Bespoke training in your workplace

I am able to offer a wide range of training packages for early years settings, schools and businesses which can be tailor made for you. Examples might be:

• Early Years staff training about specific communication topics and/or for specific child age-groups
• Teacher training in Primary Schools to help your school meet the new Ofsted standards
• Training to support teachers, TAs and parents to work together to promote childrens' language and communication
• Early Years and Primary school staff training to look at ways to identify relevant children who need intervention, and to further equip staff with the knowledge and skills to support children who are struggling with their communication
• Training for referring professionals such as GPs and Health Visitors
• Training for businesses who promote services for parents, mothers-to-be, children and babies
• Parent workshops in any setting to help every baby, toddler and young child get a first class start to communicating: this may be in the absence of a specific communication difficulty, or support for parents once a communication difficulty has been identified

Further to my Honours Degree in Speech and Language Therapy, and Masters Degree in Counselling Studies, I have continued my professional development and much of my postgraduate training means that I am well placed to offer a variety of bespoke training for you. Postgraduate training has included:

• WILSTAAR: accelerating babies' speech and language skills
• Hanen Therapy: giving parents, caregivers and early childhood educators the knowledge and training they need to help young children develop the best possible language, social and literacy skills
• Parent and Child Interaction Therapy (for communication and stammering)
• Swindon model of therapy for dysfluency (stuttering)
• Working with groups (parents, children, professionals)
• Teaching children to listen (preschool and primary years)
• Caroline Bowen models of therapy for Phonological disorders and Childhood Apraxia of Speech
• Nuffield Dyspraxia Therapy
• Semantics and word finding therapy
• Evidence-based therapy for language disorders and for speech sound disorders
  
• Speech Sound Disorder therapies including Cycles, ReST, Core Vocabulary
  

Language development is accepted as being critical to learning, cognitive development and literacy as well as social and emotional well-being. It is expected that when a child starts Primary School, they will be able to understand much of what is said, express themselves clearly, and share feelings and make their needs known. However, as many as 10% of children in the UK – over 1 million – have speech, language and communication needs, that require specialist help. This represents approximately three children in every classroom. For these children, their communication difficulties are a barrier to their school life; making friends, reading, writing, numeracy and passing exams will all be much more difficult.

Did you know?

• A baby can hear and recognise voice when in the womb and this helps support their interactions once they are born.
• 75% of a child's brain development occurs between birth and the age of 2
• The Children and Families Bill (September 2012) states that professionals across education and health need to work together for effective support for children with all special educational needs including those with speech, language and communication needs.
• Language and communication are now 1 of 3 prime areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), so the profile and importance of supporting children's communication within early years is higher than ever.
• It is important for all children with communication difficulties to have their needs identified and supported in a timely and effective manner. Children with communication difficulties can become withdrawn or present with challenging behaviour within a Primary School environment.