Speech and Language Therapy

Speech and Language Therapy in Sefton Speech and Language Therapy in Liverpool

Willy Russell Centre for Children & Adults who Stammer

Speech and language therapists are the lead professionals in the diagnosis and management of communication and swallowing disorders.

Children learn from parents, teachers, friends and family and therefore as Speech and Language Therapists it’s really important we work collaboratively with everyone in the child’s life to get the best outcomes. Some children learn communication skills quickly and some children may take longer. Some children may also have lifelong speech, language and communication difficulties so our role is not always to ‘cure’ and ‘fix’ children but ensure those around the child have the skills and knowledge to continue any support they may need for the future.

A speech and language therapist may support children who need help with:

Listening and following instructions
Playing and talking with other children
Understanding what people say to them
Saying sounds and talking clearly
Using words in sentences
Eating and drinking

Services based at Alder Hey Children's Hospital

The team based at Alder Hey hospital works closely with our craniofacial, neuromuscular, long-term ventilation and cleft lip and palate services to treat children and young people with various conditions. We also assess and work with children who are inpatients, for example following a brain injury. A speech and language therapist may support children who need help with:

Listening and following instructions
Playing and talking with other children
Understanding what people say to them
Saying sounds and talking clearly
Using words in sentences
Eating and drinking

Meet the team

Siobhan McMahon: Head of Department
Wendy Blumenow: Deputy Head of Department, Craniofacial conditions, Moebius syndrome, acute inpatients
Helen Brannan: Senior Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, Cleft Lip and Palate
Suzanne Wood: Senior Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, Cleft Lip and Palate
Kathryn Da-Costa-Greaves: Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, Cleft Lip and Palate
Alison Felton: Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, Neuromuscular conditions, Long Term Ventilation, Acquired Brain Injury and Acute Paediatric Dysphagia
Laura Garvie: Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, Craniofacial conditions, inpatient communication
Adele Garvey: Speech and Language Therapy Assistant
Angela Montgomery: Pathway Coordinator

Contact us

Please call us on 0151 252 5404 to speak to the hospital-based service. To contact one of our community teams please use the numbers in the tabs below instead.

Health professionals should make a referral in writing to:

Siobhan McMahon
Head of Department, Speech and Language Therapy
Alder Hey Children’s Hospital
Eaton Road
Liverpool
L12 2AP

Referrals can also be made internally through the Meditech 6 system.