Jo Frederick Speech & Language

I have 15 years’ experience as a children’s speech and language therapist, and 6 years experience as a parent. I have worked for the NHS in a range of settings, including hospital clinics, primary and secondary mainstream schools and special schools. As well as working with individual children, teenagers and their families I have organised speech, language and communication groups in schools and nurseries. I am currently the speech and language therapist working with students who have communication needs at Brooksby Meltlon College.

Learning to communicate is an important building block in a child’s development. It helps them to communicate their needs, make friends and learn skills such as negotiation, problem solving and is the basis for literacy skills.

Every child is unique and, therefore, all children develop at different paces with different skills and challenges. For some children learning to communicate does not come easily or is an ongoing difficulty. This can happen for a number of different reasons, and can leave children and parents feeling frustrated and isolated.

Many children and young people with communication difficulties can be helped to develop their communication skills or be supported to communicate in a different way by a speech and language therapist. We can also give practical advice or training to parents, carers and other professionals about how best to support youngsters with communication difficulties.