Stammering - FOI Response Register

1. Do you offer speech and language therapy services for children and young people who stammer? If so, what is the age range for this service?  

Yes all ages, preschool to adolescent     

2. How are children and young people who stammer referred to the speech and language therapy service, and what are the referral criteria? 

Open referral system – referrals rec’d from HV, GP, Schools, and Parents.

Any dysfluency which causes concern

3. Do you have a dedicated dysfluency/ stammering pathway? What is the process and criteria for being placed on the pathway? 

 No

Do you have a Clinical Lead for stammering in your children and young people service? As of July 2024, how many speech and language therapists work directly with children and young people who stammer?   

1 x band SLT who takes more of a Lead for stammering, but all SLT’s are generalist SLT’s with varied caseload, 5x SLTs all might work with peoples who stammer depending on geographical location

5. If you do not have access to a Clinical lead SLT (Speech and Language Therapist) for stammering, or other stammering specialist SLTs, how do you manage more complex stammering cases?   

If we needed support we would seek it from SLT department in NHS Grampian

6. Who commissions speech and language therapy stammering services for children and young people in your trust? Do third sector organisations fund or contribute to funding any speech and language therapy stammering services for children and young people in your trust area?   

Funded jointly by NHS and SLA with education. No third sector funding

7.  How many children and young people were awaiting an assessment by a SLT for stammering in July 2023 and in July 2024? 

July 2023 - 0 July 2024 - 0

8.  As of 1st July 2024, could you provide the waiting times from referral to initial assessment for children and young people referred for stammering? Please categorize the data into the following timeframes: less than 12 weeks, 12 to 18 weeks, 19 to 26 weeks, 27 to 52 weeks, 1 to 2 years, and over 2 years  

1st July 2024 – 0 waiting

9. As of 1st July 2024, could you provide the waiting times from initial assessment to the start of therapy for children and young people referred for stammering? Please categorize the data into the following timeframes: less than 12 weeks, 12 to 18 weeks, 19 to 26 weeks, 27 to 52 weeks, 1 to 2 years, and over 2 years  

We do not hold a separate waiting list for stammering input

10. How many sessions do SLTs typically provide to children and young people who stammer (e.g. once a week for six weeks)      

Number of session determined by need

11. Would you ever refer or signpost children and young people who stammer to a specialist service or centre outside of your board area? If so, how often has this occurred between 1st July 2023 and 1st July 2024.   

• Never 

Sometimes - once

• Frequently 

• Very Frequently 

12. Do you provide information about and/or do you signpost to other organisations who can offer support for childhood stammering? If so, who do you signpost to?  

• Action for Stammering Children 

Yes 

• STAMMA  

Yes

• Michael Palin Centre 

No 

• Other (please specify) 

 Talking Out Ltd, Penguin App

13. What therapy approaches (e.g. Palin PCI, Lidcombe) do your speech and language therapy service offer to children and young people who stammer? Do you offer individual or group therapy to children who stammer, or both?   

Primarily individual. Group therapy would be considered/offered when appropriate depending on caseload numbers.

14. Where do your SLTs access their specialist training from?   

• Michael Palin Centre  

 1 SLT trained in Palin PLI

• City Lit London  

• Online  

• CENs  

• In service training  

• Other (please specify)

 Airedale Stammering Therapy course

15. What barriers exist to your SLTs accessing necessary training courses in stammering? (e.g. cost and funding, availability of specialised courses, time out of clinic, high staff turnover, institutional supports, etc.) 

Funding + availability, Location, Time

16. What information is provided to education setting staff about stammering? Would this information typically be provided for individual children and young people on your caseload or as part of education setting staff training more generally?  

Signpost to info on local early year’s toolkit. Training to staff as required in relation to individual children + young people.