Child Speech & Language Therapy Sessions
Thank you for choosing Lycali. We understand how important it is to find the right support for your child. This guide explains the steps involved in getting started, the information we need before your appointments, what therapy may involve, and our booking and cancellation arrangements.
Important: Before Your Child's First Appointment
All required registration, consent and pre-appointment forms must be completed and submitted before any session can take place.
Please read your welcome letter carefully, ensure the necessary paperwork has been returned, and follow the payment instructions outlined in your invoice and terms and conditions.
Missing documentation may result in your appointment needing to be rearranged.
Your Lycali Therapy Pathway
From registration through to ongoing support, here is what you can expect.
Registration
The first step is completing Lycali's registration process. This allows us to gather the essential personal, contact and administrative information needed to set up your child's record and arrange their Speech and Language Therapy provision.
Once your registration has been received and processed, our administration team will provide the next stage of your booking information.
- All requested registration information is completed accurately.
- Your contact details are correct and up to date.
- Any relevant accessibility, communication or additional support needs are shared with us.
- You inform us of any changes that may affect your child's appointments.
Your Welcome Letter & Booking Documents
Following registration, you will receive a welcome letter from Lycali explaining the arrangements for your child's therapy and outlining the next steps before appointments begin.
Your welcome information will include the following important documents:
Terms & Conditions
Important information about your engagement with Lycali, bookings, payments, cancellations and service arrangements.
Invoice
Confirmation of the agreed fees, payment arrangements and any applicable additional costs.
Consent to Treatment
A form providing the necessary consent for your child to receive the agreed Speech and Language Therapy services.
Please read all documentation carefully and complete and return the required forms, including the Consent to Treatment form, before your child's appointment.
We cannot carry out a session until all mandatory forms have been completed. Please also ensure that payments are made in accordance with the invoice and agreed terms.
If you have any questions about the documentation, payment arrangements or the service being offered, please contact us before your appointment.
Pre-Therapy Questionnaires Through WriteUpp
Before your child's first session, Lycali may request information through our clinical management system, WriteUpp.
All required pre-therapy questionnaires will be issued directly by Lycali through WriteUpp. You will receive the relevant questionnaire links separately.
These may include a developmental history questionnaire and a Speech, Language and Communication questionnaire, depending on your child's needs.
The questionnaires help your therapist understand your child's developmental background, communication strengths, current difficulties, previous support, and the outcomes you would like therapy to achieve.
Please Read Before Starting a Questionnaire
1. Allow Enough Time
Please set aside uninterrupted time to complete each questionnaire in one sitting. Some questionnaires may require detailed information about your child's development.
2. Responses Cannot Be Saved
You cannot save a partially completed questionnaire and return to it later. Please have the information you need available before starting.
3. One Submission Only
Once submitted, a questionnaire cannot be resubmitted using the same form link. Please review your answers carefully before selecting Submit.
If you would like to keep a copy of the answers you have submitted, please contact Lycali. We can share a copy of your submitted questionnaire responses with you, subject to appropriate identity and information-sharing checks.
If you realise an answer needs correcting after submission, please contact our administration team rather than attempting to resubmit the questionnaire.
All questionnaires requested by Lycali must be completed before your child's first therapy session.
Your Child's First Therapy Session
The first appointment provides an opportunity for the therapist to get to know your child, understand their communication profile and identify priorities for support.
The therapist will consider the information provided in the registration process, questionnaires and any relevant previous reports.
- Discuss your child's communication strengths and needs.
- Explore your main concerns and priorities.
- Review relevant developmental and educational information.
- Observe communication through play, conversation or structured activities.
- Explore speech, language, attention, listening and interaction.
- Agree initial functional communication goals.
- Provide practical advice and strategies where appropriate.
- Begin identifying a suitable therapy approach.
Where your child has not had a recent Speech and Language Therapy assessment, or their needs are unclear or complex, the therapist may recommend further assessment before starting targeted intervention.
In some circumstances, initial sessions may include informal assessment, observations or baseline measures to help establish appropriate therapy targets.
