Children's Speech and Language Therapy

Types of patients regularly seen

The service is open to referrals from anyone who works with children and young people up to 16 years old (or 19 if in full time education) and from parents/carers directly.

We accept referrals for children with moderate to severe speech, language or communication needs, or with mild difficulties where parental anxiety is high.

We also work with children with feeding difficulties where these are organic in origin, and with a small number, of usually young children, with sensory or behavioural feeding difficulties. These children also need to be referred to Community Paediatrics.

Early Years Referrals

If a parent asks you to make a referral on behalf of an early years setting, please share the referral form on our website with parents and encourage the setting to make the referral directly. Staff in early years settings will know more about the child’s development and are required to track their progress. This referral form is agreed with both Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin local authorities.

Patients not seen by this service

Older children with behavioural feeding difficulties unless they have been known to us since early childhood.

We do not accept referrals of school-aged children with possible communication difficulties linked with literacy or learning after 1^st May in each academic year. For primary schools we do not accept referral for children in year 6, and in secondary schools young people after year 8, unless a new condition has emerged or a significant event has occurred for the child. These exceptions do not relate to children with voice disorders or stammers.

Young people of 14 or over with voice disorders should be referred to the Speech and Language Therapy voice team at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust.