Solihull integrated Speech Language and Communication Needs [SLCN] pathway

UNIVERSAL SERVICES

3-5 years

2-3 years

0-2 years

Pregnancy

Midwifery contact as per routine maternity pathway.
Health visitor antenatal review.

Ongoing review of risk factors for SLCN and review of communication milestones/developmental flags carried out by the health visitor and early years practitioner in a setting. Also signpost to https://www.solihull.gov.uk/children-and-family-support/localoffer/communication-interaction-early-years and Chat, Play, Read https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovNfiLgmaPY 

Midwifery contacts as per routine maternity pathway.
Health visitor new birth review (10-14 days).
Newborn hearing screening (as per national screening programme).
Health visitor 6-8 week review. Bookstart promotion https://www.booktrust.org.uk/what-we-do/programmes-and-campaigns/bookstart/ 
GP/practice nurse immunisations (as per immunisation schedule/newborn physical examination).
Health visitor team 12-month review.

KEY

 Review Point

 Assessment

 Action
             
            Key Messaging

Holistic health needs assessment carried out by midwife.
Assessment of risk factors for SLCN carried out by health visitor.

Holistic health needs assessment carried out by midwife.
Audiology assessment carried out by a health professional, healthcare assistant 

Signposting to community-based resources (e.g. libraries, local voluntary and community sector services, clinics etc https://www.solihull.gov.uk/children-and-family-support ). Engaging with families to support the home learning environment (e.g. Solihull Five to Thrive,  Hungry Little Minds and Tiny Happy People). https://www.solihull.gov.uk/children-and-family-support/under5sactivities as well as Solihull Parent Support
Provision of a high-quality, language-rich early communication environment and curriculum in a settings (if attending). Setting support through local authority early years teams - https://www.solgrid.org.uk/eyc/ and https://www.solihull.gov.uk/Children-and-family-support/localoffer/Early-Years-Team Training for settings – https://www.solgrid.org.uk/eyc/training/ e-learning, DfE and Early Years Team training for Solihull leads and SENCos.

Parents should be supported to understand the importance of participating in the progress checks for their children so that any SLCN can be identified and timely support received.   www.nhs.uk/start4life/baby/learning-to-talk/ ​   
Promote communication strategies to support language learning (e.g. infant-directed speech, joint-attention activities, book sharing, respond to infant communication – ‘watch, wait and listen’, interpret gestures, language in everyday routines etc) – for more information refer to  https://childrenscommunitytherapies.uhb.nhs.uk/ and https://www.swft.nhs.uk/our-services/children-and-young-peoples-services/health-visiting-solihull 

Support:
FIS- Family Information Service
HV- Health Visitor team
Midwife

Understanding your child training promoted to develop strong healthy relationships and bonding - https://inourplace.heiapply.com/online-learning/course/4 

Promoting parent-infant relationship – supporting parents to be aware of the needs of their unborn baby.

Signposting to community-based resources (e.g. libraries, children’s play-groups, early education and childcare, local voluntary and community sector services, clinics etc). https://www.solihull.gov.uk/Libraries 

Promotion of early education for eligible families (e.g. free education and childcare for 2-year olds). https://www.solihull.gov.uk/children-and-family-support/earlyeducation2yearolds 

Holistic health needs assessment carried out by health visitor at 2-year review.
Review of child’s learning and development in a early education and care setting -2 year check

Early Years Foundation Stage Profile at age 5 (Reception), includes achievement on communication and language, and literacy, early learning goals 
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-profile-handbook and 
https://www.solgrid.org.uk/fivetothrive/home/pre-school/ 

Health visitor 2-year review 
Early Years Foundation Stage 2-year progress check in a setting
Signpost to What to Expect in the EYFS - https://foundationyears.org.uk/2021/09/updated-guidance-to-support-the-eyfs/ 

Engaging with families to support the home learning environment (e.g. Solihull Five to Thrive, Hungry Little Minds, Look, Say, Sing Play and Tiny Happy People websites).

