We offer a tailored Speech and Language Therapy Service to children aged 2 to 12 years of age. This is usually carried out in your home with you and your child present. However due to the current pandemic, therapy is now done via Zoom or other similar platforms. Please see the section on Teletherapy for further information on how this works.
Connect with your local HSE / Public Speech Therapy Services
It is recommended that you link in with your local HSE Speech and Language Therapy service if you have not already done so. Carolyn is happy to work with you in the meantime while you are waiting for your initial HSE appointment, or if your child has been placed on a break from the HSE, providing the HSE is aware of your attendance at The Speech Grove. It is best practice for Carolyn to link in with your HSE Speech and Language Therapist, so that therapy can continue in the same vein.
What will happen when I call?
When you make contact with Carolyn, a suitable plan for an initial session will be discussed and agreed upon with you. Some forms will be sent out to you by email for you to complete and return prior to the first session. The first session can only be carried out once completed signed forms are received.
Therapy Sessions
Once your child has attended the first appointment, Carolyn will discuss a therapy plan with you including goals, session duration, and number of sessions (called a ‘block’ of therapy). Sometimes it may be necessary to carry out a fuller assessment. This will be discussed with you at the appropriate time if needed.
Sometimes it may not be necessary to carry out therapy sessions, but it might be helpful to work on a specially designed programme at home or at school. This can be discussed with you if at the time.
Homework
There is always homework to be done between sessions. Sometimes the homework is for the child to do with your help and sometimes the homework may be strategies for you as parents to try out. It is very important that advice on strategies is followed and that homework tasks are done every day or therapy is unlikely to be effective. Homework should take no longer than 15 minutes or so each day, sometimes split throughout the day. Strategies for parents are usually designed to be easy tasks that you can incorporate into your every day routines.
Contact with outside professionals
Carolyn may also need to contact your child’s preschool or school, or other professionals that your child may be attending. This will be discussed with you and will only be done with your written permission. It is best practice for Carolyn to liaise with these professionals. Pre-school and School visits can also be organised, with programmes for teachers where appropriate.
What happens at the end of a block of therapy?
After your child’s therapy block has finished, a plan will be discussed with you on how to continue your child’s progress over the coming weeks and months. A review appointment can be organised, with more therapy sessions later on as appropriate.
Find out more
If you have any queries about this service, or would like to speak to Carolyn about an appointment, please call/text Carolyn at 089 4034184 or email at thespeechgrove@gmail.com