What is a Speech & Language Therapist?

Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) work with children who have communication and feeding difficulties. The SLT can help a child learn to eat and drink safely, whilst supporting positive communication and interaction at mealtimes.  

SLTs provide assessment and treatment for children with feeding difficulties, looking primarily at the oro-motor skills needed for chewing and swallowing food and drink safely. 

At The Feeding Trust, our SLTs assess the structure and function of the swallowing process, alongside evaluating any potential issues relating to your child’s feeding. This could include any impact on their nutrition and hydration, plus their ability to take part in family meals at home and meals at nursery, school and in the community. 

SLTs are also involved in assessing and advising on many factors that can affect a child’s eating, such as communication around mealtimes, food preferences and the family’s strategies for supporting their child’s difficulties. 

At The Feeding Trust, our SLTs have become Feeding Therapists after completing advanced post-graduate training. This enables them to work as part of the trans-disciplinary team to provide collaborative treatment and advice on how to: 

  • Support safe and adequate nutrition and hydration 

  • Support the optimum feeding methods and techniques needed to eat and drink safely

  • Achieve age/developmental level appropriate eating and drinking skills 

  • Minimise the risks to the child’s overall health caused by their swallowing difficulties 

  • Support parents and caregivers by helping them implement strategies that support their child’s eating and drinking 

  • Promote positive communication to make mealtimes, goodtimes 

  

Our Speech & Language Therapists

Natalie Raven Morris

Natalie is a Speech and Language Therapist by background, with an undergraduate degree in Psychology and a Masters degree in Speech & Language Pathology and Therapy, from UCL in 1999.

She started work in the NHS, specialising in paediatric dysphagia (children’s feeding and swallowing difficulties), before leaving to set up Integrated Therapy Solutions Ltd, a multi-disciplinary children's therapy service.

In 2013, Natalie established an independent multi-disciplinary feeding clinic, going on to found The Feeding Trust in 2019. She has been awarded a prestigious Shackleton Award for her work to raise awareness of the lack of support available to those affected by PFD and efforts to improve services in the UK. She is passionate about advocating for those with PFD and helping health professionals, educators and the wider public to understand PFD; that it is a profile that recognises a child or young person’s feeding ability is affected by multiple factors and, importantly, it can change. Natalie is keen to link in with people from all sectors across the UK and internationally, to raise the profile of PFD, reduce the barriers to appropriate support and empower families and communities through education and research.

Natalie is a keen walker and has two whippets, Monty and Marley, who love chasing squirrels.

Karen Sheffield

Karen has an undergraduate degree in Speech and Language Therapy and qualified in 2002.

She qualified as a SOS Certified Feeding Therapist in 2016 and went on to undertake advanced feeding therapy modules in:

  • Tube weaning

  • Feeding the Autistic Child

  • Feeding the 6-16 month old child

  • Children with Gastroesophageal Reflux

  • Parents as Partner

Karen is a qualified Dysphagia Therapist (swallowing difficulties) and Level 1 Sensory Integration Practitioner. She has developed specialist clinical skills through working with children with neuro-developmental difficulties, including complex medical conditions in a variety of settings. These include family’s homes, special schools, pre-school provision and community clinics for both the NHS and as an independent practitioner.

She is also qualified to deliver: 

  • Talk Tools Sensory Motor Approach to Feeding
    Combining sensory processing with oro-motor skills needed for safe, effective, nutritive feeding

  • Neuro-muscular training programmes to improve swallow function, saliva control and reflux

  • Specialist oral-hygiene and mouth-care programs

Charlotte Sireshuk

Charlotte has an undergraduate degree in Speech and Language Therapy and qualified in 2008.

She qualified as a SOS Certified Feeding Therapist in 2021 and went on to undertake advanced feeding therapy modules in:

  • Tube weaning

  • Feeding the 6-16 month old child

  • Children with Gastroesophageal Reflux

  • Food Scientist Model for School age Children

Charlotte is a qualified Dysphagia Therapist (swallowing difficulties) completing a postgraduate course in 2013. She has worked with NHS Community services for feeding supporting preschool and school age children. In 2015 she moved to work as specialist dysphagia SLT within a not for profit Nursing home for children and adults with neuro-developmental difficulties. She has continued to develop specialist clinical skills through working with children and young adults with neuro-developmental difficulties, including complex medical conditions in a variety of settings such as special schools, family homes and as part of the Feeding Trust Multidisciplinary team.

She is also qualified to deliver: 

  • Talk Tools Sensory Motor Approach to Feeding
    Combining sensory processing with oro-motor skills needed for safe, effective, nutritive feeding

  • IQoro training

  • Specialist oral-hygiene and mouth-care programs

The Feeding Trust specialties

Click on the circles opposite to find out more about our other specialities…