to do anything at this stage as the issues are so individual, it really needs an expert assessment.

Nursery staff are SLT experts, they don't want to say the wrong thing. It is a highly specialised area.
Would be nice if more integrated into schools, but they aren't.
I think a single appointment with a private SLT would help you a lot, make the wait easier for NHS SLT.

I second a single appointment with a private SLT. DS had zero speech when he was 3 despite understanding everything. My hunch was that he was fine, just a late talker. I saw a private SLT (I found one with experience with children) and she saw him in our home for an hour. I think it was about £50. She confirmed that, based on what she had seen there was no need for concern. He is now 4 and his speech is actually quite advanced for his age.

It seemed to me that if you have boy who is a late talker at 3 the bells don't really start ringing, whereas if you have a girl with no speech at the age, they start investigating.

back don't be to jealous, the provision for other issues is woeful.

oh ffs, did I really write that.
Nursery staff are NOT SLT experts.
arggghghghghghghghghgh

Nursery children are seen by the community Salt not school which is why school have no control. The Salt will write the iep if needed and share with you and school. So really there is not much the nursery can do until the assessment is done. Yes your child may get a bit more focussed time, a bit more of an emphesis on speech but it is unfair to expect timetabled 1 to 1 sessions without any input from professionals offering advice. If needed the Salt input would provide funding for this.
If you have concerns over his general development request an appointment with the community pead from your gp or ask for a referral to the early years support team for your area.

It sounds like you are expecting quite a lot of the school, more than they have the capability to give. They are doing a great job if they called you in and told you what you should do and that they're going to support him.

They probably need to do a bit of research themselves to work out what they can do for the best. Teachers and TAs don't get trained in speech therapy.

If you can afford to go private rather than wait, then do.

The SENCO should be able to support the staff in writing an IEP in the interim (until you have more information from SALT) especially if they have assessed him as being behind in all areas expect creativity. That is one of the main parts of their job title, so please don't let them fob you off!

If they are also concerned about his physical development- what is their specific concern? Does this need raising with the GP? Does he need an occupational therapist referral as well, for example? It would be good if they could give you more detail about what they are observing or not observing. I know it can be overwhelming OP but you are better off having all the information now, than waiting any longer! Also better to be told by an expert that there is nothing to worry about- than not knowing.

Please keep us updated, I would be happy to help with some strategies if you give more information on his interests, strengths and difficulties.

OP as speech is not the only issue as if there is a portage / early years team and ask for a referral to them. Also ask for a referral to the community paediatrician for further assessment.

Hopefully with intervention at nursery the above won't be necessary but those things can take months too so best to do the referrals as early as possible

How bad is the speech delay, and is it stopping him learning in other ways? You may be able to ask for statutory assessment which is the first step in the process of getting a Statement of SEN. If therapy is specified in the statement then the local authority has to arrange it, if necessary buying it in privately if the NHS can't provide it.

I agree about getting an initial private SALT assessment, if the waiting list for nhs is too long.

The only experience I have is my own ds, who is 3.4, has global developmental delay and is completely non verbal. he has had very patchy nhs SALT provision, and all the private SALT's i contacted in our area, said that they weren't able to deal with the combination of poor oro motor skills and severe delay that he has.

He has, however, been under a paediatrician since birth (was in nicu, then went on to have severe reflux) and as it is thought he has a genetic condition and has physical and learning delays, he has a raft of therapists and they meet/send reports to/with the preschool, so he has a full time 1-1 for the 15 hours he is there, and has an iep which includes speech and language targets. He is on the way to being statemented for the start of primary.

Despite being disabled and in the system from birth, it still takes a lot of phonecalls, chasing up and arse kicking from me to get things moving forward. Unfortunately not a lot of the stuff that is out there is easily handed over, and everything seems to be a battle.

Things like SALT and portage can be done with a parent referral, developmental/community paed needs to be gp or hv (gp is usually better and quicker) as does physio and occupational therapy.

From the school, i would want a proper written assessment from the senco of the areas that they think he has delays and may need help with, so that this can be taken to the gp and used for referral.