Article from the Summer 2004 Issue
Pulling in the same direction.
Baker, R. (2004)
To achieve a total communication environment in a special nursery class, Rachel Baker and colleagues introduced a collaborative approach.
Following a reorganisation of special educational needs provision in Newcastle upon Tyne, 15 children from age 2 with complex needs attended a new nursery class, and a collaborative approach between speech and language therapists and teachers evolved as they worked to establish a total communication environment. Rachel Baker includes 3 case examples, summarises the evaluation of the approach by two final year students and describes the clinical, professional and personal rewards of collaborative working that make the commitment, energy and effort required worthwhile.
Change: an educational experience.
Kersner, M. & Parker, A. (2004)
A lack of clinical placements has created a critical time for speech and language therapy education. Myra Kersner and Ann Parker have seen the wider, long-term benefits of adopting a strategic approach to change.
While increasing difficulty in securing clinical placements for students led to reactive, crisis management, it also stimulated Myra Kerner and Ann Parker of University College London to look to the longer-term. They describe how consultation, increased awareness of strengths and suggestions for change led to a strategic plan for greater integration between practice and theory, better team work between tutors, supervisors and students, and a professional research strategy. This has reduced the step from final year student to newly qualified therapist and resulted in an increase in placement offers. A permanent audit facilitates the regular gathering of qualitative data from students and placement supervisors to highlight strengths and identify areas for change.
A holistic approach – from the outset.
Cowan, H. (2004)
Hilary Cowan explains why a specialist multidisciplinary early intervention team is good news for preschool children with autistic spectrum disorder.
Research has shown that parents of children going through the process of assessment and diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder want equality of access, prompt provision of educational and therapeutic interventions and streamlined assessment by a multidisciplinary team. Speech and language therapist Hilary Cowan worked with an educational psychologist and community paediatrician to streamline the preschool assessment, diagnosis and therapy offered to such children. This article describes and discusses the process, including training of health visitors, and includes feedback from generalist speech and language therapists about the impact of the new care pathway on them.
It ain’t what you say, it’s the way that you say it.
Child, C. (2004)
How do we improve collaboration with parents and teachers of children with special needs? For Charlotte Child, ‘Choices, Changes & Challenges’ is proof that it’s all in the framework.
Speech and language therapists can feel frustrated when their ideas are not taken on board by teachers. Charlotte Child believes that collaboration is more successful when we provide a clear framework of why, what, how and when that enables the user to understand the underlying principles and therefore effect real change in their practice. Her framework and booklet ‘Choices, Changes & Challenges’ for young children with special needs now forms the basis of her sessions with families and staff. The rationale behind each section and the practical implications are described.
Interactive training: a touchy subject.
Dobson, S., Carey, L., Conyers, I., Whitaker, L. & Upadhyaya, S. (2004)
Reflections on the pilot of an interactive training package on CD about the use of touch with people with profound and complex needs.
Touch is a common practice in care for people with learning disabilities. It has a role in emotional and physical well-being, and sends out a variety of unwritten messages, both positive and negative. As a result, there are arguments for it to be taught as part of induction and for methods to be established for the maintenance of standards relating to its use. The authors (speech and language therapists, an occupational therapist, a physiotherapist and a clinical psychologist) developed and piloted an interactive training package on CD about the use of touch with people with profound and complex needs. While the training package was useful in raising levels of awareness, it was of limited value in improving knowledge. The authors conclude that the use of information technology may be successful in skills training, but may have more limited applications in altering qualitative aspects of care.
Winning Ways series (3): Diamonds are made under pressure.
Middlemiss, J. (2004)
Life coach Jo Middlemiss says we have to recognise the fear that underlies our resistance to change if we are to reach our potential.
Andrea is a speech and language therapy student who is afraid of failing her essay and is spiralling into a pattern of anxiety, procrastination and helplessness. Angela is frustrated at work, but fearful of appearing weak by reaching out to her family for support. James has been promoted but his fear of not being able to handle it leads him to be authoritarian and aggressive. Life coach Jo Middlemiss helps each one to recognise and face the fear that underlies resistance to change so they can reach their potential.
How I am making a Sure Start
Turning the future around.
Jack, A. (2004)
Alex Jack outlines how Sure Start in Scunthorpe is raising awareness of speech and language development in the wider community, and making core speech and language therapy services more accessible.
In areas of high socio-economic need, 50% of children can have clinically significant communication needs. The Sure Start programme focuses on prevention and encouraging access to services that are customer and community driven and professionally coordinated. This article is one of three written to mark National Sure Start month (June 2004).
Alex Jack finds Sure Start gives her a tremendous opportunity to learn about different working cultures and to try new things. She outlines how Sure Start in Scunthorpe is raising awareness of speech and language development in the wider community, and making core speech and language therapy services more accessible through: 1. a Nursery Programme; 2. Home visits; 3. Drop-in sessions; 4. Booklets; 5. Training; 6. Joint assessment sessions.
Turning up or turning off?
Morris, T. (2004)
Non-attendance is frustrating and wasteful. Working with a community clinic service, Tom Morris identifies why it is so common and what can be done to address it.
In areas of high socio-economic need, 50% of children can have clinically significant communication needs. The Sure Start programme focuses on prevention and encouraging access to services that are customer and community driven and professionally coordinated. This article is one of three written to mark National Sure Start month (June 2004).
Non-attendance for speech and language therapy is frustrating and wasteful. Collecting data from the Haringey community service on behalf of Sure Start, Tom Morris found that, of children under four discharged from clinic caseloads, 62% had been due to a failure to attend. Furthermore, between 30%-50% of initial appointments were not attended.
A qualitative study identified reasons and possible solutions. Key themes were: 1.Waiting times; 2. Communication; 3. Location; 4. Flexibility; 5. Childcare; 6. Awareness.
Turning out for Chatterkids.
Downing, B. (2004)
When needs are under-reported, families are hard-to-reach and professionals are overstretched, innovative methods are called for. Beryl Downing sets the context for the development of Chatterkids and considers why it has got everyone talking.
In areas of high socio-economic need, 50% of children can have clinically significant communication needs. The Sure Start programme focuses on prevention and encouraging access to services that are customer and community driven and professionally coordinated. This article is one of three written to mark National Sure Start month (June 2004).
When needs are under-reported, families are hard-to-reach and professionals are overstretched, innovative methods are called for. Concerned by poor attendance and the rate of ‘false positives’ and ‘false negatives’ in clinics, Beryl Downing was looking for a solution. Encouraged by a family centre manager, she set up a language group there. Working with a staff member, the group had a ‘least effort’ programme and documentation for observation, recording and family involvement. The group was successful in terms of levels of engagement. Half of the children made substantial progress; for the others, the group bridged the gap to more specialist services. Chatterkids has therefore been rolled out and to date has dealt with more than 40 ‘hard-to-reach’ families.
My Top Resources – head and cancer / palliative care needs.
Slack, L. (2004)
Ten top resources from Linda Slack, a Macmillan specialist speech and language therapist who works full-time with head and neck cancer patients and also those with palliative care needs in North Cumbria.
Ten top resources from Linda Slack, a Macmillan specialist speech and language therapist who works full-time with head and neck cancer patients and also those with palliative care needs. The post is a relatively new one which Linda has been developing since she was appointed almost two years ago. She covers all of North Cumbria, working in both hospital and community settings, and often seeing patients from the point of diagnosis onwards.
Speech & Language Therapy in Practice #speechmag 