We recognise that every child communicates differently. Sessions are adapted to individual needs, preferences, developmental levels and communication styles.
Therapy Planning & Goal Setting
Following the initial consultation and any necessary assessment, your therapist will identify meaningful therapy priorities and develop an appropriate intervention plan.
Therapy goals are tailored to your child's individual strengths, needs and everyday communication experiences.
- Speech sound development and clarity.
- Understanding spoken language and instructions.
- Expressive language, vocabulary and sentence development.
- Word finding and narrative skills.
- Attention, listening and processing language.
- Social communication and interaction.
- Functional communication in everyday situations.
- Communication confidence and self-advocacy.
- Use of alternative or augmentative communication where appropriate.
We encourage parents and carers to be involved in therapy planning so that strategies can be understood and supported beyond the therapy environment.
Ongoing Therapy & Progress Reviews
Ongoing sessions are delivered in line with the agreed therapy plan, with activities and approaches adjusted according to your child's progress and changing needs.
- Direct Speech and Language Therapy.
- Structured or play-based therapy activities.
- Parent and carer coaching or guidance.
- Home practice activities and everyday strategies.
- Communication resources and recommendations.
- Advice for nursery or school where appropriate.
- Regular monitoring and adjustment of therapy goals.
- Reviewing outcomes and planning future intervention.
Your therapist will review progress periodically and discuss whether further therapy, a change in approach or a planned break from intervention would be appropriate.
Where beneficial and appropriately consented to, we may recommend communication with teachers, nurseries, schools or other professionals to support consistency across settings.
Fees, Payment & Additional Costs
Lycali provides a range of Speech and Language Therapy services. The cost of your child's support will depend on the type of appointment or intervention agreed.
Please refer to our published fees page for information about our current services, fees and payment options.
View Lycali Fees & Payment OptionsIn some circumstances, additional charges may apply where a clinician is required to travel or where external clinic facilities need to be hired.
This may be relevant to appointments delivered away from Lycali's main Broadstairs base, including certain school, home or alternative clinic appointments.
Any additional travel or clinic hire charges will be confirmed before booking and clearly outlined in your invoice.
Please review your invoice and payment terms carefully before your appointment. If you are uncertain about any charges, contact us before confirming your booking.
Appointment Cancellation & Non-Attendance Policy
We understand that circumstances sometimes change and you may need to cancel or rearrange an appointment.
To help us manage clinician availability and offer appointments to other families, Lycali operates a 24-hour cancellation policy.
Cancellations With At Least 24 Hours' Notice
Please contact Lycali as early as possible if you need to cancel or rearrange your child's session.
Where at least 24 hours' notice is provided, the full late-cancellation charge will not apply.
Cancellations Within 24 Hours
Any appointment cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice will be charged at the full session rate.
This applies because the allocated clinical time has been reserved for your child.
Did Not Attend (DNA)
If your child does not attend a scheduled appointment and no cancellation has been received, this is recorded as a Did Not Attend (DNA).
DNA appointments are chargeable at the full session rate.
How to Cancel an Appointment
Please notify the Lycali administration team as soon as possible if your child cannot attend.
Email: info@lycali.co.uk
Telephone: 01843 264170
Please ensure that you familiarise yourself with the cancellation arrangements contained in your welcome documents and terms and conditions.
Useful Information Before Your Appointment
Find out more about our services, clinical team, locations and fees.
Lycali's main base is in Broadstairs, Kent, although appointments may be offered at other agreed locations or online where appropriate.
Please check your appointment confirmation carefully, as the location may vary depending on the service and clinician.
Need Help Before Your Appointment?
Our administration team is available to help with questions about registration, consent forms, WriteUpp questionnaires, bookings, fees or appointment arrangements.
If you experience difficulty accessing a questionnaire, require a copy of your submitted responses or need assistance completing documentation, please contact us.
Email: info@lycali.co.uk
Telephone: 01843 264170
Website: www.lycali.co.uk
Before attending your child's first therapy session, please ensure all required forms have been submitted, including registration, consent and any WriteUpp questionnaires.
Please also check your invoice, appointment location and cancellation policy so that everything is in place for your child's session.