Speech therapist, Waltham Forest
Children's speech and language therapy in Waltham Forest
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, one stop from Leytonstone on the Central line, and I visit nurseries and schools across Waltham Forest.
How does it work if we live in Waltham Forest?
Sessions usually happen at the clinic, which is just over the borough boundary from Leytonstone: 11 Cambridge Park, Wanstead, London E11 2PU, under five minutes' walk from Wanstead station. They're in person and one to one, with you learning alongside your child.
I also visit nurseries and schools in Waltham Forest. A visit is £85 an hour, and travel fees may apply, so ask before you book and you'll get a number.
It starts with a free 15-minute call, and you don't need a GP referral. If a first session makes sense after that, it will be an assessment, and there's a guide to what happens at one. Every price is on the fees page, and 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 Waltham Forest
Leytonstone
Leytonstone is the closest part of the borough, and Wanstead is one stop away. Take a Central line train towards Hainault via Newbury Park, and check the destination on the front of the train. Trains towards Epping or Loughton don't stop at Wanstead.
Leyton
Leyton is on the Central line too, two stops from Wanstead by way of Leytonstone. Again you want a train towards Hainault via Newbury Park, with no change.
Walthamstow
Walthamstow Central is on the Victoria line and the Overground, not the Central line, so there isn't a simple route to Wanstead station. If you're working out the route, email me and I'll help.
Chingford and Highams Park
Both stations are on the Overground, not the Central line. 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 Waltham Forest?
NHS speech and language therapy for children in Waltham Forest is provided by NELFT NHS Foundation Trust, and the NHS North East London directory lists it as the borough's service. NELFT's page says the service supports people up to the age of 19 with communication, feeding and swallowing difficulties.
Referrals are accepted from parents and guardians, and from health, education and social care professionals. NELFT asks for its specialist children's services referral form, with your signed consent to share information. You'll find the form and the current contact details on NELFT's page for the Waltham Forest service.
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?
Waltham Forest Council publishes its Local Offer, the information about support for children with special educational needs and disabilities, as part of its SEND pages.
If you think your child needs an EHC plan, you can ask the council for an EHC needs assessment yourself. The council has a page of guidance for parents on making the request. If a school or another professional makes it instead, they need your consent first.
For advice on any of this, Waltham Forest SENDIASS is the information, advice and support service for children, young people, parents and carers in the borough.
I write independent reports for EHC needs assessments, annual reviews and SEND Tribunal appeals, with provision specified and quantified. The EHCP and tribunal reports page explains what that means and what a report costs.
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 Waltham Forest?
Yes. Leytonstone, Leyton, Walthamstow and Chingford are all in the borough, and I can visit nurseries and schools in each of them. A visit means time in the room with your child, a spoken handover to staff before I leave, and written notes afterwards.
The schools and nurseries page explains how I work with staff, and training and meeting fees are on the fees page.
Not in Waltham Forest?
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.
- NELFT NHS Foundation Trust. Child and adolescent speech and language therapy (SALT), Waltham Forest. https://www.nelft.nhs.uk/services-waltham-forest-salt/
- NHS North East London. Speech and language therapy, children. https://northeastlondon.icb.nhs.uk/service/speech-and-language-therapy-children
- London Borough of Waltham Forest. Local Offer: Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND). https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/schools-education-and-learning/local-offer-special-educational-needs-and-disability-send
- London Borough of Waltham Forest. Referrals and assessments for Education, Health and Care plans. https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/schools-education-and-learning/local-offer-special-educational-needs-and-disability-send/education-health-and-care-plans-ehcp/referrals-and-assessments-education-health-and-care-plans
- Waltham Forest SENDIASS. https://www.walthamforestsendiass.org.uk/
- Transport for London. Tube map. https://tfl.gov.uk/maps/track/tube
In Waltham Forest and not sure where to start?
Start with the free call. It costs nothing, and it commits you to nothing.