Independent SLTs not being able to get access to a school to see a child - or the school making it unnecessarily difficult - is a growing issue for many.
Part of the issue is simply that many schools often don't really seem to know how to deal with private clinicians, but this is clearly outlined in the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) statutory guidance.
This challenge is being looked at by Government, HCPC, RCSLT and others. But in the meantime, for any therapist who needs to access a school, as long as you have an Enhanced DBS check, you should be able do so.
Below is a template you can edit and use as appropriate to ensure that schools are clear on the nature of your engagement with the client and what should be expected of you to provide to safely access the school.
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I am an independent, self-employed speech and language therapist, registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC registration number [number]). I have been engaged directly by [Child’s first name]’s parents to provide speech and language therapy, with sessions taking place in school at their request.
I am not employed by, or supplied to the school through, any agency or organisation, so there is no employer able to provide an assurance letter on my behalf.
Independent speech and language therapists are regulated by the HCPC and work to the same professional standards, scope of practice and safeguarding obligations as colleagues employed in the NHS. The vetting I hold is the same check an NHS therapist attending the school would hold.
Where a practitioner is self-employed, KCSIE expects the school to either carry out the required checks itself or to sight the certificate the practitioner already holds, and satisfy itself that the check is at the level the school requires. Since January 2026, self-employed practitioners have been able to obtain Enhanced DBS checks in their own name.
I hold a current Enhanced DBS certificate including children’s barred list information, [and I am registered with the DBS Update Service, so my status can be verified online at any time].
I can provide:
my DBS certificate and certificate number
[my Update Service details, for direct verification]
my HCPC registration number, verifiable on the HCPC public register
photo identification and proof of address
evidence of professional indemnity insurance
professional references on request
I am happy to complete any visitor sign-in, safeguarding induction or site procedures the school asks of anyone working on its premises, and to meet any requirement that would be applied to any other visiting professional working with a pupil on site.
Please let me know what you would like to see and I will provide it.