£2.3m for speech and language therapy in Wiltshire

Council agrees additional investment to address in increased demand in schools and early years settings 

Wiltshire Council has agreed investment of £2,280,000 to bolster the service provided to children and young people with speech, language and communication needs. Direct therapy will be offered in schools and early years settings, with support for educators through training and resources. 

The money is being invested over the two-year contract period, with the current contract due to expire in March 2025. 

It is desperately needed because caseloads have continued to grow year on year, with increasingly complex referrals. Between 2020 and 2023, caseload sizes increased by 1,058. Though figures for March 2023 showed some slight reduction in total numbers of referrals, the trend is for children and young people to require longer periods of care. 

As well as providing training and support in educational settings, the local authority will establish a dedicated service to support children and young people in education. This will be in line with the council’s new special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision strategy, and its broader agenda to transform SEND provision in the area.  

Through the new investment, a qualified speech and language lead will work alongside the service provider to deliver an early help model, addressing children’s needs at the earliest opportunity – as well as meeting statutory requirements and reflecting the council’s commitment to provide proactive, accessible support for families, educators and children. 

When the current contract comes to an end next year, the council will commission a service separately from Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) Integrated Care Board, aiming to provide greater clarity and focus in meeting the needs of service users. 

Cllr Jane Davies, Cabinet Member for SEND at Wiltshire Council, says: ‘Families and children deserve a service that meets their needs without requiring them to retell their story repeatedly. This investment ensures that children and young people, through their education settings, can access support when and where they need it most. In our business plan we state we want people in Wiltshire to lead full, healthy, and enriched lives. This commitment reflects our dedication to providing the right services at the right time.’   

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