Hazel Shaw Independent Speech and Language Therapist

10/08/2026

Just time for one last Speech & Language Therapy session today before I take a little break for the next two weeks! ☀️😊

Looking forward to some time to recharge before getting back to it at the end of August.

Hope all my families, schools and colleagues are having a lovely summer! 💛

22/07/2026

A little act of kindness goes a long way. 💛🌼

It's been a bit of a stressful week, so receiving these beautiful flowers today from one of the children I work with was such a lovely surprise. It was completely unexpected and very much appreciated.

Thank you as well to everyone who has sent messages and well wishes for Maisy after last week's scare. She is thankfully making an excellent recovery and despite being told she should be resting, has insisted on joining me for every therapy session so far! 🐱 She clearly doesn't want to miss out on seeing all her little friends!

Feeling very grateful today. Thank you for your kindness and support – it really is appreciated. 💛🐾🌼

20/07/2026

A little update on Maisy. 🐾

Maisy will be taking a break from her role as my therapy assistant over the next few weeks while she recovers from an unfortunate incident. On Thursday, she was chased by a dog and was injured, resulting in an emergency trip to the vets.

She's now resting at home and has further tests tomorrow to make sure there are no fractures or other injuries. We're all hoping for positive news.

I'm sure you'll join me in wishing Maisy a speedy recovery. Hopefully she'll be back to greeting children and supporting therapy sessions very soon. ❤️🐱

07/07/2026

I really don't enjoy seeing myself on video 🙈, but I wanted to do this because I will always be passionate about supporting children with speech disorders, cleft palate and Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS).

A huge thank you to Mikey's Wish - Verbal Dyspraxia Awareness for giving me the opportunity to talk about something so close to my heart. Through the incredible work they do supporting children with CAS and their families, they're helping to raise awareness and ensure that no family feels alone.

For a long time I felt like quite a small voice in this specialist area. Now, thanks to an amazing network of families, professionals and organisations like Mikey's Wish, I feel part of something much bigger. Together we're raising awareness, sharing knowledge and helping more children access the specialist support they deserve.

Thank you, Mikey's Wish, for everything you do. 💙

29/06/2026

My Speech and Language Therapy Dream Team - ready for a busy week 🥰

13/06/2026

Absolutely thrilled to see this wonderful and very well-deserved recognition for Mikey Akers, founder of Mikey’s Wish Foundation, who has been awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours for services to Special Educational Needs 💜

As a Speech & Language Therapist specialising in Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) and as a proud friend and supporter of Speech Apraxia International, I have seen first-hand the incredible difference Mikey and his family have made to children and families within the SEND community.

The support, awareness, advocacy and sense of community they have created for families of children with speech and communication needs is truly remarkable. Their passion and commitment continue to make such a positive impact on so many lives.

Huge congratulations, Mikey — such a fantastic and deserved achievement 👏💜

We are incredibly proud to announce that our founder, Mikey Akers, has been awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours for services to Special Educational Needs.

05/06/2026

Maisy loved all the attention she got at the vets today whilst getting her jabs. Thank you to The Worcester Vet Group - Ambleside Clinic and St Peters Clinic for making her feel so special ♥️

28/05/2026

I had a trip down memory lane today whilst on a routine visit to Birmingham Children’s Hospital with my son 🥰

Standing outside the Speech and Language Therapy department brought back so many memories of where my passion for speech, cleft and complex speech disorders first began whilst working as a Cleft Link Therapist.

I was incredibly lucky to receive such phenomenal training there and to work alongside some truly inspiring Speech and Language Therapists who shared the same enthusiasm and dedication to supporting children with cleft and speech difficulties.

It definitely feels like a place that helped shape the therapist I am today 💙❤️

19/05/2026

I think this heartwarming photo perfectly captures the bond that can quickly develop between children and therapy animals 🐾💙

This young person absolutely adores Maisy and despite her only joining him for one session so far, she has became such an important part of it. Her calm presence helped create an environment where he felt relaxed, settled and ready to listen carefully without even really realising he was doing it.

One of the areas we have been focusing on has been developing self-monitoring skills so he can begin to notice and correct his own speech errors more independently - and Maisy was the perfect quiet listening partner for this!

She may look like she is fast asleep under the table, but somehow Maisy always seems to know exactly when she is needed 🐱

I'm very grateful for my little therapy assistant and fully aware of how lucky I am to have such an instinctive and gentle cat who seems to understand exactly what children need ❤️