FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Please click on the links below to find out the information relating
to the question.
If you need further information about any speech and language impairment
issue please contact our Helpline.
About Afasic
Where does the name 'Afasic' come from?
Diagnostic Terms
What do 'speech', 'language' and 'communication' mean?
What is a speech and language impairment?
What is a specific speech and language impairment?
What is the differerence between a speech and/or language
delay and a speech and/or language disorder?
What do 'receptive' and 'expressive' language mean?
Are there any other types of speech and language impairment?
Speech and language therapy
What is speech and language therapy?
What is a speech and language therapist?
Who can make a referral to the local NHS speech and language
therapy service?
Terms associated with special educational needs (SEN)
What does special educational needs mean?
What is School/Early Years Action? (England/Wales)
What is School/Early Years Action Plus? (England/Wales)
What are the school-based stages of support in Northern
Ireland?
Are there school-based stages in Scotland?
What is an Individual Education Plan (IEP)?
What is a Statement of Special Educational Needs?
What is statutory assessment?
What is a note in lieu? (not applicable to Scotland)
What does an Annual Review involve?
What does Transition mean?
What is the Tribunal
What is a Language Unit?
Benefits
Do children with speech and language impairments qualify
for DLA? How do you apply?
About Afasic
Where does the name 'Afasic' come from?
When Afasic was set up in 1968, it was called The Association for all
Speech-Impaired Children, or A.F.A.S.I.C for short. The acronym seemed
particularly apposite because children with speech and language impairments
were at that time often described as being aphasic or having aphasia (or
dysphasia). The term aphasia is derived from Greek and means 'lacking
speech' or, in the case of dysphasia, 'lacking proper speech'. The terms
aphasic and dysphasic were first, and are still, used to describe people
who have impaired speech and language as a result of an illness such as
a stroke or accident involving severe head injury. The same terms were
then also used to describe children with developmental speech and language
impairments, whose speech in many ways resembled that of people with acquired
dysphasia. Nowadays, most practitioners make a clear distinction between
people with a developmental (innate) disorder, and those whose impairment
is acquired. Generally, the term 'speech and language impairment' is used
for children with developmental difficulties, but some paediatricians
still talk about 'developmental dysphasia'.
For more information: Glossary
sheet no. 17
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Diagnostic Terms
What do 'speech', 'language' and 'communication' mean?
Some professionals do seem to use these terms interchangeably to mean
the same thing. Others will use just one of these terms for any type of
speech or language difficulty. However, many speech and language therapists
make a clear distinction between the three terms which parents often find
helpful. Where the distinction is made, speech refers to the ability to
articulate the sounds that make up language ('b', 'w', 'sh' etc.) clearly
and accurately. Language is about understanding and using words and putting
them together to make meaningful sentences and larger chunks of language.
Communication refers to the appropriate use of language to facilitate
effective interaction between people. N.B. It is estimated that as much
as 80% of human interaction is non-verbal, involving gestures, facial
expressions etc. Many people with communication difficulties have poor
non-verbal communication skills, as well as difficulty with communication
through language.
For more information see website
page on speech and language difficulties, Lost
for Words, glossary sheets
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What is a speech and language impairment?
This means having a difficulty with one or more aspects of speech and/or
language.
For more information see (hyperlink): website
page on speech and language difficulties, Lost
for Words, glossary sheets, and Getting
extra help for your child's speech and language
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What is a specific speech and language impairment?
Where a child's difficulties are solely with speech or language, this
is generally described as a primary and specific speech and/or language
impairment or specific speech and/or language impairment. Specific in
this context means that the difficulties are confined to speech and/or
language. Where a speech and language impairment is associated with other
problems such as intellectual or physical disability, hearing loss, emotional
problems or social deprivation it is often described as a secondary speech
and/or language impairment.
For more information see: website
page speech and language impairments, and Glossary
Sheet no.1 Specific language impairment
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What is the difference between a speech and/or language delay and a
speech and/or language disorder?
Strictly speaking, a delay means that children are learning to talk normally,
but at a much slower rate than other children, whereas a disorder means
that speech or language is developing in an unusual or abnormal way. Having
said that, some professionals do not make a clear distinction between
speech and language delay and disorder, while others use the term delay
to describe any type of speech and language difficulty. It should be noted
that in some cases, especially where very young children are concerned,
it can be impossible to be sure if a language difficulty is a delay or
a disorder. In this situation, the term specific speech and/or language
impairment might be used as a handy 'catch-all'. However, some professionals
use the term specific speech or language impairment exclusively to refer
to a speech or language disorder.
