Good news for children and young people’s therapies

From the 1 September this year, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Speech & Language Therapy services for children and young people in Hertfordshire will be joining up, bringing together these therapies under one service.

Jointly funded by health and county council, the new service will be provided by Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust and will support children and young people aged 0-18 years of age or up to 25 years if therapy is specified in their Education Health and Care Plan. (This excludes physiotherapy which is only to age 18).

The teams are based across the county in

• North Hertfordshire and Stevenage
• East Hertfordshire
• St Albans and Dacorum
• Watford and Three Rivers

What are the changes in service provision? 

If your child/young person is already known to any of the therapy services they will still receive the support they require and over the next 12 months the existing universal and targeted support offered by the Speech & Language Therapy service (SaLT) will be broadened to include Occupational Therapy (OT).

There will also be increased opportunities for parents and carers to access advice, information and workshops/training.  There is an Advice Line for any queries from parents/carers and professionals. Phone 01992 823093 leaving a message explaining your query and a therapist will contact you.

How to access the service

Sencos, health professionals or another educational professionals can make a referral into the service and if requested as part of an EHCP assessment or plan, SEND Officers will submit the necessary paperwork to the Therapies Service. Any physiotherapy referral must be made by a health professional.

For pre-school children where there are queries regarding speech, language or communication development, families can attend a drop-in screening clinic. Dates for these can be found here on the children’s speech and language service website

There are a number of ways in which you can contact the service or find out more information.

Web: https://www.hct.nhs.uk/our-services/children-young-peoples-therapies-service

Email: hct.cyptherapies1@nhs.net

Telephone:

Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy : 01923 470680

Speech and Language Therapy:                  01992 823193