Speech and language therapy referral guidelines - selective mutism

Refer if child/young person does not meet the exclusion criteria* below, plus:

• Parents/carers and key setting staff (nursery/school) have accessed and implemented the following support for 3 months and there has been no/minimal progress: 
  • setting staff have completed 'Introduction to Selective Mutism ’ training or Kent’s Speech and Language Therapy Service’s online webinars 1 and 2
  • parents/carers have accessed Kent’s Speech and Language Therapy Service’s online webinars 1 and 2.
  • s etting ha s completed the environmental checklists  and implemented strategies and environmental modifications from the training
  • setting has i dentified a member of staff as the key person (KP) and has implement ed one to one pressure-free rapport building sessions using the strategies from the training.
• AND
  • the child is consistently unable to speak or only speaking a little or in a whisper in certain situations, despite speaking freely at home.
  • there has been limited or no improvement in the child or young person's ability to communicate to the key person within the one to one sessions.

*Exclusion criteria:     

• The child or young person is experiencing significant anxiety that is impacting their ability to attend their educational setting or go out into the community (please discuss with GP if referal to mental health services is required).  

• The child or young person is experiencing temporary or fluctuating periods of mutism (for example, comes and goes depending on mood/levels of stress/topic).