Speechmag

Family Action praise preventative Home Talk intervention for children at risk of language delay

Family Action have been in touch to let me know about some promising targeted work they are doing with late talking 2 year olds. 

The charity provides over 100 community based services to disadvantaged and socially isolated families across England. This includes managing Children's Centres in Mansfield where they work closely with local health visitors and speech and language therapists. As part of Nottinghamshire's multi-agency Language for Life Strategy a Play and Learning Worker delivers the Home Talk intervention to parents of children at risk of language delay. 

Children are identified by health visitors using a traffic light screening system devised by the children's centres speech and language therapy service. While children with significant needs are offered referral to speech and language therapy, there are a range of other preventative options including Home Talk for those who may benefit from some targeted support. The Family Action Play and Learning Worker in West Mansfield has been going into homes of each identified child once a week for 6 weeks to work with parents to encourage communication around routines, play and the children's interests. Over the past two years she has seen 30 children, and only 4 have needed further referral to speech and language therapy.

There has been increasing interest in primary prevention, and a number of areas with multi-agency strategies including Nottinghamshire (Language for Life), Sheffield (ESCAL) and Stoke on Trent (Stoke Speaks Out) were commended by Communication Champion Jean Gross in her final report, but such initiatives are under-represented in the research literature. An exception is the Babytalk Home Visiting service, a collaborative primary preventative intervention in Portsmouth. This has been written up in Child Language Teaching & Therapy and, following an encouraging evaluation, is due to have a controlled comparative study. 

Communication Champion's final report shows communication is everyone's business

Despite her two year term as Communication Champion officially ending in December, Jean Gross was up with the lark this morning for a 5 minute slot on the Daybreak sofa to talk about ‘testing’ of 2 years olds. 

Having read her carefully considered and detailed final report, I knew that what Jean had actually asked for was inclusion of “a measure of children’s communication and language development at age two” (p.10) in the Department of Health’s Public Health outcomes framework. On the report's release a week ago, the press furore was around its supposed call that parents should receive texts to remind them to talk to their children. What Jean actually recommended was that the Department for Education should “provide parents with interesting, accessible information on how to enjoy and support their child’s communication and language development from birth onwards, using…the full range of technologies – phone apps with free film and text content, social media, texting, daytime television and so on – in order to ensure reach” (p.11). 

Early identification, workforce capacity building, skill mix and team work, joint commissioning, user and voluntary sector involvement and the need to measure impact are all among the report’s recommendations. There is a focus on specialist services including AAC, speech and language therapy provision in different settings, and hard to reach populations. A strong theme is the need for greater recognition of speech, language and communication difficulties in children with behaviour problems. There is plenty of food for thought for speech and language therapists when Jean highlights the continuation of ineffective models of intervention where therapists are expected “to ‘fix’ children through face-to-face work” (p.25) and urges us to question our practice in relation to people who do not attend.

In using examples from a number of places which have really embraced the idea that communication is everyone’s business, Jean shows that transformation is a realistic prospect even when budgets are under enormous pressure. This contrasts with her frustration at the loss of services in other areas and concerns about the long-term impact.

I have often reflected on the strength of character, strategic nous, inveterate networking and chameleon-like adaptability that a ‘champion’ position requires. Presenting complex arguments in soundbites to answer TV presenters' questions such as “Do you think children as young as 2 should be tested for how well they speak?” is just another prerequisite of the job. Admittedly “Do you think it is better to spot a communication problem early and help a child and their family rather than letting them struggle?”, “Do you think good quality information should be available to parents who want to know more about child language development?” and “Do you think people working with young children should know how to get them listening and talking well?” don’t invite quite the same controversy. 

On the positive side, every media opportunity raises awareness of communication and gets people talking about talking, and the Communication Champion’s role has been to make this happen at every level. Media coverage is aimed at the general public but, for those with a real interest in supporting children's communication, the report offers a more complete picture of where we are at and where we should aspire to be going. 

 

Animation Therapy videos to improve narrative in older children with language impairment

Readers of Speech & Language Therapy in Practice will be interested to see these short videos accompanying an article about Animation Therapy in the Winter 11 issue. 

Animation Therapy is a hybrid of skill based and naturalistic activities aimed at improving narrative in older children with language impairment. Speech and language therapist Ravit Cohen-Mimran developed the approach over the past two years. In the Winter 11 issue she describes the rationale, stages, and its use with 11 year old 'Ben'.

The first video shows Ben's traffic jam animation, while the second is by another child. Ravit plans to submit a research proposal to get funding for a larger study with more participants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

'New dimensions' online report from the Child Language Seminar 2011

The final issue of Speech & Language Therapy in Practice has been signed off for printing, so will be mailed out to subscribers the week beginning 5 December. 

