Speech and Language Therapy (Children)
This website is designed to give you an insight into the care that we provide and what you should expect when receiving a Speech & Language Therapy Service with our team.
We are one of the largest paediatric therapy teams in North-West London, providing for acute and community settings in the London Borough of Harrow and some out-of-borough schools. All staff are registered members of The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (www.rcslt.org) and Council for Health Professionals (www.hpc-uk.org)
The Speech and Language Therapy team work with children from birth through to 18 years according to service criteria - please contact the department for more information. For information about communication disabilities in children, you can also visit The Communication Trust.
We aim to provide a high-quality, needs-led service to children and young people with communication and eating and feeding difficulties. Working in partnership with the children, their parents or carers, other health, education and social services professionals and voluntary bodies is integral to achieving this.
Description of service
OUR SERVICES: The Harrow Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy Service works with children with speech, language, communication or swallowing difficulties from 0 to 18 years of age who have a Harrow GP and/or is a Harrow resident. We work within 2 teams, the pre-school/acute team and the schools team. The teams include specialist therapists who work with children who have difficulties in the following areas:
Listening and attention
Understanding and/or use of spoken language
Interacting with other people, making social relationships
Eating, drinking and swallowing
Delayed language skills over and above any general learning difficulties
Language difficulties associated with sensory/physical impairment or ASD
HOW TO REFER: The speech and Language Therapy department operates an open referral system whereby referrals can be made by anyone where parental consent has been gained. We accept written referrals stating the child’s needs, their date of birth, address, GP and telephone number. The child needs to be a Harrow resident. For children likely to need our schools service, a checklist will be sent to the child’s school before the referral can be accepted. Referrals will be acknowledged within two weeks of receipt.
SERVICES FOR BILINGUAL CHILDREN: Where a therapist does not speak the family's first language, an interpreter will be present to help with assessment, support and advice.
REFERRAL FORMS TO DOWNLOAD:
School Age Children Referral Form
Secondary Service Referral Form
REFERRALS SHOULD BE SENT TO : Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy, Chaucer Unit- Level 3, Northwick Park Hospital,Watford Rd, Harrow, HA1 3UJ or Fax to 020 8235 4157
*PLEASE NOTE: WE DO NOT ACCEPT e-mail REFERRALS due to CONFIDENTIALITY and DATA PROTECTION
RECOGNISING SPEECH AND LANGUAGE COMMUNICATION NEEDS (SLCN) & ADVICE SHEETS
Are you worried about your child's talking?
Misunderstood: Supporting children and young people with speech and language communication needs
Help Your Child to Talk' - Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists advice leaflet
SPEAKING OUT - Early intervention for young children with communication difficulties, The RCSLT
Universally speaking- The ages and stages of children's communication development from birth to 5, The Communication Trust
Language Difficulties in the Early Years
Universally speaking- The ages and stages of children's communication development from 5 to 11, The Communication Trust
Classroom Strategies for Primary Schools
Check list from universaly speaking 5 to 11 , The Communication Trust
Universally speaking- The ages and stages of children's communication development from 11 to 18, The Communication Trust
Classroom Strategies for Secondary Schools
*The Better Communication Research Programme 'what works'? - Review interventions for children with speech, language and communication needs. Click here for more information.
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE - EAL
FEEDBACK from Harrow Schools about OUR service...
Pinner Park Infant and Nursery School
Preston Manor Secondary School
OTHER ACTIVITIES (UPDATED TERMLY)
Triage Sessions: Do you have worries or concerns about your child's Attention, Listening, Understanding, Play or Talking?
Learning Language and Loving It- "A program to promote children's socila, language and literacy development in early childhood setting"
Locations
Northwick Park and St Mark's Hospitals
The team is based in Chaucer Unit, on level 3 of the main ward block at Northwick Park Hospital, but provide assessments and intervention on paediatric hospital wards both here and at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital.
We work in partnerships with the children, their parents or carers, other health, education, and social services professionals and voluntary bodies. Intervention is carried out in the following settings:
- Alexandra Avenue Health and Social Care Centre
- Northwick Park Hospital – Jack’s Place, NNU, and Chaucer Unit
- Harrow Schools – Primary and Secondary
- Harrow nurseries and children centres
- Belmont Health Centre, Caryl Thomas Clinic and Pinner Wood children's Centre
Contacts
- Service inquiries - Maria Luscombe, Head of Paediatric Therapies
020 8869 3010
- School inquiries- Melanie Abba, Lead Principal Schools
020 8869 2476 / melanie.abba@nhs.net - Preschool inquiries- Sophie Scott, Lead Principal Preschool
020 8869 2418 / sophiescott@nhs.net