We are a multidisciplinary team, working as part of the SEND Outreach Service.
There are Speech Therapists, Educational Psychologists, a Specialist Speech, Language and Communication Teacher and Learning Support Assistants working in the DLD Team. We work with children who have a diagnosis of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and/or a Speech Sound Disorder (SSD), who have already accessed some therapy from the NHS Speech and Language Therapy Service. We provide a detailed assessment and then, for those children who are felt to be appropriate, a period of intensive intervention support, working towards targets set to progress their speech and/or language skills. Referral to this team is made by school on the recommendation of a Speech Therapist and the child will have already been on the NHS DLD Pathway/SSD Pathway.
Information about our team
We are the Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) team.
Some of us will come and visit you at school. When we do, we will have a chat with you and bring some different fun activities to do. These activities help us understand how you learn.
- Tracy is a specialist speech and language teacher. This means she is a teacher with extra training to help children with speech and language.
- Anna and Marcella are Speech and Language Therapists. This means they help children to communicate the best they can.
- Val, Sam and Heather are Specialist Learning Support Assistants (LSA). This means they work directly with children, working together on tasks which help their speech or language skills.
- Jade is an Educational Psychologist and Fay and Sara are trainee Educational Psychologists. This means they have extra training about how children develop and the school system. They might get involved if children or teachers need a little extra support.
We're looking forward to meeting you!
Let us tell you why we're here and what might happen during our time together!
- First, some of us will meet and talk to your teachers and grown ups to find out what is going well for you and what is tricky at school.
- Next, some of us will come and meet you to do activities. We want to find out from you how you are feeling at school and what could help to make it even better. One of us will come and observe you in class.
- Using all of this information, we will make a plan about how to help you learn and feel even better. We will meet and talk to your teachers and grown ups again about what we learned.
- If we think it will be helpful, an LSA will come to work with you a few times every week for up to 25 weeks. At the end of this work, we will meet again to think about what happens next.
Working with us is your choice!
Information for parents and carers
Children must understand what we are saying to them and be able to talk clearly so that they can do well in school and make friends.
The Newcastle Developmental Language Disorder Team supports children who have difficulties with understanding and talking which are affecting their progress in school.
The DLD Team includes a SEND Outreach Service Speech and Language teacher, Speech and Language Therapists and Specialist Learning Support Assistants. We can also consult with Educational Psychologists where necessary.
The DLD Team’s involvement may include:
- Assessment by each profession represented on the Team
- Monitoring and review of progress
- Individual programmes of work delivered by one of the Team’s
- Learning Support Assistants
- Individual programmes delivered by school
- Information, advice and support for schools and parents
Which children can the Team help?
Currently the Team works with pupils in Reception and Key Stages 1 and 2 who have speech and language difficulties identified as a primary need and who are already known to the NHS Speech and Language Therapy Service or to the SEND OS Speech and Language teacher. We also work with Key Stage 3 pupils to support the decision-making process for an Education, Health and Care Plan and potential secondary Additionally Resourced Provision (Speech and Language ARP).
How are children referred to the Team?
Children are referred by their school on the recommendation of a member of the NHS Speech and Language Therapy Service or the SEND OS Speech and Language teacher.
The referral is made following a review meeting in school at which parents / carers are present to give their consent.
All the dates for meetings and assessments are sent out to school and parents before the start of the assessment phase.
Assessment
A key component of the DLD Team’s work is multi-disciplinary assessment. The Team look at the referral documentation and decide whether or not the child might benefit from their involvement. If it is considered that the child’s difficulties do meet the Team criteria, then their name goes on a waiting list.
Team assessment takes half a term and consists of the following steps:
- Parents and school staff are invited to attend a Welcome Meeting in school where the Team’s involvement is explained and the child’s strengths and needs discussed
- One teacher and one Speech and Language Therapist will assess the child in school. An Educational Psychologist may also be consulted if deemed appropriate.
- A joint report is written
- A Feedback Meeting is held at which the DLD Team findings are shared and the next steps explained
- If appropriate, intensive intervention will be offered
Intervention
A programme of work is put together, tailored to the specific needs of the child. A Team LSA, or occasionally a Team therapist or teacher, will implement this in school.
The programme will be revised frequently and the child’s progress monitored by a Speech and Language Therapist.
Parents are encouraged to come into school and watch a session or two. School staff are also included in sessions to build knowledge and skills, and so targets can be practised and generalised in school.
During and/or towards the end of the intervention, a review will be held to talk about future plans.
What happens next?
It is hoped that as a result of DLD Team involvement, most children will remain successfully included in their mainstream school.
A very small number of children may require a longer and more intensive level of support. The DLD Team may recommend that these children are considered for an Education, Health and Care Plan needs assessment to describe their needs and future provision. This may involve consideration for a place at one of the city’s Additionally Resourced Provisions (ARPs) for Speech and Language.
The DLD Team members who will be working with your child will be:
- Specialist Teacher: Tracy Hawdon
- Speech and Language Therapist: Anna Money or Marcella Holland
You can contact the DLD Team here:
tracy.hawdon@newcastle.gov.uk
07929 792190
Useful websites and resources