A monthly round-up of the latest news, policy and public affairs issues from the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

RCSLT news updates

Discussions about key themes in speech and language therapy. We chat with speech and language therapists;  professionals from other backgrounds' and people who have lived experience of either speech, language and communication issues or eating and swallowing problems.

Exploring themes in speech therapy

Practice-based learning

From the archive:  popular episodes from our early days, worth another listen

In this episode we talk to Jo Sandiford, Senior Lecturer at Leeds Beckett University about student placements and the new placement guidance document which Jo authored.

This is the first in a short series of podcasts in which we explore how placements are evolving, the impact of the pandemic, and how we hope to create more placements in the future to meet the needs of the profession.

The recently launched new guidance for practice-based learning can be found here: https://www.rcslt.org/members/lifelong-learning/practice-based-learning/ (note this is open access).

The interview is conducted by Jacques Strauss, freelance digital producer.

RCSLT - Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists 

Clinical placements for speech and language therapy - Part 1:  setting the scene

This is the second in a short series of podcasts in which we explore how placements are evolving, the impact of the pandemic, and how we hope to create more placements in the future to meet the needs of the profession.

In this episode we talk to three speech and language therapy students about the importance of placements to their education:

- Vivian Wong, Masters student, Reading University. Presented at an RCSLT event last year giving student perspectives on challenges and opportunities for best practice in on clinical placements. 
- Kerry O’Sullivan, Masters student, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. Writing her Masters thesis on, 'What makes a positive placement experience for SLT students in the UK.'
- Ruth Filer, SLT student, Leeds Beckett University, recently collaborated on a toolkit for technology enabled care services for practice learning. 

The recently launched new guidance for practice-based learning can be found here  https://www.rcslt.org/members/lifelong-learning/practice-based-learning/ (note that this is open access so non-members can see it too).

The interview is conducted by Jacques Strauss, freelance digital producer.

Clinical placements for speech and language therapy - Part 2: the student perspective

In this episode we talk to practice educators and service managers about the importance of placements to them and the profession. With thanks to interviewees:

*Tracey Day, Independent Speech and Language Therapist (SLT), paediatric, plus Practice educator
*Emma Ferris, Practice educator, plus SLT Lecturer and Academic Lead for Practice Education, University of East Anglia 
*Eleanor Douglas, SLT in the Adult Learning Disability team, NHS Lothian. Experienced as both Placement coordinator and as a Practice educator.  
*Carolyn Hawkes, Service Lead, West Edinburgh and supporting author on new guidance, and previous practice educator.

This is the third and final episode in a short series of podcasts in which we explore how placements are evolving, the impact of the pandemic, and how we hope to create more placements in the future to meet the needs of the profession.

The recently launched new guidance for practice-based learning can be found here  
https://www.rcslt.org/members/lifelong-learning/practice-based-learning/
(note that this is open access so non-members can see it too).

The interview is conducted by Jacques Strauss, freelance digital producer.

Clinical placements for speech & language therapy - Part 3: Views of practice educators and managers

In this episode we talk to Melanie Cross, Speech and Language Therapist and Dr Hannah Hobson, Lecturer, Department of Psychology, University of York about the the links between speech, language and communication needs and social, emotional and mental health needs in children and young people. We look at some of the factors involved; difficulties accessing diagnosis and support and discuss ways to improve outcomes for children and young people, including more joined up working, improving communication access for all and further research.


Resources:

Mind your words: Children and young people's mental health elearning:
This online training highlights the links between mental health and communication and outlines how professionals can work together to remove communication barriers and help these children and young people achieve their potential. The course consists of 15 modules, of which the first five apply to all settings.
Access the free training here: https://www.rcsltcpd.org.uk/course/view.php?id=16


RCSLT factsheet on social, emotional and mental health
https://www.rcslt.org/members/clinical-guidance/social-emotional-mental-health/social-emotional-and-mental-health-influencing/#section-3


Emerging Minds Special Interest Research Group:
The Emerging Minds special interest research group (SIRG) is aiming to find out what research is needed on SEMH and SLCN, more information is here https://emergingminds.org.uk/special-interest-research-groups/.  

We’d really like to know what research you think is needed. Please give us your views and send this survey around your professional networks ( and to families who experience DLD ) using this anonymous link: https://york.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cAaEWew9CQ4HD02


Communication Access UK: an initiative developed in partnership by charities and organisations that share a vision to improve the lives of people with communication difficulties. There is a Communication Access Symbol, a new disability access symbol, which is underpinned by a training package and standards.
Access the free training here: https://communication-access.co.uk/

It’s also important to understand how difficult screening for and assessment of SLCN and DLD are. See Professor Courtney Norbury’s blog for more information about screening.  http://www.lilac-lab.org/news-post/to-screen-or-not-to-screen-important-factors-to-consider/ and there’s more information about assessment in Mind your Words.


