Child Speech & Language Therapy Assessment
Welcome to Lycali. This guide explains each stage of your child's Speech and Language Therapy assessment, from registration and pre-assessment questionnaires through to the clinical assessment, report, recommendations and any further support.
Important: Before Your Child's Assessment
All required registration, consent, developmental history, speech and language, and any requested educational-setting forms must be completed before the relevant assessment session can take place.
Please read your welcome letter, terms and conditions and invoice carefully. If mandatory documentation remains outstanding, your child's assessment may need to be rearranged.
At a Glance
Follow the stages below to understand your child's assessment pathway.
Initial Enquiry & Registration
Once you contact Lycali, our team will review your enquiry and discuss the most appropriate Speech and Language Therapy assessment pathway for your child.
We may ask about your child's communication development, strengths, current difficulties, previous support and your priorities for assessment.
If you decide to proceed, you will be asked to complete our registration process so your child can be securely registered on our clinical management system.
- Child and parent/carer contact details.
- GP information.
- Developmental and medical background.
- Current educational setting.
- Previous Speech and Language Therapy provision.
- Communication and accessibility requirements.
- Consent preferences and parental responsibility information.
Please check that all information is accurate and let us know if your child needs any reasonable adjustments or additional support.
Your Welcome Letter & Documents
Following registration, Lycali will issue a welcome letter outlining the next steps of your child's assessment.
Your welcome information will include the following important documents.
Terms & Conditions
Information about our services, appointments, payments, cancellations, non-attendance and responsibilities.
Invoice
Confirmation of the agreed assessment fee, payment instructions and additional charges, if they apply.
Consent to Treatment
Consent documentation for your child's assessment, to be completed by the appropriate person where required.
Please read your documentation, complete and return the required forms, including the Consent to Treatment form, and follow the payment instructions in your invoice.
All mandatory forms must be completed before any assessment session is carried out.
Payment & Assessment Booking
Your invoice will confirm the agreed fee for your child's Speech and Language Therapy assessment, together with payment instructions.
Once payment has been received and the required documentation completed, Lycali can progress your child's assessment booking.
Our administration team will confirm the appointment date, time, location or online format where appropriate, and any preparation requirements.
Please ensure all requested questionnaires and consent documentation have been submitted.
The Speech and Language Therapist will review the information provided to help plan an assessment that reflects your child's communication needs.
Pre-Assessment Questionnaires Through WriteUpp
Before your child's assessment, parents/carers will be asked to complete questionnaires that help our Speech and Language Therapist understand their development, communication strengths and needs.
All required questionnaires will be issued through WriteUpp, Lycali's clinical management system.
You will receive the relevant questionnaire links separately. Please complete them as soon as they are issued.
Child Developmental History Questionnaire
This questionnaire gathers information about your child's development, communication, health, education, family background and everyday functioning.
It helps us consider the wider developmental context and any previous support or assessments.
Speech, Language & Communication Questionnaire
This questionnaire explores your child's communication strengths and needs, including understanding spoken language, expressive language, speech sound development, social communication and functional communication.
It may also explore attention, listening, interaction, confidence and communication across home and educational environments.
Please set aside enough uninterrupted time to complete each questionnaire carefully in one sitting.
Questionnaires cannot be saved part-way through and cannot be resubmitted once submitted.
Please check your responses before selecting Submit.
Allow Enough Time
Have relevant developmental and communication information available before starting.
Cannot Save Progress
Partially completed questionnaires cannot be saved and resumed later.
One Submission Only
Once submitted, the questionnaire cannot be resubmitted using the same form link.
If you would like a copy of submitted questionnaire responses, please contact Lycali.
We can share a copy, subject to appropriate identity and information-sharing checks.
If you notice an error after submitting a questionnaire, please contact our team so the information can be addressed.
All required WriteUpp questionnaires, registration documentation and consent forms must be completed before your child's assessment session can take place.
Missing forms may mean the appointment needs to be rearranged.
Educational Setting Information
Where appropriate, Lycali may request additional information from your child's nursery, school, college or other educational setting.
This helps us understand how your child communicates and participates across different environments.
This may include a teacher, SENCo, key worker, teaching assistant, learning support lead or another professional who knows your child well.
Any educational-setting questionnaire required by Lycali will be issued through WriteUpp.
What Information May Be Helpful?
- Teacher observations and concerns.
- Speech, language and communication strengths.
- Understanding and following classroom instructions.
- Expressive language and participation.
- Peer communication and social interaction.
- Previous Speech and Language Therapy reports.
- SENCo input and support plans.
- EHCP documentation where relevant.
- Existing classroom strategies or interventions.
Information will only be requested or shared in accordance with appropriate consent and information governance arrangements.
If a WriteUpp questionnaire is issued to an educational professional, they should allow enough time to complete it in one sitting.
Questionnaires cannot be saved part-way through or resubmitted once completed.
Any educational-setting information identified as mandatory must be received before the relevant session.
Your Child's Speech & Language Therapy Assessment
During the assessment, the Speech and Language Therapist will explore your child's individual communication profile, strengths and support needs.
