Meet the children being supported sooner to find their voice

When a child’s speech and language skills aren’t developing, our Children’s Therapies Service steps in to help. Nina Carr met the families being supported sooner, thanks to community drop-in sessions for toddlers and online learning for teens.

A ‘lazy’ boy surrounded by ‘bossy girls’, was how Shannon Freund, 32, from Ashford, and her friends affectionately justified their toddlers’ increasingly one-sided play dates.

Worried about, now four-year-old, Finley being hesitant to join in and falling behind, Shannon popped into a Talking Walk-in clinic at her local family hub for some on-the-spot support.

Finley at a Talking Walk-in clinic

The informal play-based monthly drop-in sessions are part of Kent Children’s Therapies’ Balanced System® approach, which focuses on identifying children’s needs as early as possible and making sure families receive the right support at the right time.

Talking Walk-ins are open to all pre-school aged children across the county. Since they were set up almost three years ago, families can get instant advice from a qualified speech and language therapist, instead of waiting for up to two-and-a-half-years for an initial appointment.

Speech and Language Therapist, Katy Watson with Shannon and Finley

KCHFT Speech and Language Therapist, Katy Watson explained: “By observing play, we’re able to assess toddlers’ speech and language skills and address any parental concerns in real-time.

“Not every child needs specialist intervention but every family deserves timely advice and support.”

Next steps are discussed with families at their very first visit and there are three treatment options available: practical advice to follow at home, further assessment or intervention.

In Finley’s case, he was booked on to five early sounds intervention group sessions, where he and Shannon learned techniques and strategies to help him tune in to sounds, words and instructions.

Shannon said: “It was such a relief to be signed up to the course straight away. Knowing the days and times in advance really helped to plan life around being newly pregnant and working full time with a pre-schooler.

“The difference in how he hears, uses and says speech sounds is like night and day. Friends and classmates understand and interact with him more and I couldn’t be more relieved.”

While Talking Walk-ins focus on early identification in the pre-school years, the same Balanced System® principles continue throughout childhood and adolescence, making sure young people can access support that reflects their individual strengths, needs and environments.

Children’s Therapies Acting Head of Service, Sonia Sivyer

Children’s Therapies Acting Head of Service, Sonia Sivyer, works with young people who are facing challenges communicating, especially those not managing to access mainstream education or healthcare services.

Sonia said: “As young people get older, problems with speech and language can be mistaken for challenging behaviour or laziness, when in fact they find it near on impossible to interact effectively.

Sonia started working with Mark Saddleton-Crane, 13, who lives with autism and dyspraxia, 18 months ago, when his anxiety disorder was preventing him from leading a ‘regular’ teenage life.

Mark’s mum Jo, from Ashford explains: “Mark had hit rock bottom. He was withdrawn, desperately unhappy and not eating or even talking like he used to.

“We were so worried and didn’t know how to help him. He was struggling to share what was wrong and why he felt ‘different’ from other people.”

Mark Saddleton-Crane and mum Jo at home

Mark was referred to our Kent Children’s Therapies Service, where he started monthly one-to-one online support sessions with Sonia.

Sonia worked with education and health professionals, as well as his family, on a whole-system shared approach to build communication-friendly environments and strengthen local support networks.

By focusing on five interconnected areas, families, environments, workforce, identification and intervention, more children and young people can access support in their everyday lives, while maintaining specialist provision for those with more complex needs.

Sonia diagnosed Mark with a stammer and a language disorder, which meant he had difficulty understanding, interpreting or using spoken language, and created an individualised care plan of strategies to help.

Together, they took part in interactive activities and practised understanding instructions and conversation skills. Sonia also shared tips and techniques with Jo so the whole family could support Mark’s day-to-day communication.

Jo said: “Mark really looks forward to ‘learning and chatting about fun stuff’ with Sonia from the comfort of our own home and he says ‘everything makes sense’ to him now.”

Mark Saddleton-Crane and mum Jo

With Sonia’s continued expert guidance, and his family’s encouragement, Mark had the confidence to join a local special educational needs (SEN) youth club and is hoping to start school again soon.

Sonia said: “It is a wonderful privilege to be part of Mark’s life and to watch him grow in ability and confidence. Helping him find more safe spaces to communicate has expanded his world.”