In this document the terms ‘I’, ‘Me’ and Therapist refer to the Speech and Stammering Therapy UK Therapist. 

Travel

Appointments will be offered in either the client’s home or if appropriate in the client’s educational setting.  I am based in Elmbridge.  The first 5 miles of a journey are free, travel thereafter is charged at the Inland Revenue rate of 45p per mile.

Role of Parent/Guardian

Parents/guardians/carers play a key role in therapy and for many of the therapy programmes parents will be required to attend the sessions.  Parents will be informed at least a week in advance of a session whereby they are required to attend, if they are not able to attend, they need to inform the Therapist at least 24 hours in advance of the booked session.  Sessions where parents are required to attend will be arranged for a time that is convenient to parents and Therapist.  If the parent has agreed to attend and informs the Therapist less than 24 hours in advance that they are unable to attend, the session will have to be cancelled and the parent will be liable for the full fee of the cancelled session.  It will always be agreed in advance of a session whether the parent is required to attend.  Where there are extenuating circumstances the fee will be waived.  This will be at the discretion of the Therapist.

Fees and Services

Fees for the main services I offer are listed below.  Any child being seen for the first time would require an initial assessment (see options below), even if they have been assessed by a previous Speech and Language Therapist.  If therapy sessions are advised following an initial appointment, I would offer guidelines as to the frequency and structure of these sessions.  Speech and Stammering Therapy UK reserve the rights to adjust fees, parents/carers will be informed of any changes prior to appointments.

Assessment:

    Full Assessment (excluding stammering): £170

The aim of this assessment is to provide detailed information about your child’s speech, language and communication skills.  The session involves:

  • Formal assessment using standardised tests (where possible, depending on child’s age and level of ability)

  • Informal assessment of your child’s speech, language and communication skills

  • Observation of your child either in their home or educational setting

  • Information gathering from parents and/or educational staff (either in person or via MS Forms questionnaire)

  • Verbal feedback of findings

  • A short, written summary report

Verbal feedback, where possible, will be at the end of the assessment session, there may be situations whereby the therapist needs more time to analyse assessment scores, in this case the feedback will take place at a later date by telephone.  Time given for this assessment is up to 2 hours, plus time for assessment analysis and report writing.  If further assessment is needed, this will be discussed and agreed with parents.  Further assessments will be charged at £85 per session, sessions will last up to one hour.  Assessment will be carried out within the child’s home, however there may be circumstances where there is a different preferable location for the assessment, this will be agreed with parents

    Informal/screening assessment (including stammering): £100

The aim of this assessment is to provide information as to whether or not your child is presenting with a speech, language and/or communication delay/disorder.  The session involves:

  • Informal assessment/screen and observation (either at home or in educational setting - 30 to 60 minutes)

  • Information gathering from parents and/or education staff (either via questionnaire or verbally)

  • Verbal feedback of findings

  • Provision of recommendations and sign posting to helpful resources. 

    Please note, the outcome of this session does not provide specific information/scores as to the level of delay/disorder.  Specific scores are gained from standardised assessments, this is included in the full assessment (see above).

Where further assessment is required, next steps are as follows:

  • Follow up assessment (excluding stammering): further assessment sessions will be charged at the normal rate of £85 per session (up to 1 hour).

    OR

  • Follow up assessment for stammering: where parents would like to seek further support for stammering, this will involve the below Assessment for stammering.  These sessions may be shorter than stated below as information already gathered can be used to contribute to this assessment.  The already paid £100 will therefore be deduction from the full fee of £340.

    Assessment for stammering: £340

This includes:

  • Parent case history session: This involves the Therapist and parents/carers completing a Parent Case History interview.  Both parents/carers are required to attend the session.  Where the guardian feels it is not appropriate for the other parent to be there, another appropriate and relevant adult may attend.  This will be up to 1 ½ hours and will take place virtually.  If there are extenuating circumstances whereby parents cannot accommodate a virtual session this can be discussed with the Therapist to determine the best way forward. 

  • Child assessment:  This involves formal assessment, child interview and where appropriate, at the discretion of the Therapist, speech analysis.  The child interview and speech analysis tool used are produced by The Michael Palin Centre.  This session will be up to 1 hour and will take place face to face in person.

  • Formulation of information: This includes time needed by the Therapist to gather and analyse information and produce the summary report. (Time given 1 hour)

  • Feedback session: This involves the Therapist discussing with parents and child, findings from the information gathered, time for parents and child to ask questions and planning of next steps.  This will take place virtually and last up to ½ hour.  If there are extenuating circumstances whereby parents cannot accommodate a virtual session this can be discussed with the Therapist as to the best way forward.  In most cases following this session there will be a clear plan in place for next steps, in some cases families request time to digest information and get back to the Therapist as to next steps.  It is recommended that parents contact the Therapist within one week of the session in order to ensure the Therapist is able to offer timely therapy sessions, where therapy is indicated.

  • Advice and Information: The Therapist will provide parents and child with advice and information that is appropriate and helpful.

