Need information on how schools are funded

[mogwai]

I wonder if there's anyone who could advise me on this.

I'm an SLT considering setting up business with some colleagues to provide therapy on a private basis.

We would be interested in pitching our business at local schools, who we know are desperate for speech therapy.

I need to understand how schools receive their funding and whether they would have the incentive and the funds to purchase private SLT for their school.

Any advice?

I haven't got a clue, but thought I'd give you a nice gentle bump. I suppose it probably starts with the LEA, and would hazard a guess that each LEA might be different.

I have no direct knowledge of school funding but given the problems people have getting statements you might have problems finding state schools able to pay for this. Private schools are probably different though.

I'm thinking the schools could purchase their own therapist one day a week to work with the children directly and to leave work to be continued throughout the week.

The kids would have regular therapy from an identified therapist, who would also attend parents' evenings.

The cost would be somewhere in the region of £12k per year for an average mainstream school wanting one day per week. The therapists would be experienced in this area of work and the business itself would include therapists with a variety of specialisms so that everything could be covered (autism, deafness, dyspraxia etc) by second opinion.

What do you reckon?

I think that in theory most of the services schools used to get solely from the LEA are now open to competitive tender. If things haven't changed in the last couple of years, schools fix their budgets by April, so you might be out of luck until next year now. But why not have a word with the finance officer at one of your local schools and see if they can give you any info? If you have any schools which have opted out of LEA control in the area they may have more flexibility.

Don't forget that some schools are voluntary aided.

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I'm in the northwest, celia2

Thanks for your replies, aome useful information.

Would take a while to set up but I'll look into children's centres and finance officers.

Ta!

I doubt schools could afford it but you could approach the LEA. If SALT goes in parts 2 and 3 of children's statements (which it often doesn't- but should) then the LEA have a statutory duty to provide SALT. Often they can't because the HA doesn't have the SALTS, but its the LEA that can be liable.

However I doubt they would have the money to fund it. The LEA did fund some visits to school by ds1's private SALT when his NHS SALT was on maternity leave, but I had to threaten them with the loca govt ombusman first of all, so in total they probably spent about £120 on him.

I wonder what they could pay, Celia2.

Totally whacked off with NHs now. The kids don;t get what they need, the therapists are often totally disillusioned, even the ones who haven't been working long.

I'm going to go private for at least 1 day per week and probably permanently in the long term.

I already have two patients whose paretns are willing to pay privately, though it makes me for the ones who can't

interesting thought!

at idea of using a programme to diagnose speech problems

that's like a programme to diagnose any other disorder !!

It's a very bad situation when a programme is being used to replace clinical skill. Must be really bad where you are...where, roughly, are you?

Private schools may buy you in...that is what my school does with ed psychs, although most if not all os the SLT is done through the NHS!

surely you would do better at just aimming it at parents who have the money and feel their child is not getting enough SLT.