Find out about therapies and courses available for children and teenagers who stammer.
Do you have a child who stammers, or has started to stammer? Before reading on, take a look at Help If Your Child Stammers. It has things you can do at home to support them.
If you're still worried, or if your child is distressed, there are lots of ways you can get help. We've got details of each one below.
Chat with us if you want to talk things through. Call our free helpline on 0808 802 0002 or start a webchat.
One-to-one speech & language therapy
NHS therapy
You can get stammering therapy for children and teenagers for free through the NHS. This is usually one-to-one therapy with a qualified speech & language therapist.
Finding a therapist
In most cases you can refer yourself without going to your GP first. Here's how:
- Phone our free helpline on 0808 802 0002 or start a webchat. We can help you find contact details of your local NHS stammering service. Or, email help@stamma.org
- Find contact details online. Search for 'Child NHS stammering therapy + your local town/city'.
Getting someone to refer you
Another way is to ask your child's doctor, nursery/school or health visitor to refer you. Some services only accept referrals via your child's school. If so, contact the school and ask to speak its Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO).
Long waiting list? No service where you live?
There might be a waiting list for NHS therapy, depending on where you live. Sadly a few places don't offer therapy at all. If you've been told either of these things, there are other options you can try. We've listed these below, such as private therapy or stammering courses.
Free advice & assessment from the Michael Palin Centre
The Michael Palin Centre for Stammering has a helpline where you can get advice from a specialist therapist. Give them a call on 0203 316 8100.
They also offer a charitably funded assessment for 2- to 18-year-olds. This provides tailored advice and recommendations for you and your child. See the Michael Palin Centre website for details.
The Michael Palin Centre one-to-one therapy
This centre in London also provides speech & language therapy for children. If you live in the Camden & Islington area, where they are based, you can access this on the NHS.
It's also open to children elsewhere in the UK, but the NHS cannot provide this. You can discuss with the centre how you may be able to get funding. Or you can pay for it yourself. See their website for details. We've also got more details on our site about what the MPC provides.
Private therapy
Private speech & language therapy is another option, but it's not free.
Find a qualified private therapist near you. Search on the Association for Speech & Language Therapists in Independent Practice website. Or you can phone them on 0203 002 3704.
Make sure to ask therapists if they have worked with children who stammer before.
Sessions with a private therapist vary but may range between £70 and £125. This depends on the therapist's experience, what's included, or on regional variation.
The first session is likely to be more expensive. This is because they'll spend extra time gathering information.
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More about therapy
If you'd like to find out what speech & language therapy involves, see Children's Stammering Options Explained.
Wondering what to expect? See Children's therapy: your first visit.
Group therapy courses
Another option is a speech & language therapy course for groups of children or teenagers. Some are free but others you have to pay for.
Here's what's available:
City St George's University — Intensive Courses (ages 13-18)
The Roberta Williams Speech & Language Therapy Centre, based at City St George's University in London, has courses for teenagers aged 13 to 18.
It includes a parent session on one of the days. This is a chance for you to learn how to support your child's resilience around communication. You'll also cover topics such as teasing/bullying, managing transitions and handling stress.
Read more about what this course offers.
When are they?: Courses run every July.
Do I have to pay?: Yes, you have to pay. But a bursary scheme is available from the Charity Action for Stammering Children. This is for eligible families within London who would otherwise find it difficult to pay. See their website below for details.
Visit City St George's University website for course details and costs.
Contact: stammeringintensive@city.ac.uk
Please note: City St George's University recommends that your child is already being supported by a therapist. This is so that the therapist can help with follow up support after the course. But you can still refer yourself if they are not seeing a therapist.
The Fluency Trust (ages 10-17)
The Fluency Trust, based in Swindon, runs residential therapy courses for ages 10 to 17.
These courses combine intensive speech therapy with outdoor activities. Things like climbing, abseiling, kayaking and surfing are included.
Read more about what this course offers.
When are they?: courses are every July & August, with a follow up day in October.
Do I have to pay?: Courses are free for children who live in Swindon. If you live outside of Swindon, it should be funded by your local NHS therapy provider. Speak to them about it using the contact details below. If that isn't available, you can fund yourself or explore local funding organisations.