For more information see: Glossary
Sheet No.3 Developmental language delay/developmental language disorder
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What do 'receptive' and 'expressive' language mean?
Receptive language means the ability to understand or comprehend language
heard or read. Expressive language means being able to put thoughts into
words and sentences, in a way that makes sense and is grammatically accurate.
If children have a speech and language impairment, it might affect their
expressive language or their receptive language, or both, to a greater
or lesser degree.
For more information see: website
page on speech and language impairments, Glossary Sheets No.15
Expressive Language Difficulties and No.22
Comprehension or receptive language difficulties
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Are there any other types of speech and language impairment?
The Afasic glossary sheets nos. 5-27 describe a range of specific speech
and language impairments, and a number of other conditions that impact
on the development of speech and language impairment.
For more information see: Glossary
Sheets
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Speech and Language Therapy
What is speech and language therapy?
Speech and language therapy is an intervention service for children and
young people (and adults) with communication difficulties, (and also eating
and drinking difficulties). The aim of therapy is to enable children and
young people to reach their fullest potential in terms of their speech,
language and communication development, which in turn will enable them
to function and participate more fully in all aspects of daily life. It
is sometimes mistakenly thought that speech and language therapy is only
for children with articulation difficulties or conditions such as a stammer.
In fact, speech and language therapy can benefit children and young people
with all types of speech, language or communication impairment, including
difficulties with understanding language or maintaining conversations.
For more information see: website
page: Help for speech and language impaired children, and Getting
extra help for your child's speech and language
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What is a speech and language therapist?
Speech and language therapists are trained to diagnose and treat speech,
language and communication impairments in children or adults, though the
majority work with children. Practising speech and language therapists
must have qualified by studying an accredited course at a university or
other higher education institution, and must be registered with the Health
Professions Council. Most speech and language therapists work for the
NHS, in local trusts, but some work privately and a few work in hospitals
or special schools.
For more information: website
page Help for children with speech and language impairments, and Getting
extra help for your child's speech and language
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Who can make a referral to the local NHS speech and language therapy
service?
Children can be referred by:
- Their parents or carer
- Their health visitor or GP
- Their school
Professionals should seek the permission of the child's parents before
making a referral.
For more information: website
page: Help for speech and language impaired children, and Getting
extra help for your child's speech and language
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Terms associated with special educational needs (SEN)
What does special educational needs mean?
Children have special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty
or disability which means that they need educational provision that is
additional to, or different from, the educational provision that is generally
available in local mainstream schools. Children below 5 are also considered
to have SEN if they either
- Already need support that it is additional to, or different from, the
provision generally available in mainstream nurseries
- Would need extra support or different provision at school if they did
not receive it sooner
It is thought that up to 1 in 5 children has SEN at some point during
their time at school. As a speech and language impairment usually makes
it harder for children to learn and to interact effectively with other
children and adults (which is a fundamental part of school life), most
children with speech and language impairments would be considered to have
SEN.
In Scotland, the term additional support needs (ASN) has replaced
the term special educational needs. The principal difference is that ASN
is not confined to children whose need for special attention arises from
a disability or learning difficulty but could result from a range of factors
e.g. having been in hospital a long time, or been traumatised by the death
of a close family member.
For more information: Accessing
speech and language therapy for your child: a guide to the law (England/Wales
only), Choosing a
School (not N. Ireland), news
page on Afasic Scotland site
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What is School/Early Years Action? (England/Wales)
Children with SEN are described as receiving support through School Action
if the special provision they receive is provided from within the school's
own resources. This might include:
- The implementation of a programme of special strategies
- Additional training for staff
- The use of specialised learning materials or equipment
- Some small group work
- Some individual support, perhaps from a learning support assistant
Parents should be always be consulted and kept fully informed about any
decision that their child has SEN, what action is taken to support their
child, and the outcomes of that action.
Where a child attends a state-funded early years setting (pre-school or
nursery) the term Early Years Action is used rather than School Action.
N.B. Private schools and nurseries are not obliged to use the terms School
or Early Years Action or to provide the sort of support they encompass,
though some may choose to do so.
For more information: Accessing
speech and language therapy for your child: a guide to the law, and
Choosing a School
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What is School/Early Years Action Plus? (England/Wales)
When children receive support through School Action Plus, outside specialists
work closely with the school in assessing the children's needs and progress,
drawing up an individualised programme for them, and possibly providing
support directly. In the case of a child with speech and language impairments,
the specialists most likely to be involved are one or more of the following:
- Speech and language therapist
- Advisory teacher of children with speech and language impairments
- Educational Psychologist
As with School Action, parents should be fully informed and consulted
about their child's progress and the support they receive.
