Children's Speech and Language Clinic
This clinic provides practical opportunities for student speech and language therapists for children with speech and language difficulties and their families.
In-house clinical placements
The Children’s Speech and Language Clinic at Newcastle University provides high-quality clinical placements for students studying to be speech and language therapists. Every student speech and language therapist studying with us has the opportunity for at least one placement here during their degree. There are facilities for group and individual therapy. Telehealth remote delivery of interventions to children in their homes is also available.
At Newcastle, students’ clinical and academic learning run side by side. Students are able to implement the most recent evidence-based interventions under the supervision of their practice educators.
State-of-the-art recording equipment allows students to be continuously observed during all clinical sessions by speech and language therapist practice educators. Students watch the videos of their sessions with feedback and suggestions from their practice educator. This enhanced reflection supports rapid progress in clinical skill development.
Find out more about available clinical and research facilities here.
Speech and language therapy for children
The Children’s Speech and Language Clinic offers weekly speech and language therapy for pre-school and school-age children with speech and/or language difficulties. Children are offered a series of up to 11 weekly therapy sessions during university term times. Parents or carers are a valuable part of the therapeutic process and are invited to be active participants.
By bringing your child to speech and language therapy at the Children’s Speech and Language Clinic you are making a significant contribution to the training of the next generation of speech and language therapists.
Children who will benefit from the service we offer will:
- be aged 3 to 15 years
- have identified difficulties with speech and/or language skills eg have seen a speech and language therapist, receive specialist speech, language and literacy support in school
- be able to attend all sessions (in clinic or telehealth) unless prevented by illness
- have fluent speech (do not stammer or stutter)
- have passed their last hearing test and have no hearing impairment
- have no complex physical needs
- have no current or suspected diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
- have non-verbal skills appropriate for their age
Referrals
Children can be referred by parents, grandparents, guardians, teachers or other healthcare professionals. Consent from the person with parental responsibility for the child is always required.
Initial assessment
Eligible children are offered an initial assessment to make sure that what we offer can meet their needs. Children who attend the clinic are provided with speech and language therapy designed to meet their individual needs. With parent/carer consent, we liaise with professionals involved in the child’s care to ensure the intervention provided complements any existing speech and language support.
Contact us
For more information about the Children’s Speech and Language Clinic or if you think your child may benefit from attending on a weekly basis please email us ChildSLClinic@ncl.ac.uk.
All of our practice educators are:
- registered as speech and language therapists with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- members of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT)