Bi-Borough Speech Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) Advisory Service

There are 2 specialist advisory teachers for speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) working within educational settings in Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea. This includes nursery, primary, secondary schools and colleges. We also provide input for private, voluntary and independent nurseries. 

The team supports children and young people with Developmental Language Disorder (a sub-category of SLCN which effects 2 children in every class) by providing advice and support for school staff and families, enabling them to better meet the needs of children and young people with SLCN/DLD. We do this in close collaboration with the CLCH, NHS  Speech and Language Therapy Service.

What do our SLCN Advisory Teachers do? 

We ensure that we follow neurodiversity-affirming approaches which includes promoting awareness of DLD a neurodiversity often misunderstood or overlooked.  

The advisory teachers support educational settings to enhance their  knowledge of DLD/SCLN and work with staff to develop a communication supportive environment for all children in order to better support those who have additional language learning needs.

Our team can offer bespoke training at school or in the case of reception and year 1 children, they may be eligible for the Confident Communicators programme, which provides additional bespoke support for individual children who meet a set of criteria, through speech and language therapy, group work and general support in class.

Our approach is  based on appreciative enquiry, coaching, and strength-based processes to promote positive outcomes in learning, social and emotional development and well being.

In addition to bespoke training in schools and the Confident Communicators Programme, the advisory teachers can offer support with using the Communication Supportive Environment Checklist, offer a range of jointly delivered central training sessions online, help develop ways of capturing pupil voice, provide training and support in developing better use of the playground in supporting communication skills and input into targeted group work. The teachers also offer workshops and coffee mornings for families.

Training 

The team offer a variety of speech and language focused training sessions for settings and parents/carers. This is updated on a termly basis.

Our training calendars are available on our Local Offer:

To book a training session, please use the relevant link:

• For Staff: Services to Schools Website  
• For Parents/Carers: Bi-borough Inclusion Service 

As a school-based service, we are unable to support/work with families in the home environment. However, we do offer training for parents/carers on a variety of topics. 

Referral Process

You can contact the advisory teachers directly by: [email protected] or [email protected]

Click here for Confident Communicators Programme