Visit The Fluency Trust website for course details and costs.
Contact: aford@swindon.gov.uk
The Michael Palin Centre (ages 10-18)
The Michael Palin Centre for Stammering in London runs charitably funded non-residential group programmes. Each programme runs over a year with group face-to-face meet ups in London and individual therapy, which can be online.
They have two courses:
- For ages 10-14, with their parents. This includes a one-week course held every October half term or Easter break. Running in parallel to it is a parent group. Visit the Michael Palin Centre website for course details.
- For ages 15-18, with an optional parents' day. This includes a two-week course every July and four follow up meetings over 12 months. There is an optional one-day workshop for parents too. Visit the Michael Palin Centre website for course details.
Do I have to pay?: No, places on their courses are charitably funded, so you won't have to pay.
Contact mpc.admin@nhs.net
Read more about what these courses offer.
Talking Out (ages 11-18)
Talking Out run free online and in-person courses for young people who stammer.
- Their online courses combine speech & language therapy, individual challenges, group and one-to-one work.
- They also have a residential 5-day intensive course based in Yorkshire. This combines therapy with outdoor activities like rock climbing, mountain biking and canoeing.
Upcoming courses:
- Residential: 27th Oct-1st Nov 2025.
- Online: See website below.
Do I have to pay?: No, courses are free. Places are charitably-funded by Action for Stammering Children. Contact them below for details.
Visit the Talking Out website for course details.
Contact: email admin@talkingoutresidential.com or phone 07763 719272.
Other courses
Below is an alternative option to speech & language therapy. These are courses run by people who have been on them and found them helpful, rather than therapists.
Please note: approaches below might use language that some people may object to. For instance "We can help overcome stammering". Depending on your view of stammering, discretion is advised. See 'Things to watch out for' below.
The Starfish Project (ages 11-16)
The Starfish Project runs 3-day courses in Eastbourne for people who stammer.
One of the courses is for young people aged 11 to 16, accompanied by a parent. It supports people who stammer by teaching and practising a speech technique. It combines this with:
- reducing avoidance
- increasing confidence
- developing a positive attitude towards stammering.
See Children's Stammering Options Explained for details about techniques taught on this course.
Do I have to Pay?: Yes. Their costs include free lifetime support and refresher courses.
Visit The Starfish Project website for details.
Contact: email mail@starfishproject.co.uk or phone 01825 872038.
Things to watch out for
Above are the main stammering therapies and courses for children and teenagers in the UK. Some might use language that could be seen as biased and non-neutral. For example, they might refer to stammering as an affliction or misfortune. Some people argue that describing stammering in this way adds to the stigma, while others don't.
You might come across other approaches online that aren't on our list. To safeguard against untested or unqualified providers, we recommend choosing one which:
- offers realistic expectations of change and NOT an offer of a cure or a way of 'stopping' stammering
- provides clear and unambiguous information about what it does and how much it costs. Also, how long it is and the commitment needed
- recognises the need to accept one’s stammer at some level, to help speech and/or a change in attitude
- is nationally recognised as supporting people who stammer to communicate confidently. We judge this based on an organisation's track record, a considerable body of independent user reviews and good feedback.
If therapy isn't working out
Are you having doubts about your child's therapy or the course they're on? Not quite sure where it's going? Does it not feel like the right fit for them? See What To Do If Children's Therapy Isn't Working Out for tips.
What next?
- Become A STAMMA Member for free and join the community. We'll keep you updated with our activities.
- Get involved with the STAMMA community. Find an event, fundraise, share your story, volunteer, take part in research and more.
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Please consider making a donation to STAMMA: click here. You'll be helping us to:
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Thank you.
Disclaimer
Courses, therapy providers and tools listed here are reviewed intermittently by STAMMA's Service Panel.
Inclusion on the website does not indicate endorsement by STAMMA. It simply indicates that those listed have met the basic criteria for inclusion. Details of courses and therapy is for information purposes only. This information is not advice and should not be treated as such.
Through this page you can link to other websites that are not controlled by STAMMA. We bear no responsibility for the accuracy, content or nature of these sites. This includes any language used to describe or refer to stammering.
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