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Croydon’s speech and language therapy services face critical delays amid systemic upheaval

Thursday, 6 November 2025 5:08AM UTC

Families in Croydon are grappling with disrupted speech and language therapy services following a management shift, raising concerns over long-term developmental impacts for children with special educational needs amidst wider workforce shortages.

Croydon has recently undergone a turbulent transition in the provision of speech and language therapy (SALT) services for children with special educational needs, provoking significant concern among parents and experts about the impact of delayed and disrupted care. The council’s shift to two new therapy providers in November—the Better Days service covering north and south Croydon and Allen Speech and Language for the central area—aims to improve support for children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), but the abrupt change has left many families feeling the damage was already done.

Parents have described the transition as chaotic and poorly communicated, with missed therapy sessions causing setbacks in their children’s learning and social development. Zahra Allen, whose non-verbal daughter Khari has gone months without vital SALT, fears her daughter’s progress has been erased by the interruption. She told reporters that once therapy resumes, Khari will be starting “back to square one” and significantly behind her peers, with early gains lost during the service gap. For Zahra, a nurse unable to return to work amid the uncertainty, the effects stretch beyond childhood development to family welfare.

Another Croydon parent highlighted the patchy and inconsistent access her son, who suffered a stroke as an infant, has had to his legally mandated therapy under an EHCP. Despite promises from the council of timely reinstatement, families have experienced shifting and unclear timelines, adding to their distress. While some were offered personal budgets to seek therapy privately, local providers are largely oversubscribed, intensifying the pressure on parents trying to secure consistent support.

Speech and language therapy is essential not only for improving communication and speech clarity but also for enabling social integration, confidence building, and even addressing swallowing difficulties. Experts warn that interruptions or delays in therapy can have profound long-term consequences. Emma O’Dwyer, founder of the Baby Speak practice on Harley Street, emphasised that early intervention is crucial, especially for children with neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism. Inconsistent support can lead to social withdrawal and diminished school readiness, potentially limiting future educational and employment outcomes. Research from Speech and Language UK in 2024 underscores this risk, showing that untreated speech and language difficulties correlate strongly with poorer academic performance and higher unemployment rates.

These concerns exist within the context of broader systemic challenges. London, including Croydon, faces rising demand and greater complexity in therapeutic needs, compounded by nationwide shortages of qualified speech and language therapists and high vacancy rates. The delays families have experienced reflect these ongoing pressures, which also place strain on schools and local authorities tasked with ensuring timely access to support.

Historically, Croydon has struggled to meet demand for SALT services. A 2009-10 Strategic Needs Assessment noted concerns around inadequate access and rising numbers of children requiring additional intervention, with some sent outside the borough for therapy. Although services have shifted towards greater consultation and empowering carers and educators with strategies, the underlying issue of resource sufficiency remains unresolved.

Croydon Council has stated that the new providers will operate in line with the local SEND Area Strategy (2023–2026), aiming to offer timely, coherent support despite the national workforce shortages. Mayor Jason Perry acknowledged the communication failings during the transition, apologising to families and affirming a commitment to ensuring children’s access to necessary services. However, critics describe the transition as “botched,” noting that parents have been left managing provision themselves despite the council’s legal responsibilities, a source of considerable distress.

The council is also working with schools and families to smooth the transition and improve communication. From 1 November 2025, the two new providers aim to deliver an integrated and improved model of care. This strategy aligns with wider local ambitions to recruit and retain specialist staff, expand training, and commission therapies comprehensively for children and young people up to 25 years old.

For families and professionals, the priority remains consistent access to speech and language therapy to prevent vulnerable children from falling further behind both academically and socially. Without addressing the root causes of delays—such as workforce shortages and rising needs—the risk is that more children may experience damaging gaps in crucial early intervention, ultimately affecting their lifelong potential.

📌 Reference Map:

^[1] (MyLondon) - Paragraphs 1-10, 13-15
^[2] (Croydon Council News) - Paragraph 11, 14
^[3] (Croydon Health Services NHS Trust) - Paragraph 5
^[4] (Mable Therapy) - Paragraph 12
^[5] (Croydon Joint Strategic Needs Assessment 2009-10) - Paragraph 12
^[7] (Croydon SEND and AP Local Area Strategy) - Paragraphs 11, 14