Where a child attends a state-funded early years setting (pre-school or
nursery) the term Early Years Action Plus is used rather than School Action
Plus.
N.B. Private schools and nurseries are not obliged to use the terms School/Early
Years Action Plus, or to provide the type of support they encompass, though
some may choose to do so.
For more information: Accessing
speech and language therapy for your child: a guide to the law, and
Choosing a School
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What are the school-based stages of support in Northern Ireland?
In Northern Ireland, there are three school-based stages of support.
-At Stage 1, teachers identify and register a child's SEN and, consulting
the school's SEN Co-ordinator, take initial action.
- At Stage 2, the SENCO takes lead responsibility for collecting and recording
information and for co-ordinating the child's SEN, working with the child's
teachers
- At Stage 3, the teachers and SENCO are supported by specialists from
outside the school
Parents should be fully informed and consulted at all stages of the process.
State-funded pre-school settings (nurseries, playgroups) should use the
same stages as schools. Private nurseries and schools are not obliged
to use the school-based stages, though they may choose to do so.
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Are there school-based stages in Scotland?
The new Code of Practice: Supporting Children's Learning describes three
school-based stages of support.
§ Internal Support - support and/or planning provided from within the
school's own resources, although a multi-agency team might be involved
in monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of the support.
§ External Support from within Education - support and/or planning provided
from other education professionals not based within the school, e.g. educational
psychologist or advisory teacher. As with internal support, a multi-disciplinary
team might be involved in monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of
the support.
§ External Support - Multi-agency - support and/or planning involving
professionals working for other agencies, e.g. speech and language therapists.
All professionals involved in delivering the support should also be involved
in monitoring and reviewing its effectiveness. Parents should also be
included in this process.
For more information: Afasic Scotland website page
news
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What is an Individual Education Plan (IEP)?
Schools and nurseries should draw up an IEP for all children identified
as having SEN (or ASN in Scotland) detailing any support they should receive
specifically to address their special needs. IEPS should be reviewed regularly,
generally 2 - 3 times per year, and parents should be fully involved in
the process of issuing and reviewing IEPs.
In Scotland IEP stands for Individualised Educational Programme
rather than the English/Welsh Individual Education Plan. Apart from its
name, however, it is a broadly similar document.
In N. Ireland the term Education Plan (EP) is used to mean much
the same thing as IEP. The Code of Practice advises that children on stages
2 and 3 should have an EP, and it is generally considered good practice
for schools to draw up EPs for children with statements as well.
N.B. There is no obligation on private schools and nurseries to use IEPs
or EPs, though some may choose to do so.
For more information: Accessing
speech and language therapy for your child: a guide to the law (England/Wales
only)
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What is a Statement of Special Educational Needs?
A statement is a legal document issued by the local education authority
(LEA) or Board (in N. Ireland) for children whose SEN cannot be met by
the resources generally available to local mainstream schools. As few
mainstream schools are able to access more than occasional speech and
language therapy, children with speech and language impairments who need
regular and ongoing therapy will in most cases be entitled to, and should
have, the protection of a statement. The statement should set out what
a child's SEN are, and what support the LEA/Board will provide to meet
those needs. It is legally binding on the LEA/Board, and so carries far
more force than IEPs (or EPs in N. Ireland), which are just internal working
documents for schools. Before drawing up a statement, the LEA/Board must
first go through a process known as statutory assessment (q.v.). This
is a legal requirement. There is no lower age limit for statements. Children
as young as two and, in some cases younger, can have statements if their
needs mean that they qualify. Statements do, however, cease when a child
leaves school and LEAs/Boards may cease to maintain a statement sooner
than that if they consider that the child no longer needs one.
In Scotland education authorities are required to draw up a similar
document known as a Co-ordinated Support Plan (CSP) for children who have
ongoing ASN arising from multiple or complex factors and who need support
from other services as well as education. This should include many children
with speech and language impairments, as speech and language therapy is
generally provided by the health service.
For more information: Accessing
speech and language therapy for your child: a guide to the law (England
and Wales only), The
Proposed Statement (England and Wales only), Choosing
a school (not N. Ireland), CSIE
Summary (England and Wales only), Scottish website page: news
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What is statutory assessment?
LEAs or Boards (in N. Ireland) must carry out a formal or statutory assessment
of a child's SEN, if it seems likely that his or her needs cannot be met
by a local mainstream school from within their own resources. The statutory
assessment process is designed to establish exactly what the child's needs
are and whether or not he or she requires a statement (q.v.).
