Croydon (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Delays in Croydon’s speech and language therapy services risk children’s social withdrawal, experts warn, as parents criticise poor council communication.
It comes after an exclusive report published by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) last month that showed parents were caught off guard when the Council abruptly stopped providing therapy while pledging to implement a new system starting in November.
“All the skills she seemed to have picked up when she was receiving her SALT have gone. When it is finally sorted, she will be going back to square one, and she will be really far behind her peers,”
said Zahra Allen, a Croydon parent whose non-verbal daughter Khari has gone months without vital speech and language therapy (SALT) following a controversial decision by Croydon Council.
The council claimed that switching to two new suppliers will “improve” services for kids with Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs), which outline the legally mandated assistance for kids with special education needs. However, parents characterize the shift as disorganized, with their kids’ learning, self-assurance, and communication being negatively impacted by missing sessions.
According to a Croydon mother who wished to remain anonymous, her kid has been denied the SALT to which he is legally entitled under his EHCP. She said to the LDRS,
“We have had a really patchy experience.”
Her son, who has significant needs after suffering a stroke as a baby, is supposed to receive weekly sessions but has not had consistent support since the summer.
“All the dates the council have mentioned are different from what I have been told. They said mid, then end of October, and now we are in November.”
She claimed that Allens, a private contractor hired by the council for two years, offered “adequate” service. Allens’ decision to stop providing therapy was communicated to parents in July, but by September, schools were still unsure of their replacement.
The mother claimed that although some families were given personal budgets to locate their own therapists, this put additional strain on them.
“My son needs SALT consistently to develop his speech skills, and with a consistent therapist, we can see him catching up with his peers,”
she added.
“It is not just the learning but the social and emotional impact. You have a seven-year-old who is struggling to fully integrate. There is a massive impact.”
SALT is essential for learning, self-assurance, and daily relationships. It promotes speech clarity, comprehension, and expression. Children who have trouble swallowing may also benefit from it.
Fellow parent Zahra told the LDRS:
“Khari relies on the therapy heavily, and I am starting to see a change in her behaviour since the sessions stopped. She is not understanding certain things now, making communication much harder.”
Many families have come forward since last month’s report, which some parents and council members claimed was their first awareness of the SALT alterations. The LDRS was also contacted by Emma O’Dwyer, the creator of Baby Speak, a speech and language therapy practice on Harley Street.
With fifteen years of experience, Emma cautioned that early delays might have detrimental long-term effects, especially for kids with neurological challenges like autism. “Early intervention is crucial,” she stated.
The Croydon mother described the council’s communication as like “drawing blood from a stone.” She said:
“Stonewalling a parent in this position is the worst thing you can do. It just makes me feel like they do not care at all. It is beyond infuriating. I understand that SEND across the country is under pressure, but why do you do your job if you cannot at least give transparency?”
In what Liberal Democrat councillor Claire Bonham called a “botched transition,” Mayor Jason Perry apologized to some parents during a full council meeting last month.
Croydon Council announced on November 30 that it had selected two new suppliers to supply services throughout the borough starting on November 1. Allen Speech and Language will service downtown Croydon, while Better Days will offer therapy in the north and south.
How can parents challenge changes to EHCP-provided SALT?
Parents have the option to dispute changes to EHCP handed speech and language remedy (SALT) by making an appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Tribunal. This appeal route applies to cases where parents differ with opinions about the EHCP, including a turndown to assess, issue or amend the plan, or when the original authority states the child does n’t need the plan any longer.
While the appeals process is ongoing, the EHCP continues in place, icing the child receives the applicable support whilst the SEND Tribunal considers the case.
Parents can bolster their commitment to the case by including substantiation, similar as reports from the child’s preceptors or therapists or other specialists, to punctuate the ongoing requirements for curatives, similar as swab.