Children’s Speech and Language Therapy – Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust 

Within Oaklands, the children’s speech and language therapy service support children and young people to: 

• develop their understanding and functional communication skills with the people around them. 

• access a communication friendly environment that embeds and promotes speech, language and communication development within a variety of activities across the day. 

The children’s speech and language therapy service includes therapists and therapy support workers, who work together to assess and support communication and eating and drinking needs. 

They provide evidence-based eating and drinking training for school staff to ensure competence and safety. 

For children/ young people on the NHS speech and language therapy caseload, the service may carry out the following interventions: 

• Offer direct intervention and support where appropriate for speech sounds, stammering or language development in short blocks of intervention. This will be completed by the therapist or support worker alongside classroom staff and/or family members, to ensure these activities and strategies are embedded across the day. 

• Specialist assessment of communication, with associated advice and strategies to support areas of need. 

• Assessment and intervention for students with Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) needs. Complete referrals for powered AAC assessments with the specialist Electronic Assistive Technology Service (EATS) or a local provider. 

• Assessment and implementation of paper-based AAC, including using symbols to request, communication boards and communication books. 

• Specialist mealtime assessments, providing strategies and guidance to maximise safe eating, drinking and swallowing. 

• After an episode of care has been completed, children/ young people may be discharged from the NHS caseload. The Communication Support Plan or discharge report will outline when further support from speech and language therapy may be needed again in the future. 

Reasons to contact the service about a re-referral could be: 

• There are speech and language difficulties, such as a stammer or unclear speech and school staff have identified the child/ young person is now ready to access further support. 

• Where a child/ young person has no functional communication skills in place. 

• A child/ young person has met their previous targets, and guidance is required to understand the best next steps to further develop their functional communication skills. 

• Where there are new or deteriorating eating, drinking or swallowing concerns. 

Guidance confirmed November 2025. To be reviewed November 2028. 

If you have questions for the Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Service, please contact them directly on 0116 2955256, or via the website 

Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Service Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland | Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust