Children and Young People’s Therapy

Contact us

Ashford team

• Email: ekhuft.cyptherapyashford@nhs.net

• Telephone: 01233 651922

• Location: The Rainbow Centre, Great Chart Road, A28 Bypass, Ashford, TN23 4ER

Folkestone team

• Email: ekhuft.cyptherapyfolkestone@nhs.net

• Telephone: 01303 854461

• Location: The Beacon, Park Farm Road, Folkestone, CT19 5DN

Dover team

• Email: ekhuft.cyptherapydover@nhs.net

• Telephone: 01304 222521

• Location: Children’s Assessment Unit, Buckland Hospital, Coombe Valley Road, Dover, CT17 0HD

What we do

Our team of therapists deliver an outcomes-focussed service offering integrated, specialist support for children aged 0-19, with issues that affect them reaching their full potential.

Our services include:

• occupational therapy – for problems with taking part in everyday tasks, including self-care, leisure and school

• physiotherapy – supporting physical development and independence in moving, walking and for problems with movement, growing bones and muscles

• speech and language therapy – for problems with communication, eating, drinking and swallowing

About your appointment

Most first appointments will be online using a video call.

This first appointment is an opportunity to understand your concerns and the support you would like for your child. We will talk to you about their history to understand your child's needs and work with you to find out what you hope the outcome will be for your child.

In some cases, your first appointment may be a parent workshop. These take place online with other parents of children and young people with similar needs.

Where to find us

For Speech and Language therapy for pre-school children, the Talking Walk-in service offers a play-based drop-in service available in Children’s centres for anyone concerned about their child’s communication needs.

For occupational therapy, physiotherapy and appointments involving more than one therapy, you will be offered an online virtual appointment first.

Where a face-to-face appointment is needed, then your child may be seen in one of the following settings:

• schools

• children's centres

• patients' own homes, or

• in our community-based clinics 

  • Rainbow Centre, Ashford

  • The Children’s Assessment Unit at Buckland Hospital 

  • The Beacon, Folkestone

Please note children and young people with a Canterbury, Faversham or Thanet GP need to refer to Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust.

How to use this service

Speech and language therapy

Support for school age children is accessed via school link therapy meetings and your Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCo).

Pre-school children can attend the walk-in speech and language service (Talking Walk-ins) for help with communication skills - no referral needed.

There are some cases where a referral to our speech and language therapy is required. These are if your child:

• is home schooled

• has a significant hearing impairment

• has a voice disorder

• has an eating, drinking and/or swallowing issue.

For information on how to refer or be referred, see our referral information, under Children and Young People's Therapy.

All other therapy services

Your child can be referred to our service by:

• yourself (parent or carer)

• a teacher

• a health visitor

• a nursery

• a GP, or

• another healthcare professional

The person who knows the child best should be involved in the referral and we can only accept referrals with parental consent.

For more information on how to refer or be referred, see our referral information, under Children and Young People's Therapy.