Speech & Language Therapy

Welcome! You are here because you have a concern about your child’s communication.

Maybe nursery or school have raised concerns, or you’re not sure if your child’s communication is within the expected range. Maybe you are waiting for NHS input, or you’ve noticed your child is becoming distressed or upset when they can’t communicate. Whatever the reason, you are welcome to get in touch for a free conversation about if I could help you.

How I can help

I support children and young people with a range of speech, language and communication needs, including:

  • Speech and language delay

  • Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)

  • Autism and ADHD

  • Sensory behaviours and behaviours that challenge

  • Stammering

  • Selective mutism

  • Learning difficulties

  • Social communication difficulties

You don't need a diagnosis to receive support.

I am experienced at working alongside the NHS, and with your permission can communicate with your child’s NHS therapist and school. 

I do not accept referrals for specific speech sound work, for example targeting just one or two sounds and voice disorders.

Working together

To book an initial conversation please email me at: juliamcaird@gmail.com

We will agree a mutually convenient time to talk and our conversation usually lasts 15-30 minutes and this is free of charge.

After our initial conversation, if we decide to work together, I will send you over more information if needed via email and my contract. 

If you are happy with both we will then proceed to booking our sessions together. 

Cost

Unless agreed otherwise, our first session is an Initial Assessment: the cost is £200 with a brief report. Please enquire if you would like a longer in-depth report.


Each therapy session after this is charged at £85. I have a 24 hour cancellation policy.


If this price is not accessible for you, please let me know and we can agree an affordable price for you.

Whats included

Our free initial conversation

90 minute initial session and 50 minutes therapy sessions

All session preparation and planning

Clinical record keeping in line with HCPC

All resources and research papers

Liaison with other professionals where agreed

Brief communication between appointments when needed

 FAQs

  • We will discuss your concerns in our initial conversation, free of charge, and decide whether or not it is necessary to proceed to an assessment.

    You may have your own concerns or it might have been nursery or school that have flagged their concerns to you. It is possible you are already on the waiting list for NHS input, or you have had some input from the NHS.

    Our fantastic NHS service can have long waiting times, and you may decide to proceed with an assessment and/or therapy privately, to speed up support for your child’s needs. I will be avaliable to you for ongoing, consistent support for as long as your child needs it.

  • I have experience working with children from 18 months to 18 years old.

  • I qualified in 2013 and have worked in three different London NHS Children’s Services, a charity and a private practice in Chelsea since then. Since 2019 I have worked independently alongside NHS work. In 2025, I stepped out of the NHS after ten years and now work independently.

  • I generally use a form of therapy called VERVE, created by Keena Cummings and used in many NHS Trusts. VERVE works using video feedback, so together we will analyse videos of your child and you communicating and agree on strategies to further support their communication. This way of working lends itself very well to working online. I also use other forms of therapy when appropriate including setting your child specific speech and language targets and providing resources to help you and your child’s nursery or school staff work on reaching these targets.

  • Once we have spoken, I will send you my contract and ask you to read it, sign it and return it.

    I will send you my invoice which needs to be paid in advance of the session.

    It is likely I will ask you to make a 5 minute video of you playing with your child to send to me in advance of the session.

  • I work predominately online when appropriate, for example if you child is under 5 years old, then the evidence shows that the most effective way of working is through the parents which can be effectively achieved together through video analysis. This can also allow more flexibility with your schedule, for example you might be able to do a session online whilst on a break from work, or in the evenings. However, I also travel to families across East Sussex, East London and North London and this can be discussed.