Referrals

If you are concerned about your child's speech, language or communication please book a Telephone Advice Line appointment to speak to one of our Therapist's via this link:  Speech and Language Therapy Telephone Drop-in (office365.com)

WE ARE AWARE THAT SOMETIMES OUR SLOTS ARE FULLY BOOKED FOR THE MONTH – If you are attempting to book and there are no telephone advice slots left, please check back on the 1st of the month, as more slots are added monthly.  In the meantime, please do look at our resources under ‘early language’, ‘early communication’ and 'late talkers'— Speech and Language Therapy Toolkit | CPFT NHS Trust resources section for support.

If your child will be starting school in September 2025 please DO NOT book a telephone advice line slot. Due to our wait times, we will be unable to see your child before they start school. We advise you to speak to your school SENCo about your concerns when your child starts school. In the meantime, please see our toolkit for activities and advice while you are waiting.  

Whilst waiting to speak to a speech and language therapist you can also access support and advice at your local family centre (How Are You Peterborough? | Barnardo’s Child and Family Centres) or Nursery setting

Please note this service is for parents/carers of pre-school children aged 0-5 who have a Peterborough GP. If you live and/or are registered with a GP in Cambridgeshire please refer to Cambs Community Services. 

If your child is school-aged please see 'Primary School Age Referrals' section. For any queries regarding the correct service please email us at cpm-tr.SLTmailforparents@nhs.net

If you have significant concerns regarding your child's general development or social interaction, please speak to your Health Visitor or Early Years setting as they should be able to support you with completing an Early Help Assessment, so that your child can access more specialist services.

INFORMATION FOR SCHOOLS / PARENTS (IF HOME EDUCATED)

Specialist Referrals — direct referral in

Non-speaking or minimally speaking children: Referrals can be made by schools (or by parents if the child is home-educated) – please complete this referral form:  Non-speaking and minimally speaking referral form [docx] 240KB

Stammering: Referrals can be made by parents, schools or professionals – please complete this referral form: Stammering referral form [docx] 246KB

Eating & Drinking Concerns:  Referrals can be made by schools or health professionals — please complete this referral form:  Eating & Drinking referral form [docx] 245KB

All other school-aged children (Speech Sounds and Language) — Request for Involvement Discussion Meeting

School SENCos (Special Educations Needs Co-ordinator) can book onto a Request for Involvement (RFI) Discussion Meeting (virtual) with a Therapist to discuss a specific child. Advice and next steps will then be provided, and either of the following will then be agreed:

• Child to continue to receive school-based support
• Child to be referred into the service

Please Note that the following must have been completed prior to booking an RFI Discussion Meeting:

All Speech & Language Children: Parents/Carers to complete the  ParentCarer-Consent-for-RFI-Discussion-Meeting.docx

Speech: 12 weeks of specific speech sound activities (group or 1:1) that are relevant to the child’s speech sound errors. Evidence of the child’s needs and progress needs to be provided i.e., a screen/assessment and progress tracker. This intervention could include the below:

• Access to a subscribed external speech sound package e.g., Speech Link
• Access to our service’s phonological awareness group (EYFS only) – see here: Training and Webinars
• Implementation of specific speech sound activities e.g., minimal pairs, single sound practise, word-level production activities. Please use the speech sound screening tool below and Steps to Speech Intervention Pack.pdf[pdf] 2MB booklet to help. If you are still unsure where to start with a child please speak to your school’s Link Therapist.

EYFS – Year 4 Language: 12 weeks of a specific language intervention (group or 1:1) that is relevant to the child’s specific difficulties. Evidence of the child’s needs and progress needs to be provided i.e., a screen/assessment and progress tracker. This intervention could include the below:

• Access to a subscribed language package e.g., Language Link, Wellcomm, TalkBoost, NELI
• Access to one our service’s language intervention groups (please note: these can also be tailored for 1:1 support) – please see at: Training and Webinars Please use our language screens (below) to support you in identifying the correct intervention group / activities.
• Implementation of specific language activities e.g., Colourful Semantics, Language for Thinking, Black Sheep Press Packs. Ensure to keep a clear record of sessions completed and progress made.  If you are still unsure where to start with a child please speak to your school’s Link Therapist.

