APRAXIA OF SPEECH — THE DIAGNOSIS SO FEW PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE HEARD OF
This is probably one of my more personal posts, but it is also an important professional one.
My son has Apraxia of Speech alongside Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), and I want to talk about what that actually means — because the words you hear him speak today don't tell you the story of what it has taken to get there.
For more than 10 years, he has had weekly speech and language therapy.
Ten years of practising sounds.
Ten years of repetition.
Ten years of learning how to make his mouth produce something that most of us never have to consciously think about.
Apraxia of Speech is not a lack of intelligence. It isn't a child being lazy, and it isn't simply unclear speech.
The brain knows what it wants to say, but there is difficulty planning and programming the sequences of movements needed to produce speech accurately and consistently.
Then there is another layer.
Developmental Language Disorder.
DLD affects the development, understanding and/or use of spoken language. This can mean difficulties with vocabulary, finding words, processing what someone has said, constructing sentences, explaining thoughts and ideas, following complex language and communicating effectively — particularly when demands increase.
So imagine knowing what you want to communicate, having difficulty organising the language needed to express it and then having another difficulty coordinating the speech movements required to physically say it.
That is why understanding the layers of a child's communication needs matters so much.
Over the last year, we have explored more direct oral-motor work through TalkTools. It has been challenging.
There have been periods where his speech has appeared to become worse and a stutter has developed. The work can involve a direct, hands-on approach around the mouth and face, and as a teenager, allowing somebody into that personal space isn't always easy.
But something incredibly important has developed alongside it:
self-awareness.
He is beginning to understand why certain sounds are so difficult.
He can recognise some of the physical challenges involved and understand that when a sound doesn't come out correctly, it isn't because he hasn't tried hard enough.
And as his mum, that understanding matters enormously.
Because what people hear today is the product of years and years of intervention.
They don't hear the hundreds of repetitions behind a sound.
They don't see the concentration required.
They don't see the frustration of having something to say but struggling to get it out in the way you intended.
They don't see what happens when you're tired, anxious, overwhelmed or placed under pressure.
And they don't necessarily see how communication difficulties become even more significant during adolescence, when friendships, education, independence, self-advocacy and eventually employment all demand increasingly sophisticated communication.
This is also why getting an EHCP right matters.
A child's communication needs should not simply disappear into a broad statement such as “has speech and language difficulties.”
If a young person has difficulties associated with Apraxia of Speech and Developmental Language Disorder, the different functional impacts need to be properly understood and described.
What does it mean for their expressive language?
Their receptive language?
Their vocabulary and word retrieval?
Their ability to process verbal information?
Their speech production and intelligibility?
Their ability to communicate when anxious or under pressure?
Their ability to participate in lessons, demonstrate what they know, develop friendships and advocate for themselves?
And crucially — what specialist provision do they require because of those needs?
An EHCP shouldn't describe only the child standing in front of professionals today.
It needs to recognise the support and intervention that may be enabling that child to function at that level in the first place.
Because removing or reducing support on the basis that a child is “doing well” can completely misunderstand why they are doing well.
As both a parent and an SEND advocate, this is something I feel incredibly strongly about.
Communication is not simply speech.
A child being able to talk does not automatically mean they can communicate effectively.
A child being understood in a quiet one-to-one assessment does not tell us how they communicate in a classroom, socially, under pressure or when exhausted.
And progress after years of specialist intervention does not mean the underlying need has disappeared.
My son's speech today represents more than a decade of work.
Every sound that once seemed impossible but can now be produced carries a history that most people will never see.
I'm sharing a little of that history because Apraxia of Speech and Developmental Language Disorder need to be understood.
Not just by parents.
But by schools, professionals, decision-makers and everyone responsible for writing the EHCPs that are supposed to identify children's needs and secure the provision they require.
Sometimes the greatest mistake we can make is looking at how far a child has come and forgetting just how much support it took them to get there. ❤️
SEND EHCP Advocate
Share
I support parents and carers navigating the EHCP process and wider SEND system.
✨ Mediation Success – Parent v Camden Local Authority ✨
A very happy client today after a 3-hour mediation regarding their child’s Final EHCP.
I have been supporting this parent since the beginning of the year. Their child was originally attending a named mainstream school that was unable to meet their needs, and the journey has involved advocating for appropriate specialist provision outside of the Local Authority.
Together, we secured consultations, assessment and ultimately a start date at an independent specialist SEND provision — with the Local Authority agreeing to name the provision without the need to go to Tribunal.
However, when the Final EHCP was issued, important parental amendments had not been incorporated and some of the provision remained insufficiently clear and specific.
Today’s mediation focused on getting that right.
After three hours of working through the EHCP, the Local Authority agreed to the amendments and suggestions put forward, including adding omitted provision and strengthening wording so that the plan properly reflects the requirements of the Children and Families Act 2014 and SEND Code of Practice.
The result: an agreed, amended EHCP and one very relieved and happy parent. 💛
For me, this is why getting the wording of an EHCP right matters. Securing the right placement is incredibly important, but the provision written into the plan must also accurately reflect the child’s needs and the support they require.
