To think speech and language therapy should be part of the curriculumin in special needs settings where there is speech delay?

[Letitsnooow]

My 3 year old with a dx of ASD attends a special needs nursery, he's also on a (long) waiting list for SALT via the NHS, I'm told 6-8 months. He'll be almost 4 by the time he is seen and is already significantly speech delayed despite my continued efforts at home to implement the strategies suggested. I can't afford the £50+ per session privately as I'm only able to work part time at the moment due to the severity of his needs.

AIBU to think SALT should come hand in hand with specialist early years settings?

I'm just thinking out loud really (and feeling a bit fed up and overwhelmed by LO's aggressive outbursts that stem from his frustration at not being able to communicate his needs)

You might get better traffic on a more specific board. I know a bit about SALT (not enough to answer your Q) but most people won't.

Does he have an ehcp?

Although he may not get formal SALT I imagine the staff will be familiar with and use many technique to help.

I'm really surprised it's not! I'd have thought that's one of the cornerstones of special education.
I dont have any answers, it's so important but I dont know how tou can access it if you cant afford it. Have you spoken to the GP? Maybe they can refer you directly to an NHS speech therapist?

I can only comment from my experience. My Ds attends a specialist school and they do have a sly there to cover all dc who need it. However I suspect that's because he is of full time school age now and has an EHCP.

I'm not sure nurseries are the same as they're not mandatory for dc? I could be wrong.

Would makaton be appropriate? Or is there any apps on a tablet that could help with communication? I suggest these as even though my Ds doesn't 'need' makaton it is taught in his school and there are a few non verbal dc there who use the tablets to help them communicate.

Although it may not solve the speech and language issue it may help with his frustration?

Slt * not sly 🙄

SALT here. You’re right, we’d be expecting a specialist nursery to integrate speech and language support into the day. 3 year olds often aren’t ready for formal therapy but there’s lots of things they could be doing to support including lots of modelling, choice making, sharing stories and songs and building in extra opportunities for communication throughout the day. You’ll probably find they’re already doing a lot of this, it just doesn’t look like SALT. One of the key things a child needs to be able to access SALT is the ability to attend to adult led activities. This is certainly something that nursery could be practising.

I’d recommend getting in touch with your local SALT service and seeing if they have any advice leaflets or activities on their website appropriate for your son’s needs that you could share with nursery so they have some ideas on what to target. Most services will be happy to give out general advice over the phone, particularly at the moment while waiting lists are a bit longer than normal due to covid restrictions on appointments.

I am really surprised by this. My 3 grandchild receives SALT within mainstream nursery - both direct from the speech and language therapist and daily input from the nursery key worker following to SALT plan. No EHCP yet, though assessment has started (non verbal /asd). Everyone involved has stressed the importance of early intervention.

I work in a special needs school and some children are under the school speech therapist and some under the NHS.So she only works with the ones that come under her. I was told it was to do with EHCPs and which local authority covers the child. Seems strange they wouldn’t have an in house speech therapist though with it being an SEN setting.

I used to be a special needs teacher (secondary, so no early years experience). I have worked in 3 types of special schools before I left the profession and they all work very differently.

Two of the schools, we did have a SALT on site who used to deliver lessons and one to one sessions. We would also develop the pupils communication and language skills throughout the day. This was a few years ago, so guess things maybe a little different now in terms of set up.

I can totally understand your concerns, a 6+ month wait for a referral is a very frustrating.

You are certainly not being unreasonable. Have the nursery set up any other provision for your little one in terms of their language? I know they will not be SALT trained, but they should certainly have some strategies on how to develop early communication and language skills.

Thank you for the replies

He doesn't have an EHCP yet, we're just beginning the process of applying. It's a new diagnosis and I'm still waiting for the full report to come through which will be used to support the application. All I have so far is a very short letter saying he met the threshold for diagnosis and now has one, coupled with some information pamphlets.

I'm about to start a makaton course in the hope that will help him, there is at least one member of staff at the nursery who does know makaton and uses basic signs when interacting with the children - but to be honest, makaton seems to frustrate him.

When I implement the little amount I know at home he gets frustrated with the hand gestures.

I'm a SALT and I share your frustrations.

SLT though mainstream. It's so patchy. It will likely have some NHS service then depending on authority and school some education funding. I am actually funded a full day a week in a mainstream school just in an area of high need. Hanan more than words book is really worth a look. I am also frustrated for you and my profession

In an ideal world these therapies would be readily available in specialist early years settings (an ideal world, yeah right )

We are also on an equally long waiting list for occupational therapist which he needs just as much.

He really struggles on a day to day basis, it's shit.

It might be worth ringing teh sevice with an update. We make cases urgent if lots of "impact" eg frustration but we don't know if people don't tell us. Other option is to let them know you ll take a short notice appointment and travel to any site (if you are able to) this can make a big difference in my trust

Try using visuals photos make choice boards

I'm very surprised that they don't use the methods, if not formal therapy. I have a ASD DS in a mainstream nursery connected to a state primary, and they use a range of techniques. All the children are do makaton, mostly to nursery rhymes but also for more practical communication, and they use a pictorial now/next timetable with DS.

I completely respect speech therapists however my experience of the NHS service in our area is very poor. I know, from my experience of being a senco, that the service is massively stretched. However, I was told 6 months + waiting time for my son to be seen and it turned into nearly 2 years and that was only after I made a complaint to PALS. In the meantime it has cost us close to £3000 in private therapy. A cost we save for every month. We are lucky we can manage that (only just) but it isn't easy.
I have every sympathy and I would suggest ringing for regular updates on where he is on the waiting list.

It is at the special schools near me, but how on Earth has he got into a specialist nursery without an EHCP? I’d expect the teachers and TAs to be experts at total communication TBH.

In (eastern) europe it is part of the kindergarden years. They get tested at age 5 and then have 1 or 2 years of mandatory therapy built into their day if needed. I thought that was the case here as well.

My dd is 6 and in school now with ehcp. Her NHS salt is now in the form of her 1-1 being taught each term something new to work on. She hasn't been seen by NHS salt for a block since feb 2019

No EHCP was required to have him enrolled there, nor was a diagnosis. They asked what my concerns were at the time (he was on the asd pathway at that point, had speech delay and other red flags) and were happy to take him.

I think there are a few children there who don't have an ECHP or diagnosis yet, they enrol based on care needs.

I will take on board the suggestions here thank you. SN parenting can be a minefield for sure.

If I had the funds to pay for private SALT I would do it in a heart beat

DS' half sibling is on the ASD pathway and has been waiting for around two years for a diagnosis, however he has been having SALT for the past 18 months. Different borough.

Very frustrating.

Even with an EHCP my DS only gets one review per half term and not even that til he started school. I think it's criminal that there is such little provision for early years when it's proven to help the most.

Generally, in special schools, the SALT is provided throughout the day as part of the curriculum, but by the teaching staff. The SALT would provide a 'programme' and review as necessary. The only time DD1 got specific SALT sessions at Special School was for some cued articulation sessions.

I've been scouring the internet for SALT techniques and have found some easy to follow videos on YouTube but it feels fruitless, SALT's are highly qualified professionals who know what they're doing. I'm just a frazzled parent