Year 5 & 6 Language:  Please complete our Key Stage 2 Language screen (see below). Please Note: 12 weeks of intervention is not required prior to requesting for a meeting.

To request a virtual RFI Discussion Meeting , please ensure parents have completed the ParentCarer-Consent-for-RFI-Discussion-Meeting.docx  and email to our service along with the relevant completed assessment/screen and intervention progress tracker (see above), with the title ‘RFI Discussion Meeting’ in the email subject line to cpm-tr.SLTmailforparents@nhs.net You will then receive a booking link to book onto a Microsoft Teams meeting with a Therapist.

Please can we ask schools send in one email per a child and attach appropriate forms as separate attachments.

Please Note if you don't book onto a RFI Discussion Meeting within 6 weeks of receiving the bookings link you will be required to re-submit updated documentation.

Updated Screening tools (as of September 2024):

• EYFS & KS1 Language Screening Tool Forms [pdf] 356KB
•  EYFS & KS1 Language screen pictures [pdf] 1MB
• KS2 Language Screening Tool Form [docx] 59KB
• KS2 Language screen pictures.pdf [pdf] 1MB
• Speech screen pictures.pdf [pdf] 265KB
• Speech Sound Screening Tool Form [docx] 60KB

Home-educated children:

Please follow the referral process as above.

If you are a parent/carer of a child with speech sounds and/or language needs, and are unsure how to gather evidence of implementing specific interventions at home, please contact us at cpm-tr.SLTmailforparents@nhs.net , and our team would be happy to support you.

INFORMATION FOR PARENTS/CARERS

If you have concerns about your child’s speech or language skills please speak to the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) at your child’s school. They will be able to talk through your concerns and may undertake screening assessments to identify specific areas of difficulty for your child. School will then put into place strategies and/or interventions to support your child’s difficulties. Schools can access free training, advice and intervention resources from the service to enable them to do this. If despite these strategies and interventions being in place, sufficient progress isn’t being made and your child’s difficulties are having a significant impact on their communication and/or learning then the SENCo will Request for Involvement (RfI) from the service.

How is a Request for Involvement (RfI) made?

Once you have consented to an RfI being made to our service, you will be provided with a form to complete with your up-to-date contact details and consent for school to discuss your child with a Therapist. School will also complete relevant screening tools with your child and provide evidence of any support/interventions they have been providing in school. These forms are then emailed into the service and the school SENCo is invited to book onto a RFI Discussion Meeting with a Therapist to discuss your child. Advice and next steps will then be provided, and the following may then be agreed:

a) Your Child can continue to be supported via 'school-based' support

b) Your Child would benefit from specialist assessment and support from the service and therefore a referral into the service is initiated

You will receive a copy of the discussion meeting notes and the decided next steps for your child. If your child has been referred into the service and the referral has been accepted then your child will be placed on the waiting list for an assessment. Your child's assessment tends to take place in school, but you will be informed when this is taking place so you can attend, provide information and/or request for feedback, if you should so wish.

Please Note: Our service continues to be under high demand and therefore our waiting times for assessment are long. In the meantime, please take a look at our online toolkit with ideas of how you can support your child at home: https://www.cpft.nhs.uk/speech-and-language-therapy-toolkit 

INFORMATION FOR SCHOOL / PARENTS (IF HOME-EDUCATED)

To make a referral into the service for language and/or speech sound concerns please complete the  Secondary referral form.docx [docx] 245KB (please note this includes a parent/carer consent form) along with the relevant screening tool and young person's review form below and email into the service at cpm-tr.SLTmailforparents@nhs.net

Screening Tools:

• Secondary Language Screening Tool .docx [docx] 221KB
• Speech Sound Screening Tool Form.docx [docx] 248KB
• Speech screen pictures.pdf [pdf] 265KB

Young person's view:

• RFI Young person views.pdf [pdf] 295KB

For stammering concerns please complete this separate referral form: Stammering referral form[docx] 246KB and email into the service at cpm-tr.SLTmailforparents@nhs.net

INFORMATION FOR PARENTS/CARERS

If you have concerns about your young person’s speech, language or communication please speak to the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) at their school. They will be able to talk through your concerns and may undertake screening assessments to see if a referral to our team is required. If a referral is felt to be appropriate then school will complete a Request for Involvement (RfI) to the service.