Assessments are adapted according to age, developmental level, presenting difficulties and communication preferences.
- Parent/carer interview and discussion.
- Play-based or structured communication observations.
- Formal standardised assessments where appropriate.
- Informal assessment activities.
- Speech sound production and clarity.
- Understanding spoken language and instructions.
- Expressive language and sentence development.
- Vocabulary and word finding.
- Narrative and storytelling skills.
- Attention, listening and language processing.
- Social communication and interaction.
- Functional communication across everyday settings.
- Literacy-related language skills where relevant.
Your child should attend the assessment appointment.
Parents/carers will usually be asked to attend all or part of the appointment to share additional information and provide support where appropriate.
The therapist will confirm attendance arrangements beforehand.
We recognise that some children may need additional time to become comfortable, prefer particular communication methods or benefit from breaks and adaptations.
Please tell us about any needs that may help us make the assessment accessible and supportive for your child.
Depending on your child's needs, assessment may take place over more than one session. Any additional appointments and associated fees will be discussed before they are arranged.
Assessment Report, Feedback & Recommendations
Following completion of the assessment, your Speech and Language Therapist will review the findings and prepare a written report in accordance with the agreed service arrangements.
The report will provide an overview of your child's communication profile and practical recommendations for supporting their needs.
- Relevant developmental and educational history.
- Information provided by parents/carers.
- Educational-setting information where available.
- Formal and informal assessment findings.
- Speech sound and language profile.
- Social and functional communication observations.
- Individual communication strengths and areas of need.
- Clinical interpretation of the findings.
- Practical strategies for home and education.
- Suggested communication goals where appropriate.
- Therapy recommendations and next steps.
You will have the opportunity to discuss the findings and recommendations through the feedback arrangements agreed for your assessment.
The assessment does not automatically mean that ongoing therapy will be recommended.
Recommendations will reflect your child's individual communication profile and may include direct intervention, indirect support, environmental adaptations or monitoring.
Therapy & Next Steps
Following your child's assessment, your therapist will discuss the most appropriate next steps based on the findings.
Lycali provides personalised, needs-led Speech and Language Therapy support for children and young people.
- Direct therapy with your child.
- Parent/carer coaching and practical advice.
- School consultation and staff guidance.
- Home and school communication programmes.
- Speech sound therapy.
- Receptive and expressive language intervention.
- Vocabulary and narrative development.
- Social and functional communication support.
- Communication aids or resources where appropriate.
- Environmental adjustments.
- Review or follow-up appointments.
- Onward referrals where additional assessment or support may be helpful.
Speech and Language Therapy sessions are not automatically included within the assessment fee unless specifically agreed as part of your package.
Any recommended ongoing sessions and associated fees will be discussed separately before booking.
You can find more information about Lycali's Speech and Language Therapy services using the link below.
Assessment Fees & Additional Charges (If They Apply)
The cost of your child's Speech and Language Therapy assessment will be confirmed before booking and outlined in your invoice.
Please refer to our published fees page for current assessment fees and payment options.
Some appointments may involve additional travel or external clinic hire costs.
These charges do not apply to every appointment or assessment.
They may apply where a therapist needs to travel to a home, school or other agreed location, or where external clinic facilities must be hired away from Lycali's main Broadstairs base.
If additional charges apply, they will be confirmed before booking and clearly outlined in your invoice.
Cancellation & Non-Attendance Policy
Lycali operates a 24-hour cancellation policy for booked assessment sessions.
Please let us know as early as possible if your child cannot attend the appointment.
At Least 24 Hours' Notice
Please provide at least 24 hours' notice if you need to cancel or rearrange an appointment.
The full late-cancellation charge will not apply where sufficient notice is given.
Less Than 24 Hours' Notice
Appointments cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice are chargeable at the full booked session rate.
This is because clinical time has been reserved for your child's assessment.
Did Not Attend (DNA)
A scheduled assessment session missed without cancellation will be recorded as a Did Not Attend (DNA).
DNA appointments are charged at the full booked session rate.
How to Cancel
Please contact Lycali's administration team as soon as you know the appointment cannot go ahead.
Email: info@lycali.co.uk
Please refer to your welcome letter and terms and conditions for full cancellation arrangements, including any applicable statutory rights.
Useful Links & Information
Find out more about Lycali's Speech and Language Therapy services, clinicians, appointment locations and fees.
Need Support?
If you have questions about registration, questionnaires, educational information, appointment arrangements, assessment fees or future therapy, please contact Lycali.
If you experience difficulty accessing questionnaires issued through WriteUpp or would like a copy of submitted responses, our administration team can assist.
Email: info@lycali.co.uk
Website: www.lycali.co.uk
All required registration, consent, pre-assessment and requested educational-setting forms must be completed before your child's relevant assessment session can take place.
All questionnaires will be issued through WriteUpp. Please allow sufficient uninterrupted time to complete them in one sitting, as they cannot be saved or resubmitted.
Please review your appointment confirmation, invoice, any additional charges (if they apply) and cancellation policy before attending.