How do I make a speech & language therapy referral?

If you are concerned that a child in your class is showing signs of stammering, it is helpful to start by discussing this with the child's parents/carers. Following discussion, it may be that a referral to speech and language therapy would be helpful. Often, this can be made the class teacher or SENCO, although many services now offer the option for parents to refer their child to the local NHS service. 

In this article, you can find out more about the referral process for speech and language therapy.

Making a referral 

For a child or young person to access Speech and Language Therapy, a referral will need to be made to the local provider. This means that a referral form with some details about the child and about their stammer is sent to the Speech and Language Therapy service.

It is generally advisable to have a conversation with your school SENCO about who this referral needs to be made to. While often this will be the local NHS speech and language therapy service, some schools may employ a speech and language therapist or buy in a service from an alternative provider. 

If you would like to find out the Speech and Language Therapy services available locally to you (both NHS and Independent Therapy providers), please do get in touch with the Support Hub Advisor. We can assist you in finding out where your local services are based, and how a child can be referred to them.

Who can make a referral? 

Each Speech and Language Therapy provider will have their own referral process. In many cases, the child or young person’s parent or caregiver can make the referral by filling out the form from home, but some services may only accept referrals made by a professional. In this case, they may ask that a GP, health visitor or an education professional completes the referral.