What is a Language and Social skills Technician exactly?

[Aero]

I'm assuming it's not the same as a qualified SALT.

Have just noticed that dd's SALT report from school a few years ago was undertaken by someone with the said title. No further action was taken at the time. Three years down the line, no progress and today we went to see a SALT which we have paid for privately (I want to leave no stone unturned), and she was stunned to see that the report is under the SALT heading as a SALT report, but has been done by someone who appears not to be a SALT, which imo is somewhat misleading. I had no idea until my attention was drawn to this today!!!

Also, she was surprised at some of the previous results given dd's assesment today.
We have another appt next week as fatigue set in and the assessment couldn't be completed today - also, dd is a bit snuffly, so her actual hearing wasn't good today, so the test will be repeated.

Is it unreasonable to be a bit cross about this, or would it have made no difference who did the original assessment. Is it possible a technician could've missed something?

:(

Sorry, never heard of it!? Hopefully someone around wiil have.

I'm assuming she was assessed by a SALT assistant and I have no idea how much training and knowledge they have.

Spoke with council today and we have a date for the SA decision. I am nervous tbh, but am hoping the SALT can shed more light on dd's difficulties and that somehow, someone will be able to tell us how best to help her!

It sounds like it would have been a SALT assistant. If it was a qualified SALT who had written the report, it would have 'Speech & Language Therapist' under their name. Use of the title SALT is 'protected' and can't be used by anyone who is not qualified (i.e. not on the HPC register). So, it seems likely this person wasn't a SALT, hence their title.

Also, just thought I'd add, it's hard to say whether or not this person would be 'qualified' enough to write a report as it would depend on the nature of the report. SALT assistants must work under the direction of a qualified SALT and can only be given tasks that the qualified SALT feels they are competent to do. It's a bit of a grey area, therefore and practice differs widely in various settings.

If the report is an initial assessment report, it would not be appropriate for a SALT assistant to do this as they don't have the diagnostic skills, clinical knowledge and expertise that a SALT has.

However, if it was a report that was a progress report and a summary of your child's response to therapy that the SALT assistant had been carrying out under direction from a qualified SALT, then it probably would be ok.

Don't know if that helps at all...?