How Do We Assess Your Child’s Speech & Language Needs?

Initial Video Consultation

The initial video consultation is an important first step in understanding your child’s needs and making sure that any assessment or support we recommend is appropriate for your family.

This 30–45 minute consultation gives us time to:

• Hear about your concerns and what you would like support with.

• Understand your child’s communication and developmental history.

• Discuss any relevant reports, previous assessments or therapies.

• Talk about what you would like to achieve from an assessment and any support that may follow.

• Consider whether an assessment is the right next step for your child.

• Explain how the assessment and therapy service works, including the therapy agreement and GDPR information.

• Answer any questions you may have and agree the next steps.

Taking this time at the beginning means that we can understand the bigger picture before meeting your child and make sure the assessment is focused on the areas that matter most to you and your child.

We recommend that both parents/carers attend where possible, as this helps us build a fuller picture and ensures everyone has an opportunity to be involved in planning the next steps.

Assessment

Your child will come to our clinic in Sligo for an assessment. We'll take time to help them settle and get comfortable before we begin. The assessment will be tailored to your child and their individual communication needs.

If you're unsure about what assessment your child might need, we'll talk through your concerns and your child's needs during the initial consultation to decide what would be most helpful.

We offer two main types of assessment.

Speech assessment, looks at how your child produces speech sounds and how clearly they are understood.

Language and communication assessment, looks at how your child understands and uses language and communicates with others

Additional Assessment Options

Depending on your child’s individual needs, additional assessment or support options may also be discussed. This could include, where appropriate, input in settings such as your child’s preschool or school.

After the Assessment

Following the assessment, we will talk through what we have found in a clear, supportive and easy-to-understand way. This may happen at the end of the assessment or, where more time is needed to review the information, at a follow-up appointment.

You will learn:

• Your child’s strengths and what they are doing well.

• The areas where they may benefit from additional support.

• What the assessment findings mean for your child’s communication.

• Practical strategies and ideas you can use to support communication and speech at home.

• What we recommend as the next steps for your child.

• Whether targeted therapy would be beneficial and, if so, how the maximum of four therapy sessions could be used to support you and your child.

• There will be time to ask questions and discuss anything you are unsure about.

You will receive a written summary of the assessment and recommendations following the assessment.

With your consent, we can also liaise with or make referrals to other relevant services where appropriate, such as Audiology, Psychology or HSE services.

Full Reports

A more detailed full written report can be provided on request for an additional fee. This may be useful where a formal report is required for onward referral, school support or an Individual Education Plan (IEP).

If therapy is recommended following your child’s assessment, we may offer up to a maximum of four therapy sessions tailored to your child’s needs.

These sessions provide an opportunity to advise, model and demonstrate strategies, and to work together on how best to support your child’s communication. There will be plenty of time to practise strategies together, ask questions and build your confidence in using them independently.

The aim is to give you practical tools and strategies that you can continue to use and build on at home beyond the therapy sessions.

• Sessions are typically 45 minutes for speech and 60 minutes for language work, allowing time to support your child alongside parent/carer coaching.

• Parent/carer involvement is encouraged throughout.

• Strategies and activities are discussed, demonstrated and practised together.

• Guidance is provided to help you confidently embed strategies into everyday routines at home.

• Therapy is fun, engaging and child-centred.