In Scotland, EAs should also follow a formal assessment procedure
to establish whether a child or young person requires a CSP and, if so,
its contents.
For more information: CSIE
summary (England and Wales only), Afasic Scotland website page: news
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What is a note in lieu? (not applicable to Scotland)
If, after carrying out a statutory assessment (q.v.), the LEA/Board decide
not to draft a statement (q.v.), they may issue a note in lieu, or, more
fully, a note in lieu of a statement. A note in lieu may resemble a statement,
setting out in some detail a child's special educational needs and the
support he or she should have. Unlike a statement, though, it has no legal
force, and does not necessarily provide any additional funding to meet
the child's needs. Parents who are unhappy about the decision not to issue
a statement for their child have a right of appeal to the Tribunal (q.v.).
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What does an Annual Review involve?
LEAs and Boards must review all statements of special educational needs
(q.v.) at least annually (or every 6 months in the case of a child under
five). The purpose of an annual review is to obtain and integrate a variety
of perspectives on a child's progress, to ensure that he or she is achieving
the desired outcomes and, if necessary, to amend the statement to reflect
newly identified needs and provision. If the statement's objectives have
been achieved, the LEA/Board will in most cases conclude that they should
discontinue the statement. The annual review in year 9 is particularly
important as it begins to prepare for the young person's transition to
further education, the world of work and adult life.
Similarly, in Scotland education authorities must formally review
Co-ordinated Support Plans at least every 12 months to determine whether
the child still needs a CSP and, if so, whether it needs to be amended.
For more information: CSIE
summary (England and Wales only), Afasic Scotland webpage news
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What does Transition mean?
The term transition can be used to mean any change in phases of education,
e.g. from primary to secondary school, or from infants to juniors. It
is often, however, used to refer specifically to the period from year
9 or about the age of 14 onwards, when preparations start to be made for
the young person's move from school and other children's services to adult
life.
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What is the Tribunal?
England, Wales, N.Ireland and Scotland each have their own
Tribunal, which hears appeals (or references in Scotland) from parents
against education authorities' decisions about issues relating to statutory
assessment (q.v.), statements (q.v.) and co-ordinated support plans (q.v.).
In England, Wales and N. Ireland, the Tribunal also hears
claims of disability discrimination against schools.
Tribunals are independent bodies. Appeals or references are heard by a
panel comprising a chair (or convener in Scotland) who is legally qualified
and two members who have experience of SEN (or ASN in Scotland). The tribunals
have a permanent location, where some hearings take place, but hearings
are held at various locations around the country, and are arranged so
that parents do not have to travel too far to attend a hearing. It is
possible to claim travel expenses incurred in attending a hearing.
During the hearing, both sides are given the opportunity to present their
case, and the panel will ask questions. Hearings are generally allocated
half a day, and most are completed within this time. Some more complex
cases, though, might take a whole day.
Appeals (or references in Scotland) to the Tribunal must be lodged
within 2 months of the decision that is the subject of the appeal being
made. The Tribunal's decision is notified to both parties in writing about
two weeks after the hearing. The decision is binding on both parents and
education authority and must be implemented within certain time-scales
that are set out in law. For more information: CSIE
summary, and Afasic Scotland webpage news
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What is a Language Unit?
A language unit, resource or base provides the specialised teaching and
speech and language therapy that children with severe speech and language
impairments need. A traditional unit caters typically for 8-10 children
and is staffed by a specialist teacher, a skilled learning support assistant
and a speech and language therapist who provides the intensive therapy
the children need. In recent years, however, language units have become
more diverse, often varying considerably in their levels of staffing,
the number of children they cater for and the amount of time children
spend in the unit. Language units aim wherever possible to enable children
to progress to a mainstream school with or without support as required.
Some children, however, need to attend language units throughout their
time at school, and others might go on to special schools for children
with speech and language impairments, or other types of special school,
if their diagnosis or learning profile changes. For more information:
What is a language
unit?, and Choosing
a school
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Benefits
Do children with speech and language impairments qualify for DLA?
How do you apply?
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a social security benefit designed
to help pay for the extra costs that having a disability entails. It is
not means-tested and can be claimed by both adults and children. In the
case of children, parents are generally responsible for applying for the
benefit and receiving the payments.
A significant speech and language impairment is a sufficiently severe
disability to qualify for DLA. However, demonstrating this on an application
form is not necessarily straightforward. So Afasic has published a leaflet
to guide parents through the application process, called Claiming benefits
for children with speech and language impairments. hyperlink
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