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/expert-warns-delays-croydon-childrens-32810728 - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://news.croydon.gov.uk/croydon-works-with-families-and-schools-to-reshape-speech-and-language-support/ - Croydon Council is revamping its speech and language therapy services based on feedback from families and schools. Starting 1 November 2025, Better Days will provide therapy in the north and south of the borough, while Allen Speech and Language will serve central Croydon. These changes aim to enhance support for children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and address the national shortage of speech and language therapists. The council is collaborating with schools and families to ensure a smooth transition and effective communication of these changes.
https://www.croydonhealthservices.nhs.uk/childrens-speech-and-language-therapy - Croydon Health Services NHS Trust offers speech and language therapy for children and young people up to 19 years old. The service focuses on reducing the impact of speech, language, and communication needs, as well as eating and drinking difficulties, helping each child reach their full potential. They work closely with parents, carers, and key professionals to provide timely assessment, therapy, and advice, collaborating with nurseries, schools, and educational settings at universal, targeted, and specialist levels.
https://www.mabletherapy.com/speech-and-language/why-waiting-lists-for-speech-and-language-therapy-services-are-getting-longer-and-what-you-can-do - The article discusses the increasing waiting times for speech and language therapy services, highlighting factors such as a national shortage of therapists, rising referrals, and greater complexity of needs across London. It emphasizes the impact of delays on children's development, including missed milestones and social/emotional implications. The piece also addresses the strain on schools managing unmet needs and the frustration for families and carers. It suggests practical strategies for local authorities and schools to reduce bottlenecks and improve outcomes, such as screening pupils to improve triage and prioritisation, and embracing mixed delivery models.
https://www.croydonobservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/JSNA-SEN-2009-10.pdf - The Croydon Joint Strategic Needs Assessment 2009-10 highlights concerns about inadequate access to speech and language therapy services, with some children being sent out of the borough to meet their needs. The assessment notes that the service has moved to a more consultative approach, enabling those with regular contact with children to apply activities and strategies to help development. However, the number of children requiring additional therapy intervention has risen, indicating ongoing challenges in meeting the demand for services.
https://www.thegypsynurse.com/job/speech-and-language-therapist-75/ - An experienced Speech and Language Therapist is sought to join Croydon Health Services NHS Trust. The role focuses on providing specialist assessment and intervention for children within the community, supporting their communication and swallowing needs. Responsibilities include delivering specialist speech and language assessments, providing tailored support and training to families and education staff, working collaboratively with health, education, and social care professionals, and offering clinical supervision to junior therapists, students, and assistants.
https://www.croydon.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2025-07/croydon-send-and-ap-local-area-strategy-rev.pdf - The Croydon SEND and AP Local Area Strategy outlines the council's plans to improve services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. It includes objectives such as expanding the Autism Education Trust training programme, recruiting and retaining staff to increase capacity and job satisfaction, and commissioning therapies for children aged 0-25, including Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Physiotherapy. The strategy aims to ensure children and young people receive the right help and support at the right time.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative is current, dated 6 November 2025, and discusses recent changes in Croydon's speech and language therapy services. The earliest known publication date of similar content is 25 October 2025, when BBC News reported on parents' concerns regarding the council's decision to change providers without prior communication. ([feeds.bbci.co.uk](https://feeds.bbci.co.uk/news/articles/cpwvd5v4118o?utm_source=openai)) The report includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. The article includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. The narrative is based on a press release from Croydon Council, which typically warrants a high freshness score. ([news.croydon.gov.uk](https://news.croydon.gov.uk/croydon-works-with-families-and-schools-to-reshape-speech-and-language-support/?utm_source=openai))

Quotes check

Score: 7

Notes: The narrative includes direct quotes from parents and experts. The earliest known usage of these quotes is in the BBC News article dated 25 October 2025. ([feeds.bbci.co.uk](https://feeds.bbci.co.uk/news/articles/cpwvd5v4118o?utm_source=openai)) The wording of the quotes varies slightly between the two reports, indicating potential paraphrasing. No online matches were found for the quotes, suggesting they may be original or exclusive content.

Source reliability

Score: 9

Notes: The narrative originates from MyLondon, a reputable news outlet. The report is based on a press release from Croydon Council, a legitimate government entity. The inclusion of quotes from parents and experts adds credibility to the report.

Plausability check

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative discusses recent changes in Croydon's speech and language therapy services, which aligns with reports from other reputable outlets, such as the BBC News article dated 25 October 2025. ([feeds.bbci.co.uk](https://feeds.bbci.co.uk/news/articles/cpwvd5v4118o?utm_source=openai)) The inclusion of quotes from parents and experts adds credibility to the report. The language and tone are consistent with the region and topic.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative is current and based on a press release from Croydon Council, a legitimate government entity. The inclusion of quotes from parents and experts adds credibility to the report. The language and tone are consistent with the region and topic. No significant issues were identified during the fact-checking process.

Croydon
speech and language therapy
special educational needs