As parents, we are getting really worried about our child’s stammer affecting their learning and development. What support is available?

Every school will have a Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENDCo) or Inclusion Manager. You can talk to them about concerns regarding your child’s stammer. Part of their role is to coordinate the support for your child’s learning and overall development, which includes their speech, language and communication needs, social-emotional well-being and mental health.

SENDCos may be able to: 

• Assess needs and monitor progress: SENDCos can arrange for a Speech and Language Therapy assessment to fully understand your child’s needs, set up therapy sessions, monitor progress through an Individualised Education Plan (IEP), observe and support teachers to find the best classroom strategies to use with a child who stammers. 
• Staff Development: Schools can provide staff awareness training on stammering, perhaps with whole school training from a Speech and Language Therapist.
• Promote Inclusivity: Teaching staff can raise other children’s awareness of stammering and how to be kind and supportive to a child who stammers, arrange buddy systems for vulnerable children to support social-emotional needs and be part of discussions about teasing or bullying.
• Collaborate: SENDCos can set up meetings between parents, teaching staff, professionals such as Speech and Language Therapists and the child to discuss the best strategies to use in school and monitor how the strategies are helping.

Useful links:

• What can ASC do to support my child?
• What is Speech and Language Therapy?
• Making a referral to speech & language therapy
• Can ASC support my child’s education setting to become more aware and inclusive of stammering?