📚 My books will shortly be reopening to new clients.
If you need support securing a lawful EHCP, challenging vague or inadequate provision, preparing for mediation, or navigating the EHCP process, I will be opening a limited number of spaces for new families.
Rebekah Herbert Advocacy Ltd
SEND & EHCP Advocacy
26/07/2026
https://www.facebook.com/share/1YweTs24v9/
New government consultation on education otherwise than at school, alternative provision and education for children unable to attend school for health reasons | Rook Irwin Sweeney - Public Law. Human Rights. Following its earlier consultation, ‘SEND Reform: Putting Children and Young People First’ – which is currently the subject of a judicial review brought by a client of Rook Irwin Sweeney – the government has launched a further consultation entitled ‘SEND reform: education otherwise than at...
The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 introduces powers that may allow the State to override parental decisions about a child’s education, even where the education being provided is accepted as suitable.
We seek to bring a legal challenge to test whether these provisions are compatible with the Human Rights Act 1998, particularly the right to family life and protection from discrimination.
Call to Action
We are raising funds to bring a judicial review to test the lawfulness of these powers.
We need your support. If you believe that parents should not lose their rights simply because the State thinks it can do “better”, please contribute and share this page.
https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/challenge-the-risk-of-reducing/?fbclid=IwdGRjcATSuSRjbGNrBNK43GV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHm7QmAbG1BdFJgOJOt9cX0xY9zVH3_vMeDs3litFxI088R9IrCNwuQfPz73R_aem_kmytF1iEgSc6kU0uUfvn6g
Please note that I am on holiday from the 27th July to 7th August. All emails will be responded to after I return. Thank you for all my wonderful clients and supporters over the last 7 months. I am finally having a well earned rest.
🌟 Volunteer Opportunity – SEND & EHCP Community Adviser 🌟
Are you passionate about supporting families of children and young people with SEND?
Our growing SEND & EHCP Support UK community is looking for dedicated volunteers to help parents navigate the SEND system by offering peer support, signposting, and sharing reliable information.
This is an advisory volunteer role and is not intended to generate clients or promote personal services. Our focus is on supporting some of the most vulnerable families and ensuring they know where to access the right help at the right time.
We would love to hear from you if you:
- Have completed IPSEA training or are currently undertaking it; or
- Have lived experience of successfully navigating the SEND/EHCP system for your own child; and
- Are empathetic, supportive, and committed to empowering other families.
The role may include:
- Answering general SEND and EHCP queries within the community.
- Signposting families to trusted organisations, guidance, and resources.
- Helping parents understand the SEND process and available options.
- Raising awareness of free support, community events, and educational opportunities, including our EHCP Masterclasses.
- Supporting a positive, respectful, and informative community environment.
This opportunity is ideal if you:
- Want to give something back to the SEND community.
- Would like to gain experience in SEND advocacy.
- Are considering a future career in SEND support or advocacy.
- Enjoy helping families feel informed, empowered, and less alone.
If you are interested, please send me a private email telling me a little about yourself, your experience, and why you would like to volunteer.
[email protected]
Together, we can make navigating the SEND system a little less overwhelming for families who need support the most. 💙
16/07/2026
I'm incredibly proud to share that my latest article has been published in the newest edition of SEN Magazine, released today and available online at the end of July.
In this article, I explore one of the biggest misconceptions about dyslexia – that it is simply about reversing letters or needing a coloured overlay. The reality is so much more complex. Dyslexia can affect memory, processing speed, phonological awareness, organisation, confidence, and every aspect of learning if the right support isn't in place.
My passion for this topic comes from my own journey as a parent. Through my son's struggles, I was forced to learn, research, challenge assumptions, and fight for the provision he needed. Securing the right support within his EHCP was absolutely crucial, and that experience has shaped the advocate I am today.
I hope this article helps parents, educators and professionals look beyond the myths, recognise the true impact of dyslexia, and understand why timely identification and appropriate support can change a child's future.
Thank you to SEN Magazine for giving me the opportunity to share this important message. Together, we can continue raising awareness and ensuring every child is understood for who they are—not judged by the misconceptions surrounding their diagnosis. 💙
09/07/2026
Act on it!!
ITV News has reported allegations from a SEND council whistleblower that families were kept at arm’s length, paper trails were avoided, information was withheld, and provision was delayed because delay saved money.
If you are angry, tag your MP.
Then email them.
Ask them to raise this in Parliament and call for an urgent independent investigation into local authority SEND obstruction, missing paper trails, delayed provision, late tribunal concessions and the withholding of information from families.
This cannot disappear into another promise of “reform”.
Children are waiting.
Families are breaking.
Parliament needs to hear this now.
Contact the school
Opening Hours
| Monday | 09:00 - 17:00 |
| Tuesday | 09:00 - 18:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:30 - 17:00 |
| Thursday | 10:00 - 17:00 |
| Friday | 09:00 - 16:00 |
| Sunday | 10:00 - 11:30 |