Spending Review: Government urged to increase funding for speech and language therapy

An open letter to the Prime Minister and Chancellor from 20 all-party parliamentary groups (APPGs) said more investment in speech and language therapy would improve the lives of millions of babies, children, young people and their families.

Urging the government to use this week’s budget, set to be announced on 27 October, to deliver more funding for services, the group said increased spending would reduce the risk of more public money being spent at a later date because people’s needs had not been identified and supported early enough.

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The letter comes after a coalition of more than 80 organisations wrote to Boris Johnson in March calling for improved access to speech and language therapy.

Thousands of signatures have also been received on a parliamentary petition demanding better support for those with communication and swallowing needs.

The letter outlines the findings of a recent survey conducted by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists about the impact of Covid on people’s access to therapeutic services.

It found 81 per cent of children and young people had less speech and language therapy during the first lockdown while 62 per cent had no therapy at all.

Around half of adults had less therapy than before the first lockdown and 44 per cent did not access any support during this time.

It also found those living in the most deprived areas of England accessed less therapy than those living in more advantaged areas.

Those groups of young people that had no, or reduced access to, speech and language therapy included children with delayed speech or language development and those with a long-term speech, language and communication need.

Others affected were those with developmental language disorders such as a stammer, deafness or a genetic condition.

Children with a special educational need or disability such as autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome or muscular dystrophy were also affected.

Respondents to the survey said having less speech and language therapy made their lives worse, affecting their education, social life and friendships.

They also said it made the lives of their families and carers worse.

The cross-party group said it was crucial pre-pandemic issues with access to therapy were addressed with services already under “severe pressure” before March 2020.

This meant a significant identification and intervention backlog had developed that included a need to provide speech and language therapy to those with long Covid, a brand new clinical area.

Extra support was also needed to support children whose language development had been impacted by the lockdown, it added.

Geraint Davies, MP for Swansea West and chair of the APPG on speech and language difficulties, said therapy could transform lives but the pandemic had exacerbated the ability of many people to access support.

“I’m grateful to so many parliamentary colleagues for joining the call to increase funding for speech and language therapy.

“It will make the lives of those we represent better and reduce the risk of their lives getting worse - and the risk of even more public money needing to be spent because we haven’t supported people at an earlier stage,” he said.