CYP 4.2 Explain how Multi- Agency Teams work together to Support Speech, Language and Communication
Multi agency teams are various professionals whom work in a multi- agency partnership to support and ensure that children and young people with delayed speech and language receive the best care needed to support their overall holistic development and encourage their communication skills. Multi- agency teams consists of a wide variety of individuals; to name a few are health visitors, speech and language therapists, SENCO and audiologists. (Children and young people’s workforce, 2011, pg. 84)
Multi agency teams work together to support speech, language and communication as a practitioner may observe that a child or young person in their care is behind in his/her communication and is not following their expected pattern of development for their age, therefore the practitioner may discuss this finding with the parents/ carers of the individual or individuals and possibly alert the SENCO in the childcare setting, whom will then observe the individual as well as advise the parents or carers to go and see their health visitor or GP who can also perform certain assessments on the child or young person. The parent or carers can choose to wait till their child’s 2 year or 3 year check-up or decide to attend a drop in session where a health visitor will be present and then discuss the present issue and allow assessments to be conducted on the child or young person. If a health visitor or a GP has reason to believe that an individual or individuals have a communication problem, they have the power to sign post and refer the individual to a specialist. For example, an individual may be referred to an audiologist first to check the hearing of an individual as that can be a cause for a