For parents
A free initial chat, a thorough assessment and clear, achievable targets — with therapy delivered at home or in your child's nursery or school.
Read more
Independent children's speech & language therapy
Every child deserves to be heard and understood.
Speaking & Listening offers specialist speech and language therapy for children across Reading, Berkshire and the surrounding areas — with no waiting lists, and sessions in the places your child already feels at home.
HCPC & RCSLT registeredFully qualified and insured
No waiting listsSupport when you need it
At home or at schoolNo travelling to appointments
Over 20 years' experienceIncluding 10+ years in the NHS
Welcome
Specialist speech and language therapy for children in Berkshire
I'm Elizabeth (Lizi) Hawkins, an independent Speech and Language Therapist based in Reading. I set up Speaking & Listening in 2014 in response to a growing need for therapy that current provision isn't always able to meet.
With over twenty years' experience as a Speech and Language Therapist — including more than ten years working for the NHS — I offer families and schools a professional, friendly and genuinely flexible service. Assessment and therapy are delivered in a fun, non‑threatening way, in the environment where your child is most comfortable.
“Communication is a vital skill required by everyone and underpins everything we do. Children with communication difficulties struggle to read, learn, make friends, socialise and express their emotions.” Elizabeth Hawkins BSc · HCPC · RCSLT
I strongly believe all children deserve the opportunity to fully develop their communication skills so they can achieve their potential.
More about Lizi
How I can help
Support built around your child
Whether you're a parent with a niggling worry or a school looking to commission therapy time, there's a route in that works for you.
For schools & nurseries
Setting audits, whole‑staff training, language groups, IEP support and direct work with the children you're most concerned about.
Read moreAdvice & training
Practical training and coaching for staff and parents, so the strategies that help your child carry on working every day of the week.
Read moreAreas I work with
Speaking & Listening supports children with a wide range of speech, language and communication needs, including:
- Attention and listening difficulties
- Stammering
- Speech sound difficulties
- Delayed expressive language — difficulty learning new words or forming sentences
- Delayed understanding of language — difficulty following instructions or learning new concepts
Not sure whether your child needs support? A short, free consultation will help you decide.
Arrange a free chatThe advantages of Speaking & Listening
- No waiting lists
- A flexible service that fits around you and your family
- No travelling to appointments
- Assessment and therapy in an environment familiar to your child
- Regular input to maximise the potential for faster progress
- Close liaison with NHS therapists, school staff and other professionals
What to expect
Four simple steps
From first phone call to measurable progress — no jargon, no long waits.
1
Free consultation
A short, no‑obligation conversation to talk through your concerns and decide together whether an assessment would be useful.
2
Assessment
Observation, discussion and formal or informal assessment so I fully understand your child's current communication skills.
3
Clear targets
If therapy would help, we agree specific targets and a realistic timeframe — and you'll always know what we're working towards.
4
Therapy & review
Fun, play‑based sessions at home or in school, with practical ideas for you and your child's teachers to carry on between visits.
Where I work
Speech and language therapy across Berkshire
Home, nursery and school visits throughout Reading and the surrounding towns and villages.
- Reading
- Caversham
- Tilehurst
- Woodley
- Earley
- Wokingham
- Bracknell
- Twyford
- Henley‑on‑Thames
- Maidenhead
- Newbury
- Thatcham
- Pangbourne
- Theale
Not sure whether you're in range? Just ask — I'm happy to travel a little further.
Kind words
What families and schools say
Lizi put our son at ease immediately. Within a few sessions he was trying sounds he'd avoided for years — and, more importantly, he was enjoying it.
Parent, Reading
The whole‑staff training was practical and immediately usable. Our classrooms are noticeably more communication friendly as a result.
SENCo, Berkshire primary school
After a long wait for NHS support, it was such a relief to get clear advice quickly. The targets were realistic and we could see progress every week.
Parent, Wokingham
Ready to talk it through?
The first conversation is free and there's absolutely no obligation. Call or email and I'd love to hear about your child.