One of the most unsettling and downright unpleasant scenarios any parent can face is that of having to accept that their own child may require the help of qualified speech and language therapists. It’s never pleasant for a parent to acknowledge that there’s something not quite as it should be with the development of their own child’s speech and language skill, which in turn can make contacting the therapist and setting the wheels in motion rather unpleasant to say the least.
The good news however is that the UK has never been quite so spoilt for choice when it comes to the sheer number of therapists and professionals standing by to help at any one time. However, just because there are so many out there does not necessarily make it a good idea to select a provider at random and just assume that they’ll be able to take care of things as well as anyone else. There’s a great deal more to speech therapy than just having the minimum necessary qualifications and an operational website – precisely why it’s important to ask all the right questions before going ahead.
Please Explain Your Qualifications
First of all, it’s a good idea to look a little deeper into the therapist’s education and training by asking them to explain their qualifications, rather than just telling you what they are. The reason being that there are quite enormous differences between the quality of education being offered in some institutions compared to others, while there will always be dozens, even hundreds of additional courses and extra qualifications to study for if the respective individual wants to reach the highest highs. As such, while it’s one thing to be impressed with the pictures of certificates you see on their websites, it’s another to have their true meaning explained to you.
Tell Me About Your Experience
It’s crucially important not to overlook experience as there’s only so much any qualification can ever count for. After all, there’s a big difference between studying for something in a theoretical sense and actually putting this knowledge to use in a practical setting. While there will always be those with a thousand and one qualifications and yet nowhere near enough experience to offer the best possible service to their clients, others will have fewer qualifications on paper though may have been in business for decades. As such, it’s a case of targeting the ideal balance between the two and understanding that one without the other simply doesn’t cut it.
What Makes You a Standout Specialist?
It’s up to the language therapist to sell his or her services to the parents of the child in question and therefore they should be able to tell you in a pretty concise way why it is that they make the best choice of all. You’re basically looking for a brief explanation as to why you’d be better off with them than anyone else, while at all times bearing in mind what’s important. For example, they may tell you that their primary selling point is the fact that they are the cheapest on the market right now, but cheap doesn’t mean a great deal if they don’t have a flawless track record when it comes to results. Always give them the opportunity to really sell themselves before making your choice.
Can You Tell Me About Any Unsuccessful Cases?
You could in some ways call this a trick question as if the therapist tries to tell you that they’ve never been any less than 100% successful across the board with every last patient, chances are they’re not being wholly truthful with you. There will always be those cases that present unique challenges and those individuals that do not respond to treatments in the same ways as others. So, while it’s more that reassuring to hear that a therapist has never given up on a case and has always helped the child in question make progress, none should claim to be able to work miracles in 100% of cases.
Can We Have Some Time to Think?
Last but not least, while there’s much to be said for getting started as quickly as possible in order to nip any early problems in the bud, there’s also nothing to gain from diving into a decision without sufficient thought and consideration. That’s why it’s always a good idea to at least ask the therapist for a little time to consider your options and make your final decision, as if they are genuinely up to par and have the family’s best interests at heart, they will never under any circumstances try to rush you into a decision.
