Speech & Language Therapists see children and young people who may have difficulties with:
- Communicating their basic needs
- Understanding spoken language
- Expressing themselves in words, phrases or sentences
- Speech sounds and speech clarity
- Conversing and interacting
- Speaking fluently e.g. stammering
- Voice e.g. hoarse, croaky voice
- Eating and drinking
Speech and Language Therapy
Speech & Language Therapists will find out what the child or young person is able to do and what he or she finds difficult. We will then diagnose what the difficulty is and explain if it has a special name.
We will make a plan to help with speech, language, and communication difficulties, or eating and drinking difficulties. We will help the child or young person to find the best way to communicate with others, and offer advice, support and training.
Speech & Language Therapists work with:
- Children
- Parents, carers and families
- Nursery and teaching staff
- Staff in children’s centres, social care and local charities
- Other therapy and medical teams
Speech & Language Therapy is available across two localities, Harrogate & Rural District and Hambleton & Richmondshire.
Training
Speech & Language Therapy offer training to parents, carers, education staff and other health professionals.
To enquire about training courses available, please contact your local Speech & Language Therapy team above.
Useful Links:
- Talk to Your Baby: Home – this Literacy Trust initiative contains free, downloadable parent information leaflets about early interaction.
- Home (makaton.org) – information on Makaton signing, resources and training, as well as a forum for Makaton users to share their experiences.
- Speech Therapy Resources : Speech and Language Therapy Ideas and Downloads (speechteach.co.uk) – providing speech therapy resources for parents and professionals supporting children with speech, language and learning difficulties.
- Mommy Speech Therapy – Thoughts on speech & language development – lots of tips and techniques for parents in how to support their child’s speech and language.
- Talking Point (speechandlanguage.org.uk) –for parents of children with communication difficulties and professionals working with them.
- The Communication Trust (speechandlanguage.org.uk) – this coalition of 50 voluntary and community organisations with expertise in speech, language and communication provides films to help parents encourage their children’s communicative development.
- Home – Afasic – a charity which helps young people with speech and language difficulties and their families. The website has a message board where you can chat to other families and provides free download sheets on a range of diagnoses.
- Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives – a children’s communication charity working to support children with communication difficulties.
- Home | RCSLT – the professional body for Speech & Language Therapists in the UK working to enable better lives for people with communication and swallowing needs.
- The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) | (hcpc-uk.org) – the national regulatory body for health and care professionals.