• Identify and monitor needs early: “More than two decades of research has unequivocally demonstrated that weaknesses in language learning in the pre-school years increases the risk of poorer outcomes later in adolescence and early adulthood, namely, educational attainment, employment, mental health and general well-being”. Reilly and McKean (2023)
• Support parents and carers if there is concern about a child’s communication development, signpost them to the parent pages where there is lots of information about local resources that can support speech, language and communication development.
• Provide extra support if needed, what support does the family need to access support? There is further information in the sections below.
• Check the referral guidelines, the referral guidelines provide an overview of what to expect at each age and suggests SLT toolkit resources to support families where there are concerns. The guide highlights when a referral for specialist support is appropriate.
• If appropriate, refer on for specialist SLT support by providing detailed information about the concerns and what support has been tried already.

Before referring:

• discuss your concerns with the parent or carers and ask for their permission to refer.
• read the referral guidelines follow the advice and if appropriate complete a referral form.
• education staff should complete a screening assessment as part of a graduated approach.

Here are our referral forms:

Pre-school clinics, mainstream and SILC schools

• Children’s speech and language therapy referral form (General)

Stammering support service (children over 6 years and adults)

• Stammering support service referral form

Deaf and Hearing Impairment team

• Deaf and hearing impairment team referral form

Leeds Communication Aid service

• Leeds Communication Aid Service Referral Form
• LCAS inclusion and exclusion matrix

You can direct parents to the parents and carers area of this website where there are lots of tips for families. The information in the sections below is really important to know as there are lots of ways that families can support speech, language and communication development before needing to see a speech and language therapist.

Here, you’ll find information online about how children usually develop communication. Ideas for activities you can do at home to help and advice on what to do if you think they need more help.

• Afasic (charity) helpline:  A charity that supports children, young people with speech, language, and communication needs and their families. Speak to a speech and language therapist on the phone for advice and support.
  • Phone: 0300 666 9410
  • Opening hours: Monday and Wednesday from 10:30am to 4pm

Here you’ll find a range of trusted services that can support you to understand your child’s speech, language, and communication development.

Leeds Maternity Care: Antenatal care isn’t just about your health, it’s also about helping you build a strong bond with your baby before they’re even born. During pregnancy, you’ll get support to understand your baby’s needs, connect emotionally, and start forming a loving relationship that sets the foundation for their development and wellbeing.

Preparation for birth and beyond groups: Group sessions run by the 0 to 19 public health nursing service, alongside children’s centres and midwives. You can join in person at a local children’s centre or online. The sessions help you learn how your baby’s brain develops. You’ll learn about the importance of looking at your baby, cuddling, talking, and being close. These help build a strong, healthy bond right from the start.

Baby Steps is a group for families who may need a bit of extra support. It helps parents and carers build their confidence in supporting their child’s communication. Ask about Baby Steps at your local children’s centre.

Baby Bubble Leeds is a closed Facebook support group for mums to be that begins at around 16 to 20 weeks pregnant and is there for you up to six months after your baby is born.

Infant Mental Health service:  Having a baby, toddler, or pre-school child can be a special and joyous time, but we know that for many people it can also be a challenging time. We support parents and carers in tackling these challenges and developing ways to strengthen the unique relationship between you and your baby or child. Having a close relationship with your baby helps them to get off to the best possible start in life and grow up feeling safe and secure and able to explore their world as curious and confident children.

HENRY is an 8-week group aimed at families with children under 5 years old who live in Leeds. Each week will help you develop a healthy, happy and supportive home for your whole family.

Public health nursing offers comprehensive support for families from pregnancy through to adolescence. This service, encompassing health visiting and school nursing, provides guidance on child development, health, and wellbeing at various stages.

Key services include:

• Antenatal support: Expectant mothers receive a personal child health record (‘red book’) detailing available support and useful information before the baby’s birth.
• Postnatal visits: Shortly after birth, health visitors conduct home visits to discuss feeding, safe sleeping, and baby care, while also reviewing the baby’s development and addressing parental wellbeing.
• Developmental reviews: Scheduled assessments at 6 to 10 weeks, 8 to 12 months, and 2 to 2 and half years to monitor the child’s growth and development, typically conducted at home or community settings.
• School-age health checks: At ages 4 to 5 and 10 to 11, children undergo height, weight, and vision screenings in school, with results communicated to parents.
• Additional support: Assistance with breastfeeding, bedwetting, emotional challenges, oral health, bereavement, and bullying is available. Families can also access advice on behaviour, sleep, and toilet training through daily telephone consultations.

