Interactions Speech and Language Therapy

23/05/2026

At Interactions SLT, we believe that supporting children with speech, language and communication needs isn’t just about what happens in a therapy session — it’s about creating communication-supportive environments throughout the whole school day.

Children spend far more time with teachers, teaching assistants and school staff than they do with a Speech and Language Therapist, which is why collaboration and staff confidence are such an important part of what we do.

We love working alongside schools to provide training that is:

✨ Practical
✨ Bespoke to each setting
✨ Easy to implement
✨ Engaging and accessible for staff

Sometimes the smallest changes can make the biggest difference — adapting language, using visuals, building in processing time or understanding behaviour through a communication lens.

Our aim is always to empower staff with strategies that fit naturally into everyday classroom practice and help all children feel understood, included and able to thrive.

Because when schools and therapists work together, everyone benefits 💬

08/05/2026

At the heart of our SLT service is a simple value:

Inclusive practice is about more than where a child is placed — it’s about whether they can truly participate, communicate and feel successful within their everyday school environment.

That’s why our work at Interactions has increasingly put attention not only to the specialist, individualised assessment, observation and support for each child, but equally to supporting the teachers and senior leaders responsible for these children's education and access.

A huge part of our service is high-quality, practical CPD that helps teachers and support staff embed communication-supportive approaches into everyday teaching and the wider curriculum. We provide a huge level of support (in addition to each schools' clinical time)

This helps school to embed strategies which are:
✔ realistic
✔ sustainable
✔ easy to implement
✔ tailored to the individual school context

Because we know that's when they are far more likely to make a meaningful difference for children and reduce pressure on staff.

We understand that every school community is different. One of the things we value most is taking time to understand each school’s unique challenges, strengths and priorities so that advice feels achievable, relevant and genuinely supportive.

Some of the most rewarding feedback we receive is not only about pupil progress, but also staff confidence, reduced stress and the feeling that communication support has become part of everyday classroom practice rather than “something extra”.

Here's some feedback we got only yesterday after a whole-school training session. Sometimes the simplest feedback says the most!

23/04/2026

I am so proud that after hundreds of hours of studying, reflecting, and practising with a case study, I have now passed the Trauma Informed Wellbeing Practitioner training with distinction! Not only am I now an accredited Wellbeing Practitioner, but the training has changed my practice as a speech and language therapist fundamentally. It has also changed me as a human being, making me a better mum, step mum, friend and wife.

I have learned too much to summarise in one post, but the interventions I am now trained to deliver have been some of the most impactful I've delivered in 20 years as a therapist. I have learned how to support children to access core pain, process it, and subsequently support their path to healing and the development of resilience. I can't recommend the training from Trauma Informed Schools UK highly enough for anyone in a role with children.

Thank you to the amazing team who facilitated such inspiring and transformational training; it was an absolute privilege, and I'm really excited to take this forward and integrate it fully into my work with children and schools ❤️

13/04/2026

We’re growing our team at Interactions Speech and Language Therapy Ltd - we're looking for a Band 5 or 6 Speech and Language Therapist to join us.

We are a small, supportive team working exclusively in school settings, where we can have the greatest impact for children with speech, language and communication needs. Our work is collaborative, relationship-focused and embedded within the classroom, supporting both children and the adults around them.

This role would suit someone who:
✔️ Enjoys working closely with schools and being part of a team
✔️ Is passionate about supporting children holistically
✔️ Values building strong relationships with staff and families

We offer:
✨ A supportive and experienced team
✨ Opportunities for professional development and special interests
✨ Flexible working and a strong focus on wellbeing
✨ The chance to make a real difference in school communities

If you’re interested or would like to find out more, please get in touch: [email protected]

04/02/2026

Yesterday, I presented at the Leeds annual SENCO Conference at Elland Road. An event that hosts almost 300 SENCos and senior leaders from schools across the city. The focus of the conference was on supporting learners with complex needs, the inspiring keynote speech from Senior Educational Psychologist Tessa Burnard was all about how schools can become more trauma informed by viewing unmet needs of learners through the ARC Framework. I was honoured and privileged to be invited to deliver two workshops in the afternoon, on the intersection of childhood trauma and communication needs providing professionals with universal strategies to support such complex learners. It was a great opportunity to take the experience of 20 years working in schools as a senior SLT with the learning from my MA SEND, the Trauma Informed Practitioner training and the Sensory Inclusion Certification to schools across Leeds.

