Children's speech and language therapy supports children and young people to develop communication and or eating and drinking skills so that they have greater independence, confidence and participation in their community.

The team work with children, their families and others who support them from age 0-19.

Speech and language therapy promotes:

• improved understanding of spoken language
• clear and effective use of expressive language - the use of words and sentences to convey meaning to others
• clear speech sounds
• successful interaction and communication with other people including social interaction
• a healthy and strong voice
• safe and effective eating, drinking and swallowing

The service:

The Children’s speech and language therapy team:

• Work collaboratively with parents and educators (e.g. schools) and others in our community to help them to support children and young people
• Provide assessment, therapy, advice, training and / or sharing of resources and strategies
• Advise on how environments can be adapted to support communication and safe feeding
• Our values are empathy, collaboration and a proactive approach. We listen to and work with the hopes and aspirations of children and families. We are ambitious for the children and young people we work with.

We have an open referral system, accepting referrals from, for example, GPs, health visitors, and education colleagues, as well as parents.

Our service is delivered in different community settings including clinics, playgroups, special schools and mainstream primary and secondary schools.

We work closely with other professionals in health, education and social care as well as with voluntary and charitable organisations. in order to deliver an integrated service.

The Children’s Speech and Language Therapy team (SLT) is based at:

Hollyfield House, 22 Hollyfield Road, Surbiton, KT5 9AL

Email: sltchildren@yourhealthcare.org  Please note that our information governance requires us to inform you that email communication may not be secure.

Telephone: 020 8274 7814 

We have a facebook page https://www.facebook.com/kingstonchildrenSLT/ with local and national information on.

Need some advice?

To speak to a therapist for some practical advice call: 

Children’s SLT advice line on: 

020 8339 8106

Available Wednesdays 10-12 and Thursdays 2-4pm Voicemail service available for call back.

There are lots of ways you can help your child before you are seen by a Speech and Language Therapist. The websites below are great places to find out more about speech, language and communication, and what you can do to help your child.

• Talking Point: http://www.talkingpoint.org.uk/
• Communication Trust: http://www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk/
• ICAN: https://www.ican.org.uk/
• British Stammering Association: https://stamma.org/
• National Autistic Society: http://www.autism.org.uk/
• National Deaf Children’s Society: http://www.ndcs.org.uk/
• Down’s Syndrome Association: https://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk/
• Association of Private Speech and Language Therapists: https://beta.helpwithtalking.com/
• The BBC have launched a website for families with young children – here you will find lots of activities and ideas on how to support language development grouped by age range. https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people/activities/zjh8hbk
• Selective Mutism Information & Research Association selectivemutism.org.uk
• Better Health: https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/baby/learning-to-talk/learning-to-talk-0-to-6-months

You can find support with your child's Eating, Drinking and Swallowing on the following websites

• Infant and Toddler Forum – www.infantandtoddlerforum.org
• The National Autistic Society – www.autism.org.uk
• Network Autism – network.autism.org.uk

Useful Leaflet on Eating, Swallowing and Drinking

Useful leaflets

• ICAN top techniques for EY children - top tips for children under 5
• Stages of speech and language development in children aged 0-5
• My child has glue ear
• Top tips for children of all ages

We operate an open referral service for children and young people in the Royal Borough of Kingston and we work with children and young people with speech, language and communication needs up to the point they leave full time education.

You may refer to our service for children who have:

• Difficulties with saying sounds
• Difficulty understanding spoken language
• Difficulty using spoken language
• Difficulty interacting and participating in a conversation with others
• Difficulties with biting, sucking, chewing and/or swallowing foods and drinks

Referral criteria may mean that we cannot see all children referred to our service, however we will discuss this with you when you contact the service.

To make a referral or help decide if a referral is appropriate, you can:

• Contact us by email: SLTChildren@yourhealthcare.org or call on 020 8274 7814
• Call our advice line on 020 8339 8106 on Wednesdays 10.00am – 12.00pm and Thursdays 2.00pm – 4.00pm (answerphone service available)
• Discuss with your Child’s nursery/school SENCo 
• Speak to your health visitor GP
• Self-refer using our online referral form, click here.

The online referral form can be used for the following:

• Preschool children (must have a Kingston-based GP)
• School-aged children (must live in the borough of Kingston)
• Eating and drinking services for children (must have a Kingston-based GP)