Private SALT? approximate prices?

[HangingbaublesofBethlehem]

I know the costs will vary around the country but can anyone give me a vague idea of costs? dd is 4 and is going to be getting 20 mins/month from Jan which is never ever going to help her speech problems so are looking at some private input but don't want to consider it if it is going to be out of our league.

I'm a salt. Don't work privately though. I think it's about £60 an hour. This is the best place to find one

If you are very proactive people and your ds's problems not too great, an appt. or two could suffice in that she could give you lots of ideas and materials to practice at home.

Thanks Moondog. I think you're right, we need to be shown how to help dd ourselves. I'll have a look at that link. Do you know at all if the school is likely to reduce her SALT input if we go private? I've found with my other dd who has Cerebral Palsy that if you do anything privately they feel able to reduce the support from the NHS. It's mainly a problem with pronouncication of certain letter sounds and also general 'shushing' whilst talking but dd is getting infuriated that people can't understand her so I'd really like to get her the help she needs.

£60 per hour is what I paid (south west). Worth every penny - like moondog said, the SALT gave me tons of advice and helped me set up some strategies to work with DS, and it's been by far the most useful thing of all the services and provisions we've had this year. And no, it doesn't seem to affect your state provision. You can however get the private SALT and the school SALT to talk to each other and coordinate their approach, which is useful.

Last year - mine cost £150 for assessment initial report and plan of work (included 2 home and 1 nursery visit) and reviews are £50 per hour. I don't get charged travel time. Suspect I've been very lucky and am getting a good deal! Agree with Moondog - once you have an assessment and plan of work to do at home you may not need much for for quite a few months. It's not afffected state provision.

I would call your local slt dept and check whether having private slt will affect what they offer you.

When I was working, we were not allowed to change our input if a child was having private slt and we tried to work with the other therapist if the parents allowed (some didn't).

I think there are some areas though, where having private slt did affect what was offered by the local nhs slt (it was seen as a way of managing the caseload!).

I'd try to get the recommendation of someone who has used a SALT in your area. I knew a little boy's family had got him to the private salt for assessment and though the assessment was fine (though very long!), the amount and type of work she wanted him to do each day was unrealistic. She wanted parents to work with him 30 mins every day and preschool and nursery to work 30 mins a day. The stuff she'd sent to us (preschool) waas nothing you could use for a group of children or really at a busy preschool at all (no quiet area). Plus it didn't fit him, he wasn't a child to sit doing worksheet based stuff for 1 hour a day. So wouldn't cooperate at all.

Most of the NHS ones I've had contact with have been able to suggest small group games you can do at home with siblings or at a school type environment.