Speech and language therapy tailored to meet your child's needs
Ilkley Communication Clinic is an independent practice offering support for pre-school and primary aged children who have difficulties with speech, language and/or communication.
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Speech and Language Therapist, Kirsty Strickland, works closely with families to understand their concerns and their child's needs. Kirsty can offer sessions in her clinic in Ben Rhydding, Ilkley, at your home, nursery or in school. She uses fun and engaging ways to help children overcome their barriers to communication and grow their confidence.
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Contact Ilkley Communication Clinic on 07770 795358 or email Ilkleycommunicationclinic@gmail.com to arrange a free telephone consultation.
ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION FOR YOUR CHILD AT HOME, NURSERY OR SCHOOL
​An important first step is for Kirsty to understand your concerns and get to know your child and their particular strengths and needs. This is achieved through an assessment carried out at home, nursery or school. Following this, Kirsty will discuss with you a plan for therapy, what the communication goals might be and what the therapy will look like. Depending on your child's needs, therapy sessions may be offered weekly or fortnightly.
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As an experienced Specialist Speech and Language Therapist Kirsty Strickland has a wide knowledge of difficulties related to speech, language and communication. These may include the following conditions or areas of difficulty:
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Communication and language skills
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Understanding spoken language and instructions
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Expressing ideas, thoughts, and feelings through words and sentences
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Developing vocabulary and confidence in spoken communication
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Speech clarity and intelligibility
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Speech fluency, including stammering
Attention, interaction, and social communication
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Attention, listening, and shared focus
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Social interaction and connection with others
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Understanding and using social communication in ways that feel meaningful to the child
Neurodivergent profiles and developmental differences
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Autism-affirming support
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ADHD-affirming support
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Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)
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Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)
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Selective Mutism
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Down syndrome
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MAKING COMMUNICATION FUN, ENGAGING AND FUNCTIONAL
​​​Creating therapy activities that are fun, engaging and functional for your child is a key consideration.
Activities and strategies will be modelled by Kirsty during therapy sessions and parents will be encouraged to practise these at home in between sessions. This home practice forms an important part of the therapy and will help your child to fulfil their potential and achieve their communication goals. ​​
Your child's therapy plan can be shared, if you wish, with teaching staff and other health professionals who may be involved in your child's care e.g. NHS Speech & Language Therapist, Community Paediatrician, Occupational Therapist etc. ​
Testimonials
"We contacted Ilkley Communication Clinic as our 4 year old son's speech development was behind. This was affecting his friendships and academic development. Kirsty came out to help us and worked closely with my son's school to assist the teachers. My son has shown a huge improvement in his speech, friendships and school work. He is a much happier and more confident boy and we attribute this to the assistance Ilkley Communication Clinic has provided. We would not hesitate to recommend them."
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Parent, Menston
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"We are incredibly grateful for all the support and input our son has received from Kirsty. She has been working with him for over a year and it has been fantastic to see how much progress he has made with his communication and speech.
Kirsty has been genuinely so passionate about helping our little boy to reach his full potential. We have had speech and language therapy sessions at home and at his nursery setting with each session being both productive and enjoyable. Our son’s nursery key workers had always commented on how great Kirsty has been and how they have implemented the techniques and interventions she has taught them.
Kirsty has always taken her time to update us regularly and ensure all necessary reports are completed promptly.
We have really seen our little boy’s development and confidence blossom as a result of having regular sessions with Kirsty.
We are really happy that Kirsty has been such a huge part of his journey and would highly recommend her to any parent looking for a dedicated and compassionate speech and language therapist."
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Parent, Leeds
QUALIFICATIONS
Kirsty has over 18 years of experience working as a Speech and Language Therapist within the NHS in London and West Yorkshire. She has recognised certifications of training in the following areas:
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SCERTS (Social communication, emotional regulation, transitional support)
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'More Than Words' by the Hanen Institute
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'It Takes Two to Talk' by the Hanen Institute
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TEACCH - a structured learning approach for children with Autism.
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Makaton Stage 1
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Caroline Bowen Speech Sound training
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In process of obtaining:
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Gestalt Language Processing certification from 'Meaningful Speech'
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Kirsty has been a registered member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists since 2008. She is also a member of the Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice and is registered with the HCPC.
SERVICES
Initial assessment:
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A FREE 20 minute telephone consultation is offered in the first instance.
Following this an initial assessment can be arranged. Assessments can take place at your home, at my clinic in Ben Rhydding, Ilkley or in your child's nursery or school. A more in-depth assessment, if required, may take more than 1 session/visit. The initial assessment includes a follow-up report with recommendations that is often helpful to share with nurseries/schools.
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Therapy sessions:
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Therapy sessions are charged on an hourly basis. A therapy session typically lasts around 40 minutes and 20 minutes is used for feedback to parent/staff, to record clinical notes and plan next steps.
Review sessions:
Review appointments are one-off appointments to track your child's progress and to gather updated information. Reviews typically include a target sheet with specific areas for parents/staff to focus on, and strategies and activities to use.
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Travel:
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Travel within 20 minutes of the Ilkley area is included in my fees. Additional travel costs may be added when travelling further.
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