TARGETED SERVICES

3-5 years

2-3 years

0-2 years

Pregnancy

Families with identified requirements will be supported according to need with specific attention given to review of communication milestones. This will include the Family Nurse Partnership support and Universal Plus/ Partnership Plus. 
Where key communication milestones are not reached, as identified through the Ages and Stages Questionnaire [ASQ], then the HV will signpost to additional strategies to support in the home or link in with specialist services [SLT/ EYT/ SISS:SLCN etc]. https://www.swft.nhs.uk/our-services/children-and-young-peoples-services/health-visiting-solihull 

Families are signposted and supported to access Solihull services https://healthforunder5s.co.uk/solihull/local-advice-and-events/ to meet the needs identified.
https://www.solihull.gov.uk/Children-and-family-support/Parenting-support 

The child’s setting [if they attend] will support parents to understand the child’s developmental needs and work together with them to use their interests to build vocabulary, support listening and understanding and develop social communication skills. Setting generally use the Early Years Foundation Stage Guidance to monitor children’s language development. SLTs support some targeted early years settings. Settings may also be supported by the Virtual School, EAL, and EYT .

Solihull Support for settings and parents
HV- Health Visitor team [0-4y]
EYT – The Early Years Team [0 years- term 1 reception]
SENDIAS- Special Educational Needs and Disability Information Advice and Support Service
SISS - Specialist Inclusion Support  
Service SLCN- Speech, Language and Communication Needs [5y+]
SLT – Speech and Language Therapy [2y+]  
Virtual School- Virtual School for looked after and previously looked after children (LACES) [3y+]

Families are signposted to and supported to access Solihull services …………..
EYT- https://www.solgrid.org.uk/eyc/ and https://www.solihull.gov.uk/Children-and-family-support/localoffer/Early-Years-Team 
SLT- https://childrenscommunitytherapies.uhb.nhs.uk/speech-and-language-therapy/ 
Also Five to Thrive support- https://www.solgrid.org.uk/fivetothrive/home/concerns-with-development/ 
Parent support such as Empowering Parents Empowering Communities [EPEC] and Being a Parents etc https://www.solihull.gov.uk/children-and-family-support/parenting-support 

Ideas websites for speech and communication ideas and support:
I Can https://speechandlanguage.org.uk/talking-point/parents/ 
Solihull Local Offer - https://www.solihull.gov.uk/children-and-family-support/localoffer/communication-interaction-early-years 

SPECIALIST SERVICES

3-5 years

2-3 years

0-2 years

Pregnancy

Access to specialist interventions for children with a range of speech, language and communication needs [SLCN], under the guidance of a speech and language therapist [SLT]. This may include access to support and guidance including parent workshops. Children will continue to be supported at their child early education setting [if applicable]. 
SISS Sensory & Physical Impairment Team work with children and young people who have a sensory impairment (Visual/Hearing Impairment) or a multi-sensory impairment, which can affect aspects of their learning and development; especially around communication. 

Support for specific needs

AFASIC charity https://www.afasic.org.uk/about-talking/types-of-slcn/ 

Early Years Development Journal
https://councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/resources/all-resources/filter/inclusion-send/early-years-developmental-journal 

EYT – Advice https://www.solihull.gov.uk/children-and-family-support/localoffer/early-years-children-emerging-Special-Educational-Needs 

Solihull Community Therapy Services
https://childrenscommunitytherapies.uhb.nhs.uk/ 

SLT- Speech Language Therapy
https://childrenscommunitytherapies.uhb.nhs.uk/speech-and-language-therapy/ contact 0121 722 8010

SISS - Specialist Inclusion Support  
Service [SEND 0-25] Sensory & Physical Impairments  https://www.solihull.gov.uk/Schools-and-learning/SISS 

Children may have one to one support from a community SLT where children have identified additional/complex needs. *

*Children with long term persistent but specific SLCNs, such as Developmental Language Disorder, in the absence of other needs, will also need 1:1 SLT support

Additional support may be provided by other specialists e.g. community paediatricians, etc.

Solihull SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and Disability Information Advice and Support) can support children and young people with SEND and their parents/carers. https://www.solihull.gov.uk/children-and-family-support/localoffer/sendias 

Specific support and training from specialists may be available to enable early years settings to support children with severe, specific or complex SLCN. For children who are AGE 3 y when a specific SLCN is identified SISS: SLCN team can give setting support- https://www.solihull.gov.uk/children-and-family-support/localoffer/SLCD-team 

Parents will be provided with specific specialist support to facilitate their ability to support their child’s communication development.

Where children have a developmental delay in three or more aspects of their learning and development there could be an Early YearsTAC referral [EY TAC -Team Around the Child ] More information can be found here https://www.solihull.gov.uk/Children-and-family-support/localoffer/EY-TAC-panel-referral 

Parents and the child’s setting can request an Education, Health and Care needs assessment if they feel the child may need additional support-  https://www.solihull.gov.uk/children-and-family-support/localoffer/EHC-plans