Speech and language therapy virtual advice sessions

For parents

We offer 30-minute online or telephone sessions with one of our therapists to:

• discuss your concerns
• get information around development and support
• advice and next steps tailored to your child’s needs.

Please do not include your child in this session.

Call 01296 838000 or email buc-tr.cyptherapies@nhs.net for an appointment.

For settings, pre-schools and nurseries

For staff wanting to discuss a specific child

We offer 30-minute online sessions with one of our therapists to:

• discuss your concerns
• get information around development and support
• advice and next steps tailored to the child’s needs.

Our therapist will explain how to write the advice directly into the child’s SEND support plan. Where possible, we highly recommend that parents and staff from the preschool or nursery setting join the same virtual call to share information.

We’ll send an email for the same meeting to anyone wanting to attend.

Parental consent

If you want to discuss a specific child without parents present, you must get consent from the parents prior to the session.

Universal strategy advice

If you’re a staff member and want to discuss child-specific or universal strategies to implement within your setting complete our early years advice session form

Email the form to us at Buc-tr.cyptherapies@nhs.net with the title ‘SALT Early Years Advice Session’ in the subject of your email.

Who can attend?

These sessions are for education staff who support children and young people from reception upwards. Where possible, we strongly encourage parent/carer(s) to attend to ensure collaborative working. When a child or young person is in an educational setting, it is compulsory for a member of education staff to attend the appointment, alongside parent/carer(s) should they be joining too.  The School Advice Clinic can also be accessed by parent/carer(s) who require advice on supporting the speech, language and communication skills of their child or young person who is electively home educated.

How long does an appointment last?

They typically last for approximately 30 minutes per child or young person and are held via Microsoft Teams.

What information do I include?

Please complete the request form including as much information as possible so that relevant advice can be provided. If your child is in reception or KS1, it is essential to include their pupil ID from Speech Link. This is made up of 7 numerical digits and will allow the Speech and Language Therapist to analyse any previous assessments. Please make it clear on the form if your child or young person is not able to access these or is electively home educated, so that an appointment can still be offered. You will find prompts on the request form to support you in providing relevant information.

How do I request an appointment?

Please complete the School advice clinic request form, including as much information as possible. Once completed, email the form to buc-tr.cyptherapies@nhs.net with ‘SLT School Advice Clinic appointment’ in the subject line of your email. You may wish to indicate time preferences as any requests will try to be accommodated.  Once received, this will be triaged by one of our team and if accepted a Microsoft Teams appointment will be sent to you. Please contact buc-tr.cyptherapies@nhs.net if you wish to cancel an appointment.

Infant Language Link helps to raise the attainment of all children with speech, language and communication needs across Reception and Key Stage 1.

Infant Language Link and Speech Link assessments are available in all Key Stage 1 settings. They run alongside speech and language therapy school advice sessions to tailor advice specifically to individual children.

Based on data from September 2020 to July 2021 Infant Language link interventions used in Buckinghamshire schools was effective to partially effective for 83% of children who took part.

Accessing Speech Link

Call 0333 577 0784 or email helpdesk@speechlink.co.uk for more information.