Speechmag

SpeechQuest takes speech and language therapy online

The internet is now an integral part of our everyday lives. We take it for granted that if we want answers we will get them online. But virtual speech and language therapy as a form of service delivery? Could that help ensure children with communication difficulties get the right help at the right time?

Speech and language therapists Rosy Bostock and Suki Ahsam clearly believe this is possible. They have launched SpeechQuest, a web-based venture aimed at giving parents, carers and early years practitioners a new level of access to assessment and advice.

As their website explains, the SpeechQuest user selects and completes a short online multiple choice questionnaire, then receives an immediate summary of results along with activity ideas and any recommendations for referral. The user can return to the online questionnaires at regular intervals to check on progress, with new activities provided according to the age and stage of the child suggested by their responses.

SpeechQuest is aimed at carers of children from 3 months to 5 years and costs £19.95 per child. The developers believe that it "complements existing NHS and Independent Sector services, empowering parents and practitioners to get involved in supporting the child without delay." A free month's trial is currently available. I will be interested to hear what readers think.

SpeechQuest will also be reviewed in a future issue of Speech & Language Therapy in Practice.

Circle time opportunities for speech and language therapists

My sons' primary school had Circle Time guru Jenny Mosley running their in-service today. When volunteers were sought from the primary sixes and sevens I persuaded my older son to go in, albeit reluctantly. (He looked a bit skeptical when I said, "You know, she's really famous!") I was lucky enough to get to observe the circle time demonstration.

Jenny has developed the Quality Circle Time model over the past twenty five years. It is "a whole-school approach to enhancing self-esteem and building positive relationships". This afternoon she demonstrated how to encourage and give feedback on good thinking, good listening, good looking and good concentrating. The children were also given the opportunity to ask for help with aspects of behaviour, and to appreciate the suggestions and support of their peers. Active learning using games and a parachute was included, and Jenny also showed how puppets can facilitate discussions around difficult issues without anyone having to feel under the spotlight.

Speech and language therapists writing for Speech & Language Therapy in Practice often mention circle time as one of the opportunities for working with teachers to raise awareness of support strategies for children with speech, language and communication needs. In one short demonstration Jenny could not hope to begin to cover all the nuances of the approach. However, I did find myself wondering how the children that we see would cope with the speed of speaking and level of language comprehension and expressive vocabulary required without significant modification.

The book 'Language Development - Circle Time Sessions to Improve Communication Skills' was written in 2003, and one of the co-authors is speech and language therapist Jackie Lowe. Having looked over Jenny's website, I don't see specific Quality Circle Time resources beyond this, yet there are questions on the discussion forum about including children with severe learning disabilities and autism, as well as those who are bilingual. Perhaps there is an opportunity here for enterprising speech and language therapists?

Sandwell speech and language therapy on show

A new article, freely available on the speechmag website, aims to inspire speech and language therapy departments to consider taking part in trade exhibitions as exhibitors rather than visitors. 

In 'Sandwell on show', Jane Oates and Diana McQueen of Sandwell PCT explain how their department was looking for creative ways to engage with other professionals. Having visited the Education Show at the NEC in Birmingham in the past, and with the Bercow Review drawing more attention than ever before to speech, language and communication needs, they decided to take the plunge at the 2009 show. As well as the article, Speech & Language Therapy in Practice members can access samples of the handouts the department prepared for the show.

Sandwell Community Healthcare Services are also in the news following the release of a screening and intervention package for early years practitioners to use with children aged from six months to six years. 'WellComm: A Speech and Language Toolkit for the Early Years' has been four years in the planning and involved more than 7000 children.  

Diana McQueen, who is children’s therapy service manager and professional advisor for speech and language therapy, explained how a mix of direct screening, parental report and observation lead to a red, amber or green banding and support for what to do next. She said, “In Sandwell, the detailed information the toolkit provides has streamlined the referral process and improved access times for Speech and Language Therapy Services.  
 
The toolkit is being supplied by GL Assessment from March 2010 for £250. It includes a training DVD, plus an online report wizard that helps measure and record progress across a large number of settings, enabling local authorities to make strategic decisions according to the needs in their area.
 
 

Speech and language therapists and teachers of the deaf - 'Communicating clearly together'

Reader Sue Hamrouge gave me a call to ask if I would alert readers to a forthcoming conference to promote collaborative working between speech and language therapists who work with deaf people, and teachers of the deaf.

The conference is on 13th March in Wandsworth from 9.30-16.15. As the title 'Communicating clearly together' suggests, the programme is weighted towards presentations on joint working, including visits, assessment and target setting.

Although relationships between the two professions have not always been easy, Sue says "there is some excellent work going on now." She explains that initiatives such as the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme and the Early Support programme have brought the whole team of people who work with deaf children and their families closer together. Teams are quality audited every 12 to 18 months for the service they deliver following a diagnosis. This has led to sharing rather than duplication, and the good clinical practice is emerging as people work and develop resources together. Good news indeed for our tiniest clients and their families.

Wordworks supports early literacy, empowers parents and fosters resilience

Cynthia Pelman, who joined Speech & Language Therapy in Practice recently following several years working abroad, says the Wordworks charity in South Africa is "continuing to do wonderful work which I am a bit sad not to be part of any more."

The three main strands of Wordworks are:

1. supporting early literacy and language development through training volunteers, teaching assistants, library staff and community workers
2. empowering parents to support learning in the home, especially when they may not have had the benefit of educational opportunities themselves. This is the legacy for many families in South Africa from the apartheid years. (This photo includes a dad who had never held a pen or pencil before.)
3. addressing the psychosocial needs of children in disadvantaged communities - in other words, "doing hope".

It is interesting to note that the project doesn't just value learning but recognises the strong, consistent, supportive relationships forged with volunteers are key to the success of the literacy program. The use of Hero Books alongside the literacy work aims to foster resilience, with the emphasis on "how they cope with difficulties, what brings them joy and uplifts them, what they do to get the support they need to make the best of their lives". Therapists who wish to run programs for parents and volunteers should have a look at the Wordworks' freely available resources.

Cynthia says that, thanks to previous generosity on the part of donors, the charity has more than enough books, but you can contact her or see the website to find out how to contribute financially. Speech and language therapists may be particularly interested in the suggestions of practical support which could make interesting projects for their clients. (For more information on project work, see Simpson, Denman & Gale's 'Walking with Dobermanns' in the Autumn and Winter 09 issues of Speech & Language Therapy in Practice.)

Speech and language therapy using Skype - research update

Reader Rebecca Matthews has sent me her annual newsletter, which includes a report on progress with her PhD research into delivering therapy to children over the internet via Skype.

Rebecca was motivated to investigate service delivery by videoconferencing to save fuel and make the most of clinical time and says so far opinions are "positive and encouraging". Now in the third year of her research at UCL, she is looking to identify what makes the provision of speech and language therapy via Skype acceptable to people. She is collecting the views of children and parents as well as analysing the activity in both face-to-face and Skype sessions.

Importantly, Rebecca is also looking at video recordings of both types of sessions to see what differences there may be in speaking and working. She has already noted that, as children have to give her instructions via Skype rather than pointing as they can do in a face-to-face session, they are automatically encouraged to do more talking.

Rebecca's review of the TinyEye videoconferencing system for Speech & Language Therapy in Practice is in our Autumn 08 issue (p.28). In a different field of the profession, Susan Howell has reported positively on a feasibility study into the use of the internet, a webcam and broadband to deliver Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) to people with Parkinson's disease.