Meantime, you can access a new, free, online-only article written to accompany the Winter 11 issue. 'New Dimensions' is a report by Speech & Language Therapy in Practice editor Avril Nicoll from the Child Language Seminar (CLS 2011). This was held in June 2011 in Newcastle, and the organisers made a conscious decision to give it a more clinical focus than usual and encourage more participation by therapists as well as researchers and academics. Speakers included James Law, Liz Pena, Sheena Reilly, Sue Roulstone, Maggie Snowling and Helen Stringer. 

As Avril says in her report, "Over the two packed days, I wondered just how a speech and language therapist could synthesise and translate the swirling mass of evidence, ideas, research methods and theories put before them. Now, with the benefit of distance, it is easier to make sense of it all and to recognise what Maggie Snowling described as the 'take home messages' for therapists in clinical practice."

The photograph shows Helen Stringer and Christina McKean who arranged the seminar along with James Law.

Article on speech sound disorders course posted as Caroline Bowen receives special award

By happy coincidence, I completed a new article reflecting on two days immersed in speech sound disorders with international expert Caroline Bowen just as Caroline was awarded life membership of Speech Pathology Australia at its National Conference in Darwin. She is pictured here being congratulated by Ros Neilson, Councillor for New South Wales.

Having known Caroline 'virtually' for many years, it was a pleasure to meet her at last at her two day 'Speech Sound Disorders - the Basics and Beyond II' course hosted by the Association of Speech & Language Therapists in Independent Practice (ASLTIP) in the beautiful city of York. Reading my article will give you a sense of the contribution Caroline has made to promoting evidence based practice around the world, and of why she thoroughly deserves the highest honour of her own professional body.

Caroline is returning to the UK shortly to run three one day courses in London (18, 20, 22 July). She will then deliver two complementary one day courses (28, 29 July) in Durham, 'Spoiled for Choice - Therapy approaches for speech sound disorders in children' and 'Sound Reasoning: Therapy targets and techniques for children with speech sound disorders'. If you are interested in attending, there is more information here.

4 bursary places at No Mind Left Behind conference to benefit cash-strapped speech and language therapy departments

You're hearing it here first! In recognition of the vital part that speech and language therapists play in the field of learning difficulties, Mindroom is offering the profession 4 free places at the forthcoming major international conference No Mind Left Behind.

The conference runs from 29-30 March 2011 in Glasgow. Delegates also receive access to the Virtual conference for up to a year. It will feature 52 international speakers from the fields of learning difficulties, autism, ADHD and other early onset neurodevelopmental disorders. They include a speech language pathologist from Sweden, Carmela Miniscalco, who will be speaking about her work on early diagnosis of autism.

The cost for professionals attending the conference is £495 + VAT, but Mindroom founder Sophie Dow decided to offer these bursary places specifically to speech and language therapists following my blog post about the impact of cuts on training budgets.

She says, "The offer is for 4 free places at both days of No Mind Left Behind. This includes the bonus of access to the Virtual conference for up to a year. In other words, it also offers fantastic in-house training opportunities for an entire department."

Interested speech and language therapists should contact Sophie (email sophie@mindroom.org) as soon as possible. Successful applicants will be responsible for their own travel and accommodation.

What a brilliant CPD opportunity - good luck!

 

Learn with rhyme and help children shine - I CAN's Chatterbox Challenge 2011

I love reading and singing, but there is something uniquely special about books and songs for children. While we're now on to Tolkien's The Two Towers as a bedtime story, it's not so many years since I knew several Julia Donaldson rhyming picture books off by heart! Yet the importance of sharing stories and rhymes to later communication skills is not always recognised.

Julia Donaldon's most famous creation, The Gruffalo, is also a popular stage show, and the cast at The Garrick Theatre (right) is endorsing this year's I CAN Chatterbox Challenge. Now in its 10th year, this sponsored event for children, families, nurseries and other early years settings aims for everyone to have fun while developing their communication skills and raising money to benefit children who have difficulties with speech, language and communication.

The Chatterbox Challenge 2011 is 'Learn with rhyme and help children shine'. To take part in the challenge contact I CAN for your free fundraising pack. This includes songs and activities, stickers and sponsor forms. You can even help in a Guinness World Record attempt for the largest game of Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, which will be in multiple venues across the UK.

Chatterbox Challenge is also a key event in Hello, the year-long campaign to help children communicate.

Major conferences in 2011 and how to get there

With training budgets severely constrained, it is likely UK speech and language therapists will have to use some ingenuity to access funds for major conferences in 2011.

