Speech, language and communication Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

I am worried about my child's speech, language and communication development. How do I get help?

Visit our website, there are toolkits and lots of great ideas for you to try at home
Speak with a member of staff at your child’s nursery / pre-school / school
Call our advice line 0333 321 9448 which is open Tuesday and Thursday between 2pm – 4.30pm.
Visit our Facebook pages for more great ideas and activities

Pre–School Facebook Page

School Age Facebook Page

Contact the Health Visiting team on:

Exeter – 0333 234 1902

South Devon – 0333 234 1901

North Devon – 0333 234 1904

East Devon – 0333 234 1903

Torbay – 0300 333 5352

How old are the children you see?

We are commissioned to see children from 0-18 years.

Please note, unless the child presents with a complex presentation such as feeding and swallowing difficulties, we would recommend children under 2 years access support through their community health teams such as Health Visiting, Action for Children, pre schools settings etc.

If you are unsure if you should refer a child please call our advice line where a member of the team will be able discuss your concerns.

Where will my child be seen by a speech and language therapist?

Speech and Language Therapy input may be delivered in a variety of ways. Assessment may be via:

A phone call
A video call
Face to face – in clinic or at your child’s educational setting (please note: in current COVID times the therapist is required to wear PPE including a mask/visor, apron and gloves, and maintain social distancing where possible)

After making a referral, how long will it be before my child has an appointment?

Waiting times for initial assessment can vary across clinics and areas. We are currently working on redesigning the service in order to ensure that all children across Devon receive the support they need in a timely manner.

To enquire about waiting times:

South Devon and Torbay – phone our Admin team on 01803 654539
Devon (including North, East and Exeter) – phone our Single Point of Access (SPA) on 0330 0245321

In the meantime, please use some of the suggested resources above to find out more about how to support your child’s communication skills whilst you are waiting for an appointment with one of our therapists.

What will happen at the first appointment?

Your therapist will:

Take a case history, which will include questions about your child’s early development, so it may be helpful to bring their red book along
Discuss how your child is communicating at the moment
Do some observations which may be through play/games
Discuss your main concerns and what you hope to get from working with our service
May do some informal/formal assessment
Discuss the next steps with you

Why has my child been closed to the service?

The service we provide is decided by commissioners and, depending on location, reasons for closing a child’s case currently vary. However, we are currently going through a service redesign and this is likely to change soon.

How long will my child have speech and language therapy support?

This depends on your child, and what support they need. Your therapist will discuss this with you.

My child had speech and language therapy support in the past but I think they might need some more help. What do I do?

To re-refer your child, please complete the appropriate referral form on the referrals page of the website.

Torbay and South Devon – You can call our Admin team on 01803 654539 if you have any questions about re-referring your child.

Devon – If your child has been seen within the last twelve months, a re-referral request can be made by emailing CFHD.DevonSPA@nhs.net or calling 0330 024 5321

If more than 12 months has passed since your child was last seen, a new referral form would need to be completed. You can do this yourself through our website https://cfhd.tsdft.uk/ or discuss this with your child’s educational setting.