We're the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT), the professional body for speech and language therapists in the UK. 657-278-3997. Elaine Mc Greevy, RCSLT member & HCPC registered, Lisa Chapman, RCSLT member & HCPC registered, Emily Price (Lees), (she/her) Speech and Language Therapist, RCSLT member & HCPC registered, Kieran Rose, The Autistic Advocate, Consultant & Academic Researcher, Tania Melnyczuk, Founder, Autistic Strategies Network, Fiona Clarke, Disability Advocate, Autism Consultant and parent, Holly Sprake-Hill, Neurodevelopmental Specialist Occupational Therapist, HCPC registered, Helen Edgar, @autisticrealms Primary SEN Teacher (Ba Hons, PGCE, PGDip), Niamh Foy, Student Speech and Language Therapist, Newcastle University, Anon. This came both from SLT professionals and non-SLTs, as well as a large number of comments from the Autistic community and its allies. The RCSLT has developed a framework which is specific to speech and language therapist support workers, which defines the competencies and skills required in the role, how are these recognised and how should supervision take place, as well as providing a structure for the career progression of support workers. This is my second term as a general trustee for the RCSLT and I am very excited by and committed to the journey that RCSLT is currently taking, and look forward to doing all I can to support it. HCPC registered. @uniofeastanglia @UEA_Health @RCSLT #mySLTday" This is merely one aspect of supporting an Autistic person who masks. @emgntdivergence @TanyaAdkin, Creating Autistic Suffering: Autistic safety and neurodivergence competency Emergent DivergenceWhat does it take to support Autistic people in a professional context? I left the NHS in 2018 and set up the multi-disciplinary not-for-profit social enterprise Therapy Links UK C.I.C which aims to provide fair access to therapy for everyone, and continue to enjoy collaborative working opportunities across the NHS, independent and voluntary sectors. It was established on 6 January 1945 to promote the study of speech therapy in the UK, to seek improvement and maintain a high standard of knowledge and to unite all members of the profession. Its an ethos & a value-base that should run through everything we do. @ByronyShannon. The work of Wood (2018) is highly relevant for SLTs and highlights this phenomenon. The document be redrafted in light of our concerns and suggestions. Acknowledging Autistic people as the key stakeholders is an essential and fundamental step forward. Pukki et al (, Autistic-led documents are included as key frameworks such as. The new appointments will be ratified at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in November. Autistic Psychotherapist, ACP registered, Nicola McMullen-Klein, Occupational Therapist, HCPC registered. The successful winners will be announced in the autumn and invited to a celebratory event in October. Free course: Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) in There is also empirical research on the social benefits of shared interests (noting in particular that these are Autistic modes of sociality) e.g.Heasman & Gillespie (2019). The Masters of Science education program in speech-language pathology at Cal State East Bay is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard #310, Rockville, Maryland 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700. Subsequently the chairmanship of the group was transferred to the RCSLT and the British Dietetic Association (BDA). What does a speech and language therapist (SLT) do? Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists Wales, 2018. Understand and are committed to the mission, purpose, vision and objectives of the RCSLT. A case in point is the apparent disregard for many voices in the Autistic community, Autistic professionals, and Autistic and non-autistic SLTs who advocate for a rejection of the use of PECS as a form of AAC due to its inherent limitations and behaviourist underpinnings. See also Pavlopoulou, (2020), Phung et al., (2021). They meet three times a year. Are able to work effectively with other Board members of varying experience, backgrounds and perspectives. I am interested in leadership and service development. They meet four times a year. An Open Letter to The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists Speech and Language Therapist job with Shire Healthcare | 15122770 In 1995, I qualified as an SLT. Speech and language therapists (SLTs) are allied health professionals. Speech and Language Therapists and the public were given the ohttps://theautisticadvocate.com/2023/07/an-open-letter-to-the-royal-college-of-speech-and-language-therapists/, 2/14 The conversation in this letter & thread seeks reflection on concepts of knowledge, power; & reframing expert, to explore how change can happen. The Maryjane Reese Language, Speech and Hearing Center provides assessment and therapy to children, teens, and adults with communication challenges through individual and small-group formats. I am a committee member of the UK SLT Pride Network and am passionate about supporting SLTs, assistants and students to bring their authentic selves to the workplace. Your email address will not be published. This letter was also prepared with input from Dr Rebecca Wood of the University of Glasgow, and Kieran Rose, Consultant and Academic Researcher. My clinical speciality is in children and adults with learning disabilities, with specific interests in outcome measures, inclusive communication, dysphagia and dementia services. Improvement in at least one domain of TOMs occurred in 