Special Educational Needs in nursery for speech and language

[rachael290]

My little boy is 4 and he is in a nursery attached to a primary school, we have been back and forth to the speech therapist as his speech (not vocabularly) doesn't match his ability, we are getting near a diagnosis but whatever the outcome he needs intervention. We are really keen for speech and language therapists to work with him and his teachers in school as without extra help he is going to really struggle to learn his phonics when he goes into reception next year. His teacher has said that there are times when they and the other chldren struggle to understand him, yet the school will not put him on the special needs register and have said if we want a therapist to come into school I will have to sort it out. Does anyone know if this is just how it is?

Hi, I think I would probably make an appointment with the head and senco (salt too if poss, rather than speaking to the teacher. What does the salt say?

My DD started speech therapy when she was 2. Just before she started Nursery I was introduced to the speech therapist attached to the school she would be going to, who asked my permission to speak to the senco so that everything would be in place for when she started. The senco then assesed her while in the pre school and put an IEP in place to ensure they made time to spend with her each day. The salt goes into school every so often to see how all the children with speech problems are getting on. So it can be done, they only need to spend 10 mins a day with him.

I guess it varies in differnt areas. Good luck.

Where I live.... School can request SALT to come into school. Don't know how it's 'rationed' though - but they definitely do have a SALT who visits. So I think it's extremely unlikely they can't get a SALT to at least come in and do an assessment....

The SALT however can probably only do regular therapy with your DS if he is 'bad enough'. Certainly most people have to go private to get the amount of therapy their child needs.

As for being on the SEN register. He should be on the SEN register if he needs extra help in school. So if they're not going to refer him to SALT or do anything else to help him then they don't need to put him on the register. As soon as they have referred him he automatically goes onto the register....

So really, you need to campaign for him to get extra help, and then he will be on the SEN register - rather than campaigning for him to be on the SEN register IYSWIM....

He should be given an IEP (individual education plan) and put onto early years action plus by the nursery, and in turn this should be continued by the school from reception with an IEP there and he is then deemed to be on school action plus. As a result of this he should be given extra help with his speech by a teacher or teaching assistant either in small groups or 1:1, and this should be based upon advice from the speech therapist. I don't know how your specific area works for therapy but until the end of reception year the parents take the child to the therapist at a centre, and after that they are put onto the schools service where they are seen in school and the school then deals with the therapists. In practice this however is often very different to what actually happens and in many areas it can be a HUGE fight for any therapy at all - my own DD has been nearly 2 years since she had any NHS therapy in or out of school, despite formal complaints and numerous efforts by myself and a thankfully very supportive school. I suspect the school are already thinking defeat in getting him the help in school hence their (poor) attitude.

I would go back to your speech therapist and ask them how it all works in the area for school support and try to ensure that the nursery/school get copies of all reports and also specific advice on areas to work on. Then back to the nursery/school and insist on an IEP based upon this professional opinion.

Where abouts are you? If you still want to try for a diagnosis and can get into London the Nuffield Hearing and Speech Centre is really helpful. The speech therapist can refer you or you can go via your GP.

Not sure if you have seen the special needs section on mumsnet but a wealth of info and help there that is worth joining. Also consider if a statement may be necessary to get the help he needs too? More info in the SN section.

Thankyou that is all really helpful, going this
week for another assessment so should know
more.