Therapy sessions: £85

This involves carrying out the programmes/interventions recommended by the Therapist.  The number of sessions and where the sessions will take place will be agreed with parents.  In most cases sessions take place at the child’s home, however there may be some cases where the sessions are best carried out in the child’s educational setting.  This will be discussed and agreed with the parent/carers.  Where it is agreed that sessions take place at the educational setting, the setting must be able to provide a quiet place for the sessions to occur.  Where this is not possible, the sessions will not be able to take place in that setting.  Sessions that occur in the educational setting will still be changed at the same rate but may include observation of the child and liaison with educational staff as well as direct therapy, as appropriate.  This time will be at the discretion of the Therapist.  Where sessions take place in school it is preferable for a member of staff to observe so they can carry out activities during the week with the child.  This will significantly increase the effectiveness of the intervention/programme.  Where sessions occur at home, the session will include liaison with parents, direct therapy and where appropriate, at the discretion of the Therapist, play based activities.  Therapy for preschool children is often play based and involves Adult Child Interaction approaches, this means therapy will focus on supporting parents with their skills; when carrying out Adult Child Interaction interventions, the Therapist will not be working directly with the child themselves. Where sessions take place in the educational setting, parents will receive a short summary, via email of the session and any recommendations for activities for parents to carry out.  Sessions will last between 45 minutes and an hour; this time includes time for liaison with parents/professionals where appropriate.

Reports: £200

This includes written information about findings from prior assessment and informal gathering.  Recommendations will also be included, this may include recommendations for referral to other agencies such as ENT, Consultant Paediatrician for developmental assessment.  Where appropriate the report may include specific targets.  Time for report writing is up to 2 hours, any further time will be charged at the hourly rate of £85.

Review appointment: £85

This would be following a break in contact/sessions of at least 6 weeks and the child must have already been seen by the Therapist for an assessment.  This will take around 1 hour.  This appointment does not include a report or written advice.  Please see above for fees relating to reports and written advice.

EHCP package: £500

This includes the full assessment, as set out above, as well as school/nursery observation and a comprehensive written report including recommendations for provision to be included in the EHCP.

School/Nursery consultations: £85 per hour 

This includes either face to face in person school/nursery visits, virtual consultations and/or telephone consultations.  This may also include demonstration of any recommended intervention/programmes.

Training and Workshops

Fees for training and workshops will be dependent on the length of the training session and what sort of training is required

Payment

Payment for assessment and review sessions (including stammering) is required prior to the appointment.  Payment is by invoice.  Where a block of therapy has been agreed, invoices will be paid monthly, invoices must be paid within 7 days. 

Failed/Missed Payments

If payment is not made in line with the terms and conditions above, then the therapist has the right to cancel any arranged appointments.

If after one reminder, payment is still not received, and alternative arrangements have not been agreed in writing between the therapist and parent/guardian, then debt collection proceedings may be commenced.

Cancellation and non-attendance

It is expected that all parties will give as much notice as possible if a session needs to be cancelled/rearranged.  If the therapist needs to change an appointment, then this will be rearranged for the earliest mutually convenient date.  Cancellation by a parent/guardian must be made at least 24 hours in advance.  Cancellations made fewer than 24 hours in advance of a booked appointment will incur the full fee.  There will be exceptions to this due to extenuating circumstances such as illness of the child or Therapist where 24 hours’ notice has not been possible, at these times the cancellation fee will be waived, at the discretion of the Therapist.

I reserve the right to terminate services at any time.  Where payments have been made in advance and the therapist has not seen the child for the appointment which has been pre-paid for, then the full fee will be reimbursed to the parent/guardian.

If the therapist arrives for the appointment but a session cannot take place and no prior notice has been given (e.g. a child is unwell or not in the right frame of mind for the appointment), then the full fee of the session will be charged, including any travel costs incurred.  It is at the discretion of the Therapist to waive this fee. 

If it has been agreed with the therapist that a visit to an educational setting is appropriate, then it is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to let the therapist know if the session needs to be cancelled/rearranged as above. 

Liaising with Other Professionals

To ensure that everyone who is working with your child is aware of their progress, it is recommended that the Therapist liaise with certain others. This may include your child’s NHS Speech & Language Therapist, education staff or other health care professionals.  You will be asked to give your permission for this.  Parents will be required to agree to the Terms and Conditions indicating their agreement prior to the initial appointment.

Discharge Criteria

A child will be discharged from Speech and Stammering Therapy UK when one or more of the following have been achieved:

-          They are at a level that is within the broad average range for their age

-          They are no longer responding to therapy

-          They have significantly improved and are likely to progress without further intervention or support

-          The therapist feels it is appropriate to cease therapy

-          The parent/guardian decides to cease therapy for their child

-          Fees are not paid

Complaints and Concerns

If you have any concerns, please direct them to me in the first instance and hopefully we can resolve any issues together.  If however, you do not feel this is the case, and you wish to instigate a formal complaint, then you can contact the Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice for further advice.

Use of video/photographs

Some assessment and therapy techniques involve the use of video and/or photographs of your child. For example, videoing your child saying certain sounds so they can listen back to themselves and self-monitor their own progress with the production of those sounds.