Hearing checks

Your baby will have a new-born hearing assessment at birth. It is important to identify a problem hearing early in life so that the condition can be managed as well as possible. ICAN audiology service will arrange a follow up assessment if the assessment was not carried out at birth.

Speech and language therapy service

We’ve put together some helpful tips to get you started with supporting your child’s speech, language, and communication needs. These ideas are easy to try at home and can make a real difference in your child’s progress and confidence.

Visit the supporting you while you wait page and pick the section that best matches your child’s needs and:

• my child communicates in different ways
• get going with speech sounds
• speech sound awareness activities
• get going with language
• early language activities

Focused support means your child gets the extra help they need, tailored to their specific needs. It’s a step by step process, where support changes as your child grows and develops, making sure they get the right help at the right time.

Public health nursing can provide support and signposting

• Developmental reviews: Scheduled assessments at 6 to 10 weeks, 8 to 12 months, and 2 to 2 and half years to monitor the child’s growth and development, typically conducted at home or community settings.
• School-age health checks: At ages 4 to 5 and 10 to 11, children undergo height, weight, and vision screenings in school, with results communicated to parents.
• Additional support: Families can also access advice on behaviour, sleep, and toilet training through telephone consultations.

Hearing checks

If your child has a condition that increases their risk of hearing loss they will be invited for an annual hearing check by the ICAN audiology service. If you are worried about your child’s hearing speak to your GP or health visitor.

Childcare and education settings

Childcare and education practitioners play a big role in helping children learn to talk and understand. Staff support children by chatting with them throughout the day, listening carefully, encouraging play and conversation, reading together, and using fun activities to help build their speech, language, and communication skills in a natural, supportive way.

There are a range of helpful programs that childcare and school staff use to support children with their speech, language, and communication. These include simple checks to spot any difficulties early, and fun group or one-to-one sessions using stories, games, and play to help children build their confidence and skills. Staff are trained to use these approaches in everyday routines, so support feels natural and part of your child’s day.

If you’re a parent and want to talk to someone in your child’s setting about speech, language, or communication support, here’s what you can do:

• Start by having a chat with your child’s key worker, teacher, or special educational needs coordinator (SENCO ). Let them know your concerns or questions, they’re there to help and can explain what support is already in place or what might be helpful. You can ask if any checks have been done, what they’ve noticed about your child’s communication, and whether any programs or extra help might be available.

Don’t worry about saying the “right” thing, just share what you’ve noticed. Your input as a parent is really valuable.

Specialist support is for children and young people who have more complex, ongoing or specific speech, language and communication needs.

Some children might need more specialised help, like one-on-one sessions or small group activities with speech and language therapists or other professionals. This support is tailored to the child’s unique needs and often includes the people who know them best, like teachers, early years staff, and family, so they can make steady progress wherever they are.

What kind of support?

• Speech and language therapy helping children who struggle with talking, understanding, or social interaction.
• Audiology and hearing support for children with hearing difficulties or diagnosed deafness.
• Autism and developmental support including assessments and tailored help for communication or sensory needs.
• Support in education settings from specialist teachers and outreach teams who work in schools and nurseries.
• Third sector support, charities and community groups offering practical help, social activities, and home-based support.

Speak to the child’s parent or carer in the first instance as they may be happy to share any advice and information with you. We often provide a report or a support plan after the session. This has a summary of the session and provides some strategies and advice to support the agreed targets. With parental permission, you can also call the Speech and Language Therapy department on 0113 843650 if you need further information.

We have a team of speech and language therapists to help babies and children who have trouble: sucking, chewing, or swallowing food or drinks safely. We can also support young children, under the age of 18 months, if they have difficulties accepting food (for example, if they avoid eating or dislike food around their mouth).

If the difficulties are more about emotions, behaviour, using utensils, or appetite, other professionals or services may be more suitable.

To help you decide the best route download the referral from which contains guidance on appropriate referrals:

• Eating, drinking, swallowing and feeding referral form

Supporting parents of children learning more than one language

• Reassure parents that speaking more than one language is a great strength and is normal across the world.
• Encourage them to use the language they feel most comfortable with at home, even if it isn’t English. This helps their child develop strong language skills.
• Explain that if a child can speak their home language confidently, it will make it easier to learn English later on.
• Highlight that using the home language helps the child connect with family and their wider community, such as grandparents, aunties, and uncles.
• Suggest fun ways to support language learning, like reading books and singing songs in the home language, as this feels safe and familiar for the child.
• Reassure parents that it’s okay if their child doesn’t speak English when they start school. Children will pick up English naturally by listening and watching others.
• Advise parents to let their child hear English in everyday situations(for example, at the shops, in the park), but not to pressure them to speak it.

Read more about bilingualism on our toolkit page.