I was so thrilled to get validating and passionate feedback and five star reviews from SENCos who attended. This particular feedback really made my day:

"This was completely eye opening... I honestly believe the work you are doing and the knowledge you are sharing with other professionals is so inspirational. It will definitely inform my practice. Thank you."

Here are some happy photos from such an inspiring and motivating day, reminding me why I love my work and I still love learning! 🤓

12/11/2025

As I study for my Level 7 Postgrad Certificate in Mental Health, Trauma and Attachment, alongside the TISUK Level 5 Diploma as a Trauma Informed Practitioner, I have had too many reflections, on my own practice and what I see of behaviour and regulation in schools, to count.

This video from Public Health Wales is worth a watch to understand more about adverse childhood experiences. Trauma Informed Practice is such a growing area and finally institutions are understanding the importance of toxic stress in childhood. I'm so happy to hear that Leeds is working towards becoming a trauma informed city with their initiative: 'Compassionate Leeds' which really shows how this important area is being recognised more broadly.

I'm privileged to be involved in this year's annual Leeds SENDCO Conference which is all about Trauma Informed Practice, where I'll be presenting on the intersection of trauma and speech, language and communication needs.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events that affect children while growing up, such as suffering child maltreatment or living in a househol...

25/10/2025

… I’m late to this (it’s been a bit of a week 😓)
This is my beautiful daughter, and she stammers. She’s been through the most challenging few years; being bullied from year 6 to year 9 and totally isolated socially as a result which ended in her developing long covid and missing a whole year of school because her body finally gave up after so long keeping going.
But her difficult period began in a place you’d least expect it. After a whole lifetime being happy and well accommodated in school, she began year 6 and her experience turned on it head. Her teacher refused to make reasonable adjustments for her stammer. Literally refused to give her extra time to finish a sentence or let her come up to her desk to speak to her when stressed. She interrupted her in the middle of speaking and encouraged the class to ‘help Alexa as she’s struggling’ despite my repeated advice that this was counterproductive. Alexa went from a very easy stammer to completely blocking and unable to speak.
So in recognition of this important day I want to make this post to raise awareness of how it is so easy to support the needs of someone who stammers (it really isn’t anything more than basic respect) but unfortunately, teachers also have the power, too easily, to completely ruin a child’s experience at school which can have massive ramifications for their future.
Alexa is now back in full time school and facing her GCSEs this year, head-on, despite missing a whole year of the content. She continues to amaze and inspire me every day ❤️

02/10/2025

We loved having a stall at the Allerton Grange School careers fair this evening! Talking to GCSE and A Level students about the amazing variety, rewards and interest this career brings made me realise how much I still love this job, even after 19 years, and am so privileged to be doing such meaningful work 🥹 ✨

17/09/2025

Yes we do…. And we love it!

06/08/2025

With almost 20 years experience working in mainstream schools, in recent years I have been feeling as though there has been a significant increase in the complexity of needs of children in these settings. Children who are trying to survive in an environment that is often incompatible with their needs, and as a result rarely thrive there. Children whose nervous systems are constantly in fight or flight, whether due to trauma, sensory processing differences or both. I am increasingly seeing schools desperately trying to support and understand the needs of these children but struggling to do so. I have felt such a strong drive to learn more; there are significant gaps in knowledge and understanding to adequately support the regulatory needs of children with SLCN (crucial if we are to have any impact whatsoever!) Because of this, I have recently completed extensive CPD and become a Certified Sensory Integration Education Facilitator (SIF) in order to be more effective in my collaborative work with schools to embed sensory inclusive and trauma awareness practices. This feels like a fundamental aspect of our work as SLTs - to enable us to support the development of communication and interactions skills in line with children's potential. I have also recently completed the SIE 'Sensory Inclusive Schools' training, and was so gratified to learn how so much of both of these courses fit with Trauma Informed Practice. I am looking forward to sharing these skills with my schools, alongside starting the Trauma Informed Schools UK Practitioner Diploma in September to further enhance this understanding and pass on this learning to my settings.