Issues with speech and language therapy - how do i insist they help us?

[Featherybum]

Very briefly, DS aged 3.5 has a significant speech and language delay following temporary deafness from glue ear. However sincehe had grommets put in in May 2016 there hasn't been masses of improvement, and he's also had son behavioural and compulsive behaviour issues that have suggested to nursery, health visitor and previous salt that he may have asd. He's currently on the waiting list for CDC assessment. His dev level was recently assessed by nursery as being at 12-18 months in this area.

Previous speech therapist left abruptly before xmas. I have previously been assured that they consider him a priority child and that as soon as another therapist was available he would recieve another 1:1 course.

Without any contact with me, a new salt assessed him at nursery on Friday, I am seriously concerned about the feedback nursery senco gave me on the assessment.

New salt has apparently announced his speech is ok as he used a 5 word sentence (he does occasionally but main issue is his speech us very forced and halting, he stammers and only says parts of words). She has apparently dismissed the idea that he might have asd as he made eye contact a few times and played with his one nursery friend (he has one boy he plays with, really struggles with any other child or adult, and we used to sign and lip read so although he often doesnt like making eye contact, he is used to having to if that makes sense). Apparently, despite having a hearing test 2 weeks ago that indicated his hearing is fine, New salt has decided his issue is hearing related. Therefore not her problem presumably.

Most concerningly at all new salt has also apparently said that previous salt advised her that my son doesn't engage well in 1:1 sessions therefore they wont be offering them again. All complete news to me! Apparently she will drop in some written targets for nursery to work on him with on her monthly meetings. That's it!

I'm obviously go in to try and call tomorrow to find out what the hell is going on but I'm really worried that either we arent going to get any help any more or she's going to balls up the CDC referral by submitting a report that's a big pile of bollocks as I understand cdc will view all electronic records before deciding to see him?

Any advice very much appreciated!

Can you afford a private Salt assessment? We weren't happy with our salt report and went privately. The thoroughness of the private report carried a lot more weight.

That's really interesting thank you, I wasn't sure if private reports would be listened to from reading up about the cdc process so I will look into that thanks x

I have never had any resistance to private therapy reports through our diagnosis process or our EHC application. An independent therapist will either corroborate what your current salt is saying or provide a contrary second opinion which you can submit to the cdc independently.

Great thank you. I know we are just starting out on this process and I will likely have these issues repeatedly it's just so frustrating!

This sounds very similar to my DD - she is 5 now. We have been seeing a private SLT for nearly a year and though she is still delayed/disordered quite badly we have seen progress. The NHS service have been fairly useless if i'm honest despite them recognising my DD's issues. I would, at least, get a private SLT assessment with an overview that you may need regular private input too.