Autism Assessments
Are you looking for an autism assessment for your child/young person?
Our autism assessment follows the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines using the ‘gold standard’ autism assessment tools.
We are passionate about exploring and supporting the speech, language and communication development of autistic people.
We approach the child/young person from a strengths-based perspective; identifying their unique needs and exploring how to build on their strengths.
You can find out more details about our autism assessment on our website:
VoiceBox
The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) have developed an annual joke telling competition for primary school children, which has been running for a number of years.
The national competition aims to increase awareness of not only the importance of communication and the powerful impact it can have on our lives, but that we can have fun with it!
“Improving children’s communication skills is everyone’s business” (RCSLT, 2024).
Gregor Agnew, a primary school child who uses an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device, finished in third place at this year’s VoiceBox competition.
You can find out more information about VoiceBox at:
https://www.rcslt.org/scotland/voicebox-2024/
Tiny Happy People
According to the Department for Education (2019), 1 in 4 children in England are starting primary school with behind expected levels in literacy.
BBC Tiny Happy People is a UK-wide initiative, working in partnership with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT), to support parents and carers in developing their child’s language and communication skills.
“Language and communication skills unlock literacy” (Tiny Happy People).
Tiny Happy People are delivering Champions Training in June and July, where they will take you on a tour of their website and provide you with key language techniques and resources. The sessions last 1 hour and are relevant for early years practitioners or healthcare professionals. For more information and to book your session, click here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people/articles/zs8cqyc
https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people
https://www.rcslt.org/news/rclst-renews-partnership-with-tiny-happy-people/
Apraxia of Speech
Chris Kamara, TV presenter and football pundit, has opened up about his diagnosis of apraxia of speech. He bravely discusses the struggles he first experienced in 2020 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e7Thrjmabc
Apraxia of speech is a motor speech disorder, which is caused by damage to parts of the brain that control the muscles needed for speech. This can make it difficult to coordinate the tongue and lips correctly to be able to say the right sounds and words.
Other terms sometimes used for apraxia of speech are: acquired apraxia of speech, verbal apraxia or dyspraxia of speech. Follow these links for more information about apraxia of speech:
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/apraxia
The Down Syndrome Act statutory guidance
This month, the UK government asked people with Down’s syndrome, their families and carers, and professionals to give their views on what they believe will improve the lives of people with Down’s Syndrome in England. Some of the key actions proposed by the RCSLT that the government must take are:
Improve accessibility of services, so that everyone with a communication and swallowing need is able to access speech and language therapy
Improve workforce planning, so that people with Down’s syndrome are supported by speech and language therapists with the right level of specialism
Better support for people with Down’s syndrome, so that they are involved in their care (e.g. expressing their preferences and wishes)
Sufficient resources for people with Down’s syndrome.
It is an important step in the right direction that the role of speech and language therapy has been recognised to provide evidence for this guidance. Follow these links for more information about the Down Syndrome Act statutory guidance:
The importance of teenagers’ self-esteem
As last month marked national awareness of teen self-esteem, our therapists have been working hard to highlight the importance of helping young people value and perceive themselves in a healthy way.
Within the social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) settings, our therapists have been delivering small group interventions, which have focused on developing self-awareness and self-esteem by looking at personal appearance, qualities and what makes us feel good and bad. Our therapists have also been completing Emotional Literacy Assessments with students, which help identify areas for intervention across the five sub-scales of emotional literacy: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills.
A particular highlight for one therapist has been observing a student compose their own song about their experiences as a teenager, from the demands of social media to the challenges of maintaining friendships and relationships.
Follow these links for more information about teen self-esteem: https://www.iamworthmore.org/national-teen-self-esteem-month/
Catch-up strategies to support children’s communication and emotional development in the early years
Two key priorities for the curriculum during the Covid-19 pandemic have been to support children’s:
· Communication and language skills
· Personal, social and emotional development
Here are some top tips to support your child’s communication and language:
1. Talk slowly and use simple words. Introduce a new word every day.
2. Encourage your child to talk about what they are doing, what they can see and feel.
3. Include singing in your everyday activities.
4. Read stories and comment on the pictures on the page.
5. Use a school-home communication diary. Take photos of your child doing different activities at home for them to share with school.
Here are some top tips to support your child’s personal, social and emotional development:
1. Encourage your child to express how they are feeling. Use emotion cards showing different facial expressions with the word describing the emotion next to the picture.
2. Use puppets and books to talk about feelings.
3. Provide opportunities for your child to mix with other children as much as possible, e.g., after school clubs, at the park.
4. Play games that encourage turn-taking, sharing and listening.
Follow this link for more information about education recovery and catch-up strategies: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/education-recovery-in-early-years-providers-spring-2022/education-recovery-in-early-years-providers-spring-2022#catch-up-strategies
World Mental Health Day
October 2021
81% of children and young people with social, emotional and mental health needs (SEMH) have significant speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).
The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to increased mental health needs for many people, such as feelings of anxiety related to returning to school/work. Now, more than ever, we all need to work together to better understand mental health, how to support the communication and mental health of children and young people and to promote better outcomes for them.
The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) offer a free e-learning course to support professionals working with children and young people, who have both SEMH and SLCN. The course is called ‘Mind Your Words - Children and Young People’s Mental Health’ – you do not have to be a member to access the course which can be found at: https://www.rcsltcpd.org.uk/
You can also find more information about World Mental Health Day, which took place on 10th October and a range of free resources at:
https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-mental-health-day
https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/your-mind-plan-quiz/
International Disability Awareness Day
Disability Awareness Day (DAD) is an international affair, which celebrated its 30th anniversary this year. It took place on September 12th 2021 at Walton Hall Gardens in Warrington.
The aim of the free event is to support people with disabilities, including their carers, to find out more information about the services and products available to facilitate independent living.
Speech and Language Therapists help people with disabilities in a range of ways, such as using communication aids, symbols or signing; supporting understanding and decision-making; and offering communication strategies to support communication with others.
It is important for us all to continue to raise awareness of disabilities and promote inclusive environments.
Be sure to look out for next year’s DAD at Walton Hall Gardens on July 17th 2022. You can find more information about DAD at:
ChildSpeech team is growing
Welcome to a number of new members to our team. This growth has been caused by an increasing demand for our services from both schools and individuals. At the start of the new term we took the opportunity for a social to catch up with each other, thanks to Yvonne for hosting.
