Advocate for your clients. SLPs in school systems face tremendous pressure to keep things in house. Stuttering is different from other speech issues. They should consult with fluency specialists. They should refuse to treat clients they are not qualified to treat. Children NEED them to advocate for them. There is a developmental window that closes. School systems don’t care about Kids, it’s about the money. For stuttering, parent participation is crucial. I sit with my son for at least 15 minutes every day. It’s out hang out time and no interruptions are allowed. We also do quiet time at home to reduce anxiety and the pressure to fill silence. Parents should be required to sit in on the last 15 minutes of therapy and they should keep a journal of practice time. Patterns emerge as a result. Speaking is a life skill. If anyone is giving pushback saying a kid doesn’t qualify for an IEP, there is an impact across the curriculum in all subject matters. A child with a stutter absolutely qualifies and NEEDS their SLP to stand up for them. The SLP is the professional. Proper early treatment can be life changing. Denying proper treatment has a lifelong impact, which is what happened to us. SLPs need to be the voice of a child who cannot speak up for him/her/themselves. Parents don’t know!!! Parents get very desensitized to their children’s speech.