Speech and Language Therapy for Under 5s

Speech and Language Therapy for Under 5s

We work with all children up to the end of Reception class.

Below are some immediate resources and strategies you can do to help develop your child’s communication.

• Children and Family Centres: You can find details of your nearest Children and Family Centre, including their activity timetables.
• Parents/carers: Attend your local children and family centre. They have Universal (for all) stay and plays with Early Interventions Workers that can support you and direct you to further appropriate support. 
• Professionals: To refer a family to a specific activity/group at a Children and Family Centre, please complete highlighted sections of the MAST form and email the form back to MAST Team.  
• Other sources of advice and information
  - Better Health- Start for Life
  - BBC Tiny Happy People
  - Speech and Language UK: Ages and Stages
• Videos and Leaflets: Look at the videos and leaflets we have put together about communication strategies you can do at home. Put these in place every day for a few months.

Leaflets and Videos 

• Dummies
• Join your child’s world
• Intensive Interaction 
• We Don’t speak English at home 
• Speech sound difficulties 
• Glue Ear and Speech 
• What toys can help my child talk?
• My child has lots of screen time 
• How can I help my child learn to talk? 
• Is my child behind with talking?
• Supporting communication through story books 
• Special Time

• Commenting 

• Waiting

• Adding a word 

• Objects of Reference 

For more specific support consider these statements below to link to the right page for you.

“I am worried my child is...”

• Not responding to their name 
• Struggling to follow simple instructions
• Not involving other people in their play
• Not playing with toys how you would expect them to
• Not responding when greeted by others
• Not showing an interest in what other children are doing 

Go to Social Communication Differences page 

“I am not worried about the above but am worried about…”

•  Not learning words fast enough
• Difficulties responding to “who”, “what”, and “where” questions
• It is difficult to understand what my child is trying to say
• Not using sentences
• They struggle to speak in certain situations / able to communicate easily with some people but may be silent or speak in whispers with others
• They get stuck on words or sounds when talking

Go to Early Language: Speech and Language Therapy page 

How do I make a complaint?

Please follow this link to find more information about how to make a complaint: Patient Advice And Liaison Service (PALS)