What is Storytime Therapy?
I am an HCPC-registered Speech and Language Therapist with extensive experience working with children who have language difficulties associated with autism, developmental language disorder (DLD), dyslexia, and speech sound disorders. I have worked across multiple mainstream primary schools within the NHS, supporting children with a wide range of communication needs.
Each child begins with a comprehensive formal and informal language assessment (including standardised tools such as CELF and BPVS), followed by a clear written report outlining strengths, areas of difficulty, and practical recommendations for home and school. Based on this, I create a tailor-made therapy plan for your child.
I draw on a broad range of evidence-based interventions, including Colourful Semantics, Shape Coding, Word Aware, Language for Thinking, Lego Therapy, Core Vocabulary, and SCERTS, adapting approaches to suit each child. Sessions are structured, engaging, and story-based, developing sentence structure, grammar, vocabulary, and narrative skills through discussion, games, retelling, and creative activities.
Therapy typically takes place in my home in Didsbury, where parents are welcome to relax with a cup of tea while their child enjoys a supportive session.
For children with speech sound difficulties, I also offer targeted, intensive therapy focused specifically on speech clarity, separate from narrative-based language work.
Approaches
Colourful Semantics:
Using colours to represent different parts of speech, such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. This visual approach can help children understand sentence structure and develop their language skills.
Language for Thinking:
Using open-ended questions to encourage children to think critically about language, exploring cause and effect, predictions, emotions and implied meaning.
Word Aware
Implementing strategies and tools to support vocabulary growth, such as word maps, semantic webs, and categorization activities. Teaching children to identify and explain word meanings, exploring nuances and relationships between words.
My Services
Initial Assessment and Report (requirement before therapy sessions): £190
I offer a full, comprehensive speech and/or language assessment. This includes:
-30 Minute Phone Consultation (free of charge). I will ask you a range of questions to get to know more about your child and determine their suitability for therapy.
-1 hour 15 minute Assessment Session. I use a range of standardised assessments to measure your child’s speaking and understanding.
-A Written Report. This report provides a comprehensive assessment of the child's performance, including a breakdown of scores and percentiles that compare their results to those of peers of the same age, as well as a written evaluation highlighting their strengths, areas of difficulty, and tailored recommendations for supporting their development at home.
Initial assessment and report is a requirement for all clients I take on, as assessment and interpretation of results will inform therapy sessions.
Individual session: £70
45 minute sessions are charged at a rate of £70 pounds. Sessions will be tailored to your child’s specific targets as outlined in their report. Parents are welcome to observe or participate in therapy sessions if they wish.
Set of 8 sessions: £60 per session
If you wish to book a block of therapy sessions, the fee is £60 per 45 minute session. Each session is tailored to your child’s specific goals, as outlined in their report.
After 16 sessions, your child will receive a free follow up assessment to review their progress!