References:

Hollo A, Wehby JH, Oliver RM. (2014) Unidentified Language Deficits in Children with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: A Meta-Analysis. Exceptional Children; 80(2): 169-186.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/001440291408000203

Newlove-Delgado, T., McManus, S., Sadler, K., Thandi, S., Vizard, T., Cartwright, C., & Ford, T. (2021). Child mental health in England before and during the COVID-19 lockdown. The Lancet Psychiatry, 8(5), 353–354. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30570-8




The interview is conducted by Jacques Strauss, freelance digital producer.

Mind your words: Children, young people and mental health and the links with communication

In this IJLCD episode we interview Charlie Strutt and Ghada Khattab about their paper in the IJLCD: 'Does the duration and frequency of dummy (pacifier) use affect the development of speech?'

The current literature suggests a link between dummy (or pacifier) use and a number of both positive and detrimental consequences. Positive consequences include soothing effect and protection from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), while negative ones include increased risk of otitis media and dental malformation. However, there is little research surrounding the impact of dummy use on the development of speech sounds.

The paper is:
Does the duration and frequency of dummy (pacifier) use affect the development of speech?

Access the paper here:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1460-6984.12605

NOTES:

For RCSLT members, access this paper by navigating to the IJLCD website from our A-Z journals list here.  Also, if you would like further information on the research terms used in the podcast, or many other aspects of research design, please navigate to the ‘Sage Research Methods’ collection from the Research Methods page of the RCSLT website’.

The interview is conducted by Amit Kulkarni, Head of Research and Outcomes at The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

IJLCD: Does the duration and frequency of dummy (pacifier) use affect the development of speech?

In this episode we chat with Claire Slinger Consultant Speech & Language Therapist (Lancashire & South Cumbria Severe Asthma & Airways service ) and one of her patients, Iain, about the speech and language therapy role in assessment, diagnosis and treatment of upper airways disorders. We look at the the impact that upper airways disorders have on patients and how speech and language therapy can make  a positive difference.

References:

Newman KB, Mason 3rd UG, Schmaling KB. Clinical features of vocal cord dysfunction. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine. 1995 Oct;152(4):1382-6
 Murphy JM, Stephen S, Pearson F, DeSoyza A. P108 A systematic review to explore the relationship between inducible laryngeal obstruction and healthcare utilisation in adults with Asthma.

Useful links:

RCSLT updated position paper on upper airways disorders: https://www.rcslt.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/RCSLT-upper-airways-position-paper-October-2021.pdf
NHS England Specialised Respiratory Services (adult) - Severe Asthma https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/specialised-respiratory-services-adult-severe-asthma/
European Respiratory Society Cough guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic cough in adults and children | European Respiratory Society (ersjournals.com) https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/55/1/1901136
The interview is conducted by Jacques Strauss, freelance digital producer.

Upper Airways Disorders: the speech and language therapy role

Claire Ewen is currently working on a PhD looking at what SLTs love in their jobs and what frustrates them and can be changed, or minimised.

Claire Ewen, discusses the findings from her PhD research on SLT views of their work

In this episode we talk to Christian Boakye, a speech and language therapist at Feltham Young Offenders Institution. It's a fascinating look into how speech and language therapy can help young offenders deal with custodial sentences and improve their chances of rehabilitation upon release. We also talk about prison abolition, diversity in the workforce and other issues related to criminal justice.

Speech and language therapy at Feltham Young Offenders Institution

Today’s podcast is on a paper from the International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders (ILJCD). Every other month RCSLT selects an article from the journal that we think will be of interest to the wider SLT community and interview the authors.

This episode is with Triona Sweeney and Debbie Sell, authors of the paper: 

'Randomized controlled trial comparing Parent Led Therapist Supervised Articulation Therapy (PLAT) with routine intervention for children with speech disorders associated with cleft palate'  (July 2020)
 
Over 50% of children with cleft palate require speech therapy. However, there is a lack of timely, accessible speech therapy services in the UK and Ireland. Previous studies have shown that parents can deliver therapy effectively, and that connected health can support the delivery of speech therapy. This study aims to provide evidence that parent‐led therapy with the supervision of a specialist cleft therapist using FaceTime is effective.

NOTES:
For RCSLT members, access this paper by navigating to the IJLCD website from our A-Z journals list here:
https://www.rcslt.org/members/research/journals/

Also, if you would like further information on the research terms used in the podcast, or many other aspects of research design, please navigate to the ‘Sage Research Methods’ collection from the Research Methods page of the RCSLT website: https://www.rcslt.org/members/research/research-methods/ 

The interview is conducted by Amit Kulkarni, Head of Research and Outcomes at The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

IJLCD: Parent-led intervention in children with cleft palate - looking at the research

Podcasts from the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists

Clinical placements for speech & language therapy - Part 3: Views of practice educators and managers

RCSLT Sound Waves