Speech therapist, Newham
Children's speech and language therapy in Newham
I'm Rajni Davegun, an independent speech and language therapist for children and young people aged 18 months to 16. My clinic, Sunshine Speech Therapy, is in Wanstead, a few stops from Stratford on the Central line, and I visit nurseries and schools across Newham.
How does it work if we live in Newham?
Sessions usually happen at the clinic in Wanstead, north of Forest Gate on the other side of Wanstead Flats: 11 Cambridge Park, Wanstead, London E11 2PU, under five minutes' walk from Wanstead station on the Central line. Every session is in person and one to one, with you learning alongside your child.
I visit Newham nurseries and schools as well. A visit is £85 an hour. Travel fees may apply, so ask before you book and you'll get a number.
The first step is a free 15-minute call, with no GP referral needed. If we both think a session would help, the next step is an assessment, and the guide to what happens at an assessment describes it. Costs are fixed and listed on the fees page. If you aren't sure what kind of help fits, the services page starts from what you've noticed.
I'm registered with the HCPC (SL038484) and a member of the RCSLT and ASLTIP. More about me and my training.
Getting to the clinic from around Newham
Stratford
Stratford is on the Central line, so Wanstead is a few stops on with no change. Take a train towards Hainault via Newbury Park, and check the destination on the front of the train. The Elizabeth line stops at Stratford too, which is where it meets the Central line.
Forest Gate and Manor Park
Both are on the Elizabeth line, not the Central line. Take it to Stratford and change there for a Central line train towards Hainault via Newbury Park. Wanstead Park station is in Forest Gate, but it's a different station on the Overground and isn't close to the clinic. You want Wanstead station.
East Ham and Upton Park
Both are on the District and Hammersmith & City lines. Those lines meet the Central line at Mile End, so by Tube you'd change there for a Central line train towards Hainault via Newbury Park. If you're working out the route, email me and I'll help.
Plaistow and West Ham
Plaistow is on the District and Hammersmith & City lines, so you'd change at Mile End for the Central line. West Ham has the Jubilee line as well, which runs to Stratford, where you change for a Central line train towards Hainault via Newbury Park.
Canning Town, Custom House and Beckton
Canning Town is on the Jubilee line, which runs to Stratford. Change there for a Central line train towards Hainault via Newbury Park. From Custom House or Beckton, if you're working out the route, email me and I'll help.
I'm not giving parking advice because I can't promise any, so if you're driving, email me first and we'll sort something out.
How does NHS speech and language therapy work in Newham?
NHS speech and language therapy for children in Newham is provided by East London NHS Foundation Trust, which the NHS North East London directory lists as the borough's service. Its Newham children's service covers communication, language, eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties.
The trust runs an early years service and a separate service for school-age children, which covers ages 4 to 18. For the early years service, parents and carers can refer, and so can nurseries and other professionals. For a school-age child, the schools service advises a parent who wants a language and communication assessment to speak to the school's SENCo, who makes the referral, and it has a separate route for speech sound and voice difficulties. Check which service covers your child's age before you refer.
Seeing me does not take your child off an NHS waiting list. Plenty of families do both, and I am glad to work alongside an NHS therapist.
If you're weighing the two up, there's a guide to private or NHS speech therapy, and another on what you can do while you wait.
Where is the Local Offer, and how do I ask for an EHC needs assessment?
Newham Council publishes its SEND Local Offer on its Newham Families website.
If you think your child needs an EHC plan, you can ask the council for an EHC needs assessment yourself. The council's EHC plans page has a request form for parents and carers as well as one for schools, and it suggests talking to the school's SENCo first.
For free, impartial advice, Newham SENDIASS supports parents, carers, children and young people with SEND from 0 to 25. It's a self-referral service, and it works independently of the council.
If you need independent evidence for an EHC needs assessment, an annual review or a SEND Tribunal appeal, I write those reports. The EHCP and tribunal reports page sets out what one covers.
The guide to getting speech and language therapy written into an EHC plan goes through the law one step at a time.
Do you work with nurseries and schools in Newham?
Yes, across Newham. Stratford and Forest Gate are the parts of the borough nearest the clinic, but ask wherever the setting is. On a visit I observe, talk staff through what I've seen before I go, and send written notes afterwards.
How I work with staff is on the schools and nurseries page. Visits, training and meetings are all priced on the fees page.
Not in Newham?
Each borough has its own page. Pick yours, or see everywhere I work.
Local sources
Checked on 5 November 2026. Services change, so follow the links for current details.
- East London NHS Foundation Trust. Speech and language therapy, early years (Newham). https://www.elft.nhs.uk/services/speech-language-therapy-early-years
- East London NHS Foundation Trust. Speech and language therapy service to schools (Newham). https://www.elft.nhs.uk/scyps/our-services/speech-and-language-therapy-slt-service-schools
- NHS North East London. Speech and language therapy, children. https://northeastlondon.icb.nhs.uk/service/speech-and-language-therapy-children
- London Borough of Newham. SEND Local Offer. https://www.newham.gov.uk/localoffer
- London Borough of Newham. Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). https://families.newham.gov.uk/kb5/newham/directory/localoffer.page?localofferchannel=14
- London Borough of Newham. SENDIASS. https://families.newham.gov.uk/kb5/newham/directory/localoffer.page?localofferchannel=8
- Transport for London. Tube map. https://tfl.gov.uk/maps/track/tube
In Newham and not sure where to start?
Start with the free call. It costs nothing, and it commits you to nothing.