Speech and language therapy factsheets

Adult mental health and speech and language therapy (PDF)
Speech, language, communication and swallowing problems are often associated with mental ill health in adults. 

Alternative provision (PDF)
Speech and language therapists support pupils in alternative provision. 

Behaviour and communication (PDF)
There are important links between speech, language and communication needs and behaviour. 

Children and young people (PDF)
Communication difficulties put children at greater risk of poor literacy, mental health issues and poorer employment outcomes in adulthood. 

Children and young people’s mental health services (PDF)
Speech and language therapists have an important role to play at every level of children and young people’s mental health services. 

Children and young people who have experienced adversity and trauma (PDF)
Many children and young people who have experienced adversity or trauma, or who don’t have secure attachment to their caregivers, have speech, language and communication needs. 

Cleft lip and palate and related disorders (PDF)
Speech and language therapists play an important role supporting people with cleft lip and palate and related disorders. 

Communication needs (PDF)
What are speech, language and communication needs. 

Craniosynostosis (PDF)
Speech and language therapy supports people with craniosynostosis and their families. 

Cuts to speech and language therapy services (PDF)
What does this mean for SLTs and the people they work with? 

Dementia (PDF)
Speech and language therapists support people with dementia who have communication and swallowing needs. 

Developmental language disorder (PDF)
Giving voice to people with developmental language disorder (DLD). 

Dysphagia (PDF)
Speech and language therapists support people with swallowing difficulties to eat and drink safely. 

Early years (PDF)
Speech and language therapists play a crucial role supporting children in their early years. 

End of life (PDF)
Speech and language therapists play a crucial role supporting people to have a good end of life. 

Infant dysphagia (PDF)
Difficulties with swallowing can cause chest infections, pneumonia, choking, dehydration, malnutrition and weight loss, all of which can impact on a child’s health and quality of life. 

Learning disabilities (PDF)
Speech and language therapy supports people with learning disabilities to communicate, and eat and drink safely. 

Long COVID: Brain fog and communication (PDF)
Information and advice on self management following changes to cognition and thinking post COVID-19.

Long COVID: Reflux (PDF)
Information and advice on self management about ways to reduce reflux.

Long COVID: Stammering (PDF)
Information and advice on self management for people experiencing a change in the fluency of their speech post COVID-19.

Long COVID: Swallowing (PDF)
Information and advice on self management for people who have developed sensitivity or irritation in their throat following COVID-19.

Long COVID: Throat changes after COVID-19 (PDF)
Information and advice on self management for people experiencing throat sensitivity post COVID-19.

Long COVID: Voice (PDF)
Information and advice on self management following changes to the sound of your voice and the effort needed to use it post COVID-19.

Looked-after children (PDF)
Speech and language therapy helps identify and support looked after children’s communication and interaction needs. 

Looked-after children and the Five Good Communication Standards (PDF)
The Five Good Communication Standards can be used to support looked after children and the professionals working with them. 

Mental capacity (PDF)
Speech and language therapists have a key role to play in helping to determine mental capacity. 

Mental health (PDF)
Mental health and the link to communication and swallowing needs. 

Nine quality standards (PDF)
The Five Good Communication Standards can be used to support children’s homes to demonstrate how they are implementing the Nine Quality Standards. 

Parkinson’s (PDF)
SLTs support people affected by Parkinson’s. 

Public health (PDF)
Speech and language therapy plays a crucial role in promoting public health. 

Reducing pressures on urgent and emergency care (PDF)
SLTs play an important part in supporting effective and emergency care. 

Safeguarding (PDF)
Speech and language therapy helps safeguard and promote the welfare of children with communication and interaction needs. 

Promoting social, emotional and mental health (PDF)
Speech and language therapy promotes social, emotional and mental health and wellbeing. 

Supporting social emotional mental health (SEMH) (PDF)
Many children and young people with social, emotional and mental health needs have unidentified communication and interaction difficulties. 

Social, emotional and mental health and wellbeing and the Five Good Communication Standards (PDF)
The Five Good Communication Standards can be used to support children and young people with social, emotional and mental health needs and the professionals working with them. 

Social disadvantage (PDF)
The links between speech, language and communication needs and social disadvantage. 

Speech, Language and Communication Capacity: A National Asset (PDF)
How to grow national assets by breaking the intergenerational cycle of speech, language and communication needs. 

Supporting adults with mental health conditions (PDF) 

Speech and language therapists play an important role supporting adults with mental health conditions. 

Supporting people living with motor neurone disease (PDF)
Speech and language therapists support people living with motor neurone disease. 

Supporting people with head and neck cancer (PDF)
Speech and language therapy support for people with head and neck cancer. 

Supporting people with swallowing difficulties due to head and neck cancer (PDF)
Speech and language therapy plays an important role in supporting and rehabilitating people who have swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) due to a range of head and neck cancers. 

Supporting stroke survivors (PDF)
Speech and language therapy plays an important role in the rehabilitation and reablement of stroke survivors. 

Supporting virtual school heads (PDF)
Speech and language therapists can play a crucial role supporting virtual school heads to promote the educational achievement of looked after children. 

Tips on wearing face coverings (PDF) 
Here are some tips on how to communicate when wearing face coverings. 

Upper airway disorder (PDF)
Speech and language therapists support people with upper disorders. 

Video conferencing voice tips (PDF)
Here are some handy tips from speech and language therapists on voice care when video conferencing. 

Voice banking and message banking (PDF)
Speech and language therapists can support people with voice banking and message banking. 

Voice care (PDF)
Speech and language therapists help people protect their voice. 

What is speech and language therapy? (PDF) 

For more information, see our clinical guidance pages.