Is Your Child/YP's Mental Health in Decline?

External support when CAMHS are not immediately available

If CAMHS support isn’t available right away and your child’s mental health is slipping, there are practical steps you can take. If you suspect neurodivergence or your child already has a diagnosis – a full Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) assessment carried out by a Speech and Language Therapist (SaLT) can uncover hidden processing and communication difficulties and produce clear, school-ready recommendations that carry weight beyond a diagnostic report.

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Why this matters now

Many parents seek therapists because their child’s mental health is deteriorating. A visible diagnosis (for example, autism or ADHD) does not always explain how a child receives, processes, understands, or expresses distress. A child can be labelled yet still struggle with:

• Receptive language — understanding spoken instructions.
• Expressive language — finding and using words.
• Pragmatic language — social back-and-forth, turn-taking, reading social cues.
• Sensory processing — how sensory input affects perception and behaviour.

These are internal needs, not just labels. If they are missed, a child may become anxious, withdrawn, oppositional, or shut down at school and at home. This was my experience, and it happens to many children – even those with EHCPs because their full needs were not identified thoroughly enough.

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What a full SLCN assessment does

A comprehensive SLCN assessment by a SaLT typically:

• Assesses receptive language — how your child understands language.
• Assesses expressive language — how your child uses words and sentences.
• Evaluates pragmatic/social communication — how your child interacts, takes turns, and reads cues.
• Observes speech clarity and oral motor skills — speech sound assessment.
• Provides practical, measurable recommendations — therapeutic targets, classroom strategies, and suggested therapy frequency.

A full SLCN assessment translates clinical findings into specific, enforceable provisions that schools and therapists can implement.

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How this helps with school support and EHCPs

Speech and language therapy recommendations are routinely used to shape SEN support and EHCP provision. When SLT recommendations demonstrate a functional impact on learning and access, they provide strong evidence for statutory provision and can trigger an EHCP needs assessment (EHCPNA) if the recommended support exceeds what the school can ordinarily provide. Schools cannot lawfully refuse reasonable support identified through assessment, with or without an EHCP, and SLT recommendations should be treated as professional advice to be implemented or formally challenged if ignored.

Find a professional
If you need help locating a SaLT or other specialist, use our Find a Professional page these practitioners have been vetted by our parent members.

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Top tips

• Collect examples: note times your child misunderstands, shuts down, or “melts down.” Use our Emotions Diary to document and evidence need.
• Request an assessment: ask for a full SLCN assessment from NHS or private SaLT via your GP, health visitor, or school. Evidence of need (for example, the Emotions Diary) strengthens your request. We also provide templates for a Core Needs Parental Assessment and written recommendation requests.
• Record the school’s response: ask for SLT recommendations to be recorded in the child’s support plan or SEN file.
• Escalate in writing: if the provision needed is above ordinary school resources, request an EHCP needs assessment in writing.
• Keep records: save all communications, reports, and meeting minutes. Insist on written, measurable actions and review dates.
• Use tools: use the SEN Support Tracker App to record all communication with the school and local authority.

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Watch outs

• Unqualified therapists offering quick fixes; always check SLT registration and credentials.
• AI-generated or template reports that aren’t personalised.
• Delays or vague school minutes; insist on clear actions and review dates.

For information on submitting a successful EHCP needs assessment, see our resource hub and templates.