The needs of people with communication difficulties will be well represented at the Naidex exhibition, which starts tomorrow at the NEC in Birmingham.

It’s a shame I’ve never managed to get to this annual showcase for products to aid independent living, as I’ve found other exhibitions such as BETT, the Communication Matters roadshows and Talk Shop inspiring and informative. As Louise Scrivener of Talk Shop says, such events give you “the space and time to re-discover your passion for your work…discover new ideas and products…and most importantly to network and update your CPD.”

Naidex runs from 5-7 April 2011. Wordswell speech and language therapist Janet O’Keefe will be speaking on inclusive practice in special educational needs, and the Association of Speech & Language Therapists in Independent Practice (ASLTIP) will be exhibiting for the first time. The ‘Communication Village’ area features well-known names in alternative and augmentative communication.

If this is too short notice, TES Education North is from 8-9 April at Manchester Central. Or you can keep Friday 30 September in mind for the third Talk Shop. In a development from previous years, this will now be the National Speech & Language and Occupational Therapy Fair and will include Communication Champion Jean Gross as the keynote speaker.