Early Identification and Intervention to Better Support Children and Young People’s Therapy Needs

This strategy considers the support for children and young people (CYP) presenting with needs in:

• speech, language, and communication
• physical or motor skills
• sensory processing
• independence and self-care

Therapy services reflected within this strategy are:

• speech and language therapy
• occupational therapy
• physiotherapy

This strategy recognises that a range of services play a part in the development of these skills in CYP:

• health services
• education settings
• social care services
• early help provision
• voluntary sector services

The strategy focuses on how these services can help to:

• identify needs and provide support
• recognise that this can be universal or targeted, where suitable support is available
• recognise needs that only specialist therapists with extra training can deliver

It advises the actions needed to identify therapy needs earlier. It suggests areas of work to improve the support offered for CYP who need it.

These actions inform the wider Buckinghamshire SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Improvement Plan and support the delivery of the Graduated Approach locally.

This will reduce the need for specialist support for some children so that therapists are available for those CYP with no other option.