23,000 on waiting list for speech therapy

MORE than 23,000 under 18-year-olds are on a waiting list for speech and language therapy, with almost 4,000 of those waiting for between 12 months and two years.

Latest estimates from the health services show of all the people currently awaiting assessment and treatment for speech and language, about 77% are under 18.

The most recent figures show more than 13,000 young people are on a waiting list for speech and language therapy alone, with a further 10,178 waiting for an initial assessment to find out what their needs are.