About The Children’s Speech and Language Service
The Children’s Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) service aims to maximise the communication potential of children and young people aged 0-19 years with speech, language, and communication needs. The service also provides assessment and support to families to ensure their child can maintain safe and effective eating, drinking and swallowing to ensure healthy growth and wellbeing.
The service comprises:
- The Community Paediatric Team who work with children and young people presenting with communication disorders including speech sound difficulties, the understanding and use of spoken language, stammering, social communication and voice disorders. The Community Paediatric team carry out initial assessments and provide therapy within local clinics and Health Centres.
- The Special Needs Team who work across four main areas; pre-school children with additional and complex needs, Gateshead Special Schools, Hearing Impairment and also provision of assessment and intervention for children with feeding/swallowing difficulties. The team also work alongside paediatricians as part of Gateshead’s Child Development Team and Feeding Clinics.
What to Expect at your Appointment
Following initial assessment of your child, the SLT service will advise you of the recommended pathway of support for your child. Further appointments may be provided in a range of settings including clinics and health centres, the family home, in school (mainstream & special schools) and early years settings.
Families will receive a written report and strategies to provide ongoing support to the child at home following assessment and periods of intervention with the SLT.
About the Service
The service is made up of qualified SLTs and Assistants. Our SLT’s have an extensive range of knowledge, skills and experience, including specialist interests in areas such as:
- Paediatric eating and drinking difficulties
- Autism
- Alternative and Augmentative Communication
- Developmental Language Disorder
- Speech disorders
- Hearing Impairment
- Early Years, Dysfluency
- Selective Mutism
- Voice disorders.
Eligibility Criteria
The service sees children and young people who are aged between 0-19 years of age who are registered with a Gateshead GP and require speech and language therapy.
Children can be referred by a Health Visitor, School Nurse, GP or any other Professional involved in a child’s care.
