Children who stammer attending state-funded, mainstream schools

I would be grateful if you could provide responses to the attached questions regarding your local authority's role in commissioning and supporting primary-aged children who stammer attending state-funded, mainstream schools in your local authority.
For ease of completion, you are welcome to provide your responses directly within the attached document by editing it.

1. Do you currently collect any data on the number of primary aged children who stammer within mainstream state funded primary schools in the authority area?
- Yes
- No

2. If yes, please provide the most recent number of mainstream state funded primary aged pupils identified as stammering or receiving support for stammering.

3a. How is speech and language therapy delivered in the local authority-maintained primary schools in your area? Please provide information about the speech and language therapy provision available in each local authority-maintained primary school. We specifically would like to understand whether the speech and language therapy service is delivered by the NHS, independent or other providers.

3b. What is the amount of speech and language therapy input each state funded primary school receives in hours per week?

4. Does the council currently fund any speech and language therapy services in maintained primary schools? If yes, please describe the commissioning arrangements

5. Do the state funded primary schools in your authority area have access to specialist support services outside the authority area for more complex cases of stammering?

6. Does the council issue any guidance regarding classroom adjustments or inclusive practice for pupils who stammer in state funded primary schools? If yes, please specify the guidance details (this may include encouraging classroom participation, assessment arrangements etc).

7. What assessment has the council made of any barriers to providing support for children who stammer within local authority maintained primary schools in your area?

8. Have state funded primary schools raised any concerns or requested additional support relating to children who stammer within the last three academic years? If yes, please provide a summary of the concerns raised.

9. Are there any planned developments, priorities or service improvements relating to support for children who stammer within state funded primary schools in your area?

1. No

2. N/a

3a. A Speech and Language Therapy service is available from the NHS. The Local Authority commissions individual speech and language therapy from independent providers linked to specified individual needs and provision within a child’s Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plan. The Local Authority commissions an Extended Communication and Language Impairment Provision for Students (ECLIPS).

b. The Local Authority does not gather or hold information relating to access to Speech and Language Therapy service available from the NHS. The Local Authority does not gather or hold information centrally relating to the amount of speech and language therapy input each state funded primary school receives in hours per week. Any information relating to this would be within individual documents, such as team documentation, or individual children’s files. It would take longer than the 18 hrs allowed under section 12(1) of the FOI Act 2000 (See below)

4. The Council commissions an Extended Communication and Language Impairment Provision for Students (ECLIPS). This is commissioned through the Provider Selection Regime and is an enhancement of the existing Integrated Care Board commissioned specialist Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) Service. ECLIPS provides intense support and advice to mainstream primary, secondary and further education settings for children and young people with significant Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and other Speech Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) to support them to access the curriculum earlier within their local mainstream setting. The contract commenced 1st April 2025 and is in place until 31st March 2027, with the option to extend until 31st March 2028.

5-8. The Local Authority does not gather or hold information relating to this in a central place. To find and collate this information would take longer than the 18 hours allowed under section 12(1) of the FOI Act 2000

9. The FOI Act is for recorded information only.

Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information 2000 does not oblige a public authority to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying with the request would exceed the appropriate limit. The appropriate limit is currently £450 or 18 hours at a cost of £25 per hour. The exemption under section 12 is not subject to the public interest test Any refined request will be treated as a new request under the Freedom of Information Act.