How is a Request for Involvement (RfI) made?

Once you have consented to an RfI being made to our service, you will be provided with a consent form to sign and the school SENCo will complete an referral form with information about your and school’s concerns. School will also complete relevant screening tools with your young person. These forms are then emailed into the service for an experienced Therapist to review. The Therapist may request for further information from you or school to help inform their decision. Once a decision has been made, you and school will be emailed a letter explaining the outcome of the referral which may be as follows:

a) The Therapist may advise that a referral is not required at this time as your child’s communication appears typical from the evidence given.  

b) The Therapist may give some advice to the SENCo and suggest strategies that may support the young person them in school.

c) The Therapist may decide that they would like to directly assess your young person which will involve a face to face appointment.

What to expect at my young person’s appointment?  

Your young person's appointment will tend to take place in school. Appointments tend to last anywhere from an hour to two hours depending on your young person and their needs. The assessment may take place over two visits. During the appointment, the Therapist may: 

• Observe the young person and have a chat with them about what they need easy and difficult in relation to their communication
• Complete some informal/formal assessments with the young person
• Discuss the young person with a member of teaching staff

The Therapist will then write a report with recommended strategies and advice, which will be shared with you and school. If you have any questions once receiving this report, you are welcome to contact the service.

Whilst waiting you may find it helpful to look at our online toolkit with ideas of how you can support your young person at home: https://www.cpft.nhs.uk/speech-and-language-therapy-toolkit

A Request for Involvement (RFI) from the service for speech, language and communication support, can be made by the child/young person’s class teacher using the appropriate RFI form below: 

LAO RFI Form.docx [docx] 230KB

Heltwate RFI Form.docx [docx] 232KB

Medeshamstede RFI Form.docx [docx] 234KB

All schools must also ensure that parents/carers complete the following:  Parent/Carer Consent Form for Special School RFI.docx [docx] 233KB

Please ensure that the relevant RFI form and the parent/carer consent form are both completed and emailed along with the child/young person’s most recent EHC Plan to cpm-tr.SLTmailforparents@nhs.net

The link therapist for your school will then triage the referral. They may contact the class teacher and/or parents/carers if they have any questions or need any further information before making a decision regarding the referral.

For eating and/or drinking concerns — please complete this separate referral form: Eating & Drinking referral form.docx[docx] 245KB

Please Note: Referrals into the service for other specialist schools/settings (i.e., Marshfields, NeneGate, Richard Barnes Academy) are to follow the primary school and secondary school referral processes, as detailed in the drop-downs above.

If you have concerns over a child's eating/drinking and are a professional please complete the following referral form (includes parent/carer consent) and email it into our service at cpm-tr.SLTmailforparents@nhs.net

Eating & Drinking referral form.docx[docx] 245KB

If you are a parent, please visit your child’s GP or discuss your concerns with their Health Visitor in the first instance.

If you have concerns about your child’s voice or your child has lost their voice for more than 3 weeks, you should see your GP to request a referral to ENT (Ears, Nose and Throat) at the hospital. The ENT consultant will carry out an examination of the larynx (i.e.voicebox). If they consider it appropriate, they will make a referral to the Children's Speech and Language Therapy team. We are only able to accept referrals once the child has had this ENT examination. 

What should I expect at my child’s appointment?  

Once your child has been seen by ENT and a referral has been made to the Speech and Language Therapy team, we will offer an initial assessment appointment with a Speech and Language Therapist. Your child's appointment will take place in clinic or at your child's school. Please be prepared to discuss your concerns regarding your child’s voice. The Therapist will ask you questions about your child’s voice and the impact on their every day life. For older children, it can be helpful if they contribute to this discussion.

The appointment tends to last an hour. Another appointment may be arranged to complete the assessment if necessary. During the appointment, the Therapist may:

• Discuss the findings from your child's ENT appointment.
• Talk about how the voice works.
• Discuss your child's voice difficulties with you.
• Provide advice on how you and your child can support your child's voice.