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ÃÛÌÒAPP > About ÃÛÌÒAPP Hospitals > Information leaflets and helpful resources > The role of autism speech and language therapy team

The role of autism speech and language therapy team

The overall goal of Speech and Language Therapy in Autism is to support the development of real life (functional) communication skills.

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We aim to support the child to establish an accessible and effective means of communicating their feelings, needs and wishes.

We are child and family focused with the child’s interests and strengths at the centre of everything we do.

The specialist autism speech and language therapist will be involved in:

  • Holistic assessment and differential diagnosis of the child’s speech, language and communication needs.
  • Supporting the development of the child’s speech, language and communication skills
  • Delivering support pathways alongside the child’s important people e.g., parent, carer and / or school staff.

After getting to know the child and family, we deliver evidence-based approaches with parents, carers and/or school staff. These include:

  • Play-based support to develop adult confidence in being an effective communication partner, using video feedback where appropriate (as per NICE guidelines, 2001)
  • Communication-focussed support to enable the child to express themselves using a range of different modes e.g., speech, symbols, signs or technology.
  • Speech and language-focussed support including modelling strategies to those working closely with the child in school.

We will also:

  • Jointly set goals and formulate plans with key people e.g., parents and education staff.
  • Where appropriate, contribute towards the child’s Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) by submitting reports and recommendations.
  • Liaising with other professionals e.g., Children and Young People’s Services (CYPS), education psychology, occupational therapy, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Outreach Services (SENDOS).