Barnsley Children’s Speech and Language Therapy is part of
South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
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Barnsley Children’s Speech and Language Therapy

Supporting older children

As children become young adults, the speech and language therapy team try to help them take part in making decisions e.g. we might ask what they like to work on in therapy.

From age 16, we must follow the Mental Capacity Act 2005.  The law says that we must ‘have regard’ for this Act.

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 says that we must follow 5 key principles:

  1. We must assume that young people can make their own decisions – unless someone can prove that they cannot do this.
  2. We must take every step possible to help them to make their own decisions.
  3. We cannot say the young person is unable to make a decision just because they make an unwise decision.
  4. If we decide that the young person cannot make a decision, then we must make any decisions in their best interests.
  5. If we make a decision to do something, we must do it in a way that is the least restrictive for the young person.

For more information about the Mental Capacity Act, please read:

The therapist has to decide if the young person has the capacity to make their own decisions about therapy.  If they have capacity we need their permission to share this information with parents, carers and professionals. This means we can only liaise with other people if they allow us to do so and we can only provide intervention with the their consent.

 Young people may access Children’s Speech and Language Therapy until their 18th birthday.  They will then be discharged from this service.  If they still need help they will be referred to adult services.

Moving from Children’s Services to Adults’ Services

Not all young people will need further speech and language therapy support.  If they do, we can help with the move to adult services.

  • We will provide a written report on discharge from the Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Service.
  • If they move directly to adult services, we can offer a joint visit with the new service.
  • We will include this information about changing services in annual review reports and discharge reports from year 9 to leaving school.

Speech and Language Therapy Services for adults in Barnsley

There are two NHS services for adults with speech and language therapy needs in Barnsley:

Young people must meet the criteria for these services.  You can find out more information from through the relevant links

Further information

Click here to download information leaflet:  supporting young people to make choices about their care

Download easy read leaflet: making choices about your care: speech, language and communication

Download easy read leaflet: making choices about your care: eating, drinking and swallowing

 

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