Peterborough is developing a new Experts at Hand (EAH) model as part of its wider SEND Reform Programme. This represents a significant investment in early intervention, inclusion and specialist support for children and young people with SEND. The development of Speech and Language Therapy (SaLT) and Occupational Therapy (OT) services forms a key part of this work.
This is not about making minor adjustments to existing services or extending current arrangements. Instead, it is an opportunity to design a new model of support from the ground up, informed by the experiences of children, young people, families, education settings and practitioners. The feedback gathered through this survey will directly inform the future service specifications currently being developed for the SaLT and OT elements of Experts at Hand.
At the heart of the new model is a commitment to earlier help, closer to where children and young people live and learn. Through community clusters, therapists will work alongside education settings and wider professionals to build capability, strengthen inclusive practice and ensure support is available before needs escalate. The aim is to move away from systems where specialist expertise is primarily accessed through statutory processes or long referral pathways, and towards a model where advice, guidance, coaching and intervention can be provided earlier and more flexibly.
The services will support schools and settings to develop communication-friendly and sensory-aware environments, strengthen workforce confidence, provide consultation and coaching, contribute to multi-agency working, and help children and young people access the right support at the right time. Therapists will also play an important role within local community clusters, helping partners understand emerging needs, shape priorities and respond collectively to local challenges.
We know that families and practitioners are experts in what works, what does not work, and what support is needed most. That is why your views are so important. We want to understand not only current experiences of Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy services, but also what a truly effective early intervention model should look like in the future.
Your feedback will help us shape:
- The priorities for future SaLT and OT services
- The balance between direct intervention, consultation, coaching and workforce development
- How therapists should work within community clusters
- The support that schools, settings and families need most
- How services can intervene earlier and reduce the need for children and young people to reach crisis point before help is available
- How specialist expertise can be used most effectively to improve outcomes across the whole SEND system
This survey is part of a wider programme of co-production and engagement that will help ensure services are designed around the needs of Peterborough's children, young people and families.
Together, we have an opportunity to create something different: a more accessible, preventative and responsive model of support that helps more children and young people thrive in their local communities.
Complete the survey
Have your say by completing our online survey. The deadline for comments is 30 September 2026.