Families 'blindsided' by speech therapy changes

Daniela Sponder's son Luca is in a mainstream school with support from speech and language therapy (SALT)

Parents in Croydon have said they are struggling to find specialist therapy for their children after the council cancelled their current provision without telling them.

Speech and language therapy (SALT) had been provided by a private therapist funded by Croydon Council as part of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).

The council confirmed it was changing providers and the new system would be in place in November.

Daniela Sponder, whose five-year-old son Luca has a speech delay, said even his school's Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) coordinator was "blindsided" by the decision.

Ms Sponder added: "She was mortified that she hadn't been made aware by the council.

"The SEND coordinator is our go-to person."

Another parent, Amy Jones, was also taken by surprise to find her eight-year-old son Harry's SALT had been abruptly cut, despite being a legal entitlement under his EHCP.

Harry, who has epilepsy which affects his speech, is supposed to have weekly therapy.

"He's verbal now, but really struggling to get his words out," Ms Jones said.

"He hasn't had therapy for months and he's getting frustrated."

Amy's son Harry has a form of epilepsy that affects his speech

EHCPs are documents that outline the support a child with special educational needs must receive. If a child qualifies, the local authority is legally required to deliver every element of support listed in the plan.

SALT helps children who struggle with communication, language development, social interaction or feeding issues. For many, it is essential to accessing learning and interacting with others effectively.

Croydon Council has since confirmed it is switching to a new SALT provider, with a new service due to start in November.

A spokesperson told the LDRS that the current model has not always met the needs of children in mainstream school, and as the government grant funding it has increased, the council was looking to improve the provision.

Until the new system is brought in, the council has said it will offer some parents a personal budget so they can find their own temporary provider.

Parents, however, have said consistency was important and the confusion highlighted a lack of communication by the council.

Some were also concerned that with all the affected parents hunting for a private therapist, there was no guarantee of finding one.

A spokesperson for Croydon Council said it had worked closely with the NHS, schools and families to design "better and more targeted services".

"The new speech and language therapy offer will be available from November and we are informing families and schools how to access this support.

"We want to assure parents and carers that speech and language therapy services are continuing in Croydon. We have recently changed service providers in the borough to make improvements; this may have created uncertainty for some families.

"During this transition, we have put arrangements in place to support families with any concerns about the changes to these services."