If you're not quite ready to have a car boot sale or go busking, the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists (RCSLT) offers minor grants up to £500. These are awarded on merit to members for activities which will “benefit the profession of speech and language therapy” and “enhance their own professional development”. The ‘Grants and awards’ section of its website also lists external sources of funding.

A number of conferences with exciting programmes are coming up this year. In addition to Caroline Bowen's Speech Sound Disorders (9-10 March, York) which I have already blogged about, here are a few more:

29-30 March 2011
No Mind Left Behind, Glasgow
The 52 speakers from a range of backgrounds in autism, ADHD and other early onset neurodevelopmental disorders include Lorna Wing, Simon Baron-Cohen, Jeremy Turk and Sam Goldstein. Topics include collaborative working, the impact on parents and families, attachment, and what makes different conditions (such as autism, Tourettes, intellectual disabilities, obsessive compulsive disorder, epilepsy) distinctive and similar.

2-3 April 2011
NAPLIC
Championing Better Communication: Theory, Practice and Innovation
University of Warwick
Early booking discount available until 31 January.
Keynote speakers include Jean Gross, Julie Dockrell, James Law and Sue Roulstone.

13-14 June 2011
Child Language Seminar
Newcastle
Themes include child language and literacy, children with speech, language and communication needs, capturing change in child language and bilingual and cross-linguistic perspectives on child language. Keynote Speakers include Maggie Snowling, James Law, Sheena Reilly and Elizabeth Pena.

PS Eagle-eyed Norbert Lieckfeldt (Chief Executive of the British Stammering Association) has pointed out that I failed to mention the 9th Oxford Dysfluency Conference, 1-4 September 2011. Abstracts are due by 1 April.

Contact a Family Directory lists information on 430 disabilities and health conditions

I still remember the first time I heard about autism, when a parent came to talk to our Guide Company over 30 years ago. As a new graduate, I read up on Neurofibromatosis, which affected one of my young clients. A few years later I learned about Fragile X Syndrome and the Fragile X Society through a very dedicated parent whose son is now a young adult. 

If you work with disabled children and their families, you will come across many who already have a diagnosis, or who are going through an assessment process where a diagnosis may help those around the child understand their needs. Some you may have heard of - awareness of CHARGE syndrome, for example, is growing. But others, such as Dravet Syndrome or Wolfram Syndrome, may be completely new. Contact a Family added these recently to their Directory. This lists physical symptoms, psychological and behavioural characteristics for 430 disabilities and health conditions, along with details of relevant UK support groups.

Chief Executive Srabani Sen says, "Families really appreciate it when speech and language therapists find out about their child's condition. It helps them feel more understood and less isolated. Research shows that parents of disabled children who enjoy positive relationships with the professionals involved in their children's care often cite them as important sources of emotional and practical support."

The Contact a Family Directory is available online (£17.25 per year) and in print (£40), tel. 020 7608 8700.

'Hello' to the National Year of Communication

Tsars, supremos, working parties, interdepartmental committees, royal commissions - it's easy for 'Yes, Prime Minister' (Gielgud Theatre, London) to be cynical. While the playwrights have a point, I had just come from a Communication Trust reception at the House of Commons which had a much more positive feel. It reminded me of the good that politicians can do, and of the potential of the National Year of Communication initiative and the appointed Communication Champion to make a real difference.

The National Year of Communication, which will run throughout 2011, is called 'Hello'. It aims to make children's communication skills a priority in homes and schools across England. Working with the Communication Champion Jean Gross, the year will be "managed and delivered" by The Communication Trust. This group of 39 voluntary and community sector organisations has the interests of children with speech, language and communication needs at its heart.

Mike Kennard of Signalong told me it is "the most effective coalition I have ever been involved with" - and, seeing the impact its work is having at the highest level, I can believe it. That doesn't mean it has been easy. As the Director of the Communication Trust Anita Kerwin-Nye said, tongue only half in cheek, "Some of us don't even like each other!" Resolving that she "will not rest until specific language impairment and speech, language and communication needs are as well understood as dyslexia or autism", Anita added, "The only way we're going to fix this is collectively. Everybody needs to 'get' it."

The reception at the House of Commons was sponsored by Robert Buckland MP, whose particular interest in this area has come about through his experience as a parent. The 150 guests heard a number of speakers, including Amanda Ryalls, whose son uses a voice output communication aid, Chris Pike, a young aspiring politician who has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, and Minister of State for Children and Families Sarah Teather. 

A fuller report of the event and the key messages for speech and language therapists will be in the Winter 10 issue of Speech & Language Therapy in Practice.