Why is Speech & Language Therapy Support so important in Specialist Provision ?

The ability to communicate is an essential life skill for all children and young adults and it is widely recognised and accepted that communication underpins a child’s social, emotional and educational development. With speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) continuing to be the most common type of special educational need (ICAN Feb 2015), we believe that access to specialist support for these individuals is essential if they are to reach their full potential and lead a fulfilled life.

How does WMSLT work with specialist provision ?

How does WMSLT work with specialist provision ?
Specialist provision settings report that historically, they have experienced an inconsistent service with frequent changes in therapy staff resulting in poor long-term service outcomes. At WMSLT, we have a broad skill mix of qualified speech and language therapists and therapy assistants and match our staff very carefully to our settings. WMSLT management are instrumental in setting up each new service contracts. We ensure that our staff are confident in meeting the identified objectives for the service and ultimately maximising outcomes.

Benefits of working with West Midlands
Speech & Language Therapy

Planning a service with you!

WMSLT understand that to make the biggest difference to the communication needs of our students with special education needs, it is necessary to work through the staff within their setting. WMSLT will support each setting to adopt a policy that is inclusive, effective and sensitive to the needs of the population. It should identify how the service can support individual students and how the service will work with the staff to develop a communication friendly environment that places a strong emphasis on functional communication and social communication.

Delivering the service with you!

Depending on needs and budgets, schools can choose to purchase a regular service from WMSLT (e.g. weekly input) or schools may decide with WMSLT that service needs can be met with a less regular service (e.g. termly/half termly). We pride ourselves in providing a flexible service and being able to support settings as and when the needs arise.
Within WMSLT, we have staff trained in Makaton signs and symbols, Picture Exchange Communication Systems (P.E.C.S), intensive interaction, lego therapy, widget symbol systems. We use trusted tools developed by the Communication Trust to empower staff to be self sufficient to identify and support speech, language and communication needs

Evaluating the Service with you !

We measure the effectiveness of our service through constant communications with our settings. We are target focused to ensure individual students progress is demonstrated and we do this by regularly reviewing and reporting student outcomes. Progress towards the long term service objectives is reviewed at agreed intervals and settings are provided with termly qualitative and quantitative data. The successful implementation of the Communication Policy should be the end goal for the service and progress towards adhering to this policy will be the evidence. This is ideal evidence of communication excellence for OFSTED. The quality of written communications shared by our staff is audited by senior management and settings are invited to feedback their experiences of using the service with recommendations for improvements welcomed.

Contact WMSLT today on 0121 647 3566 or email us at office@wmspeechtherapy.co.uk to find out how we can help!

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