77.1% of instances. The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) describe speech and language therapy as helping manage disorders of speech, language, communication and swallowing in children and adults. Statistics on autism prevalence are notoriously varied, and the statement in the document about prevalence does not reflect this variation. I am currently the associate director of operations for specialist services in LPFT. Others might have it for a longer period of time. I was awarded the Robin Tavistock Award (2017), and an RCSLT Fellowship (2019) for my contribution to aphasia research and practice. employment is a desirable outcome, 0.6 1 in 100 people having autism. This update, funded by Health Education England, responds to the significant changes to the healthcare system with: This requires the wider healthcare team to develop expertise in the management of dysphagia, particularly as an individuals difficulties may alter over a 24-hour period. To learn more about our journey to becoming an anti-racist profession, see: In 1944, the Association of Speech Therapists and the British Society of Speech Therapists teamed up to create a brand-new professional body, the College of Speech Therapists (CST). How do we do it? The ideal Speech and Language Therapist: Holds a relevant Degree/Diploma in Speech and Language Therapy. We outline those concerns below. RCSLT guidance to meet HCPC standards | RCSLT Neurodivergent Speech and Language Therapist, RCSLT member & HCPC registered, and parent, Karla Hirst, Speech and Language Therapist, Polly Davis, Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, Anon. I firmhttps://rewritingsocialcare.blog/2019/08/09/why-language-matters/, 12/14 Go out & DO THE DAMN THING, earnestly co-production=IS THE WORKnot something to be confined to the remit of a lead or a board, or constrained by a strategy or a framework or a policy. Friday: CLOSED. I returned to the UKHO in 2012 as interim commercial director, was appointed chief commercial officer and deputy chief executive in 2014, before becoming chief executive in 2015. For more information about the initiative and the framework, please visit IDDSIs website. I obtained a BSc in speech therapy and audiology in South Africa in 1995. The following pieces of guidance are a concern: Speech and language therapists can support the teaching of specific language and communication skills: when it is in the Autistic persons best interest, enhances quality of life and/or reduces risk. when an Autistic person asks them to., We have suggested that speech and language therapists can consider social skills training, PBS and PECS if it is in the best interest of a particular individual, enhances quality of life and reduces risk., We believe that the wording here, positions the SLT as an expert in deciding when it is in the best interest of an Autistic person to receive behaviourally based or neuronormative social skills training: the risks and harms of which we have outlined already. I graduated from Leeds Beckett University in 2003 and began working as a community paediatric therapist in Bradford. See theRCSLT Honours roll call 1945-2019 (PDF). This recommendation fails to highlight the multi-faceted aspects of masking, which for many Autistic people is compounded by the impact of trauma, and of multiple intersecting stigmatised identities (Botha & Frost, 2020) The guidance is unclear on how the SLT would proceed, but the wording appears to legitimise teaching social skills, if they want to engage, without consideration of the longer term consequences of masking on mental health, development of self-image and identity. document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a4c0ac3028c2185518a8496a0fe7c0f6" );document.getElementById("b05bc622ee").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. PECS: a behaviourally-based requesting system. The board agreed the winners of fellow and honorary fellowship awards. It also includes a full independent auditors report and financial statements, and is available for all RCSLT members to view. We ask that the RCSLT pause, review, and seek expert advice from Autistic professionals before publishing the guidance. Download the full eating, drinking and swallowing competency framework (PDF). The group comprised of: RCSLT, BDA, HCA, NACC, BSNA, manufacturers of thickening agents and products designed specifically for people with dysphagia and manufacturers of modified texture pre-prepared meals. Registered member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists Post-graduate experience of supporting children and young people with speech, language and communication needs. Login; Username: Password: I do not know the login name or password; Following a broad career working with a wide range of adult speech, language and swallowing difficulties I specialised in complex stroke and dysphagia. [8] This claim launched the second-longest group action for equal pay for equal work since a 1985 claim by female canteen workers against British Coal. Hopefully inspiring the next generation of speech and language therapists! The historical study of speech and language therapy (SLT) has been very limited. My expertise lies within swallowing in the older adult population, which was acknowledged by taking up the role as RCSLT national advisor for dysphagia (dementia) in 2016. We have an opportunity here to take a lead within health care, and for the SLT profession, both nationally and globally, on delivering ethical, neurodivergent-affirming support for Autistic individuals. It is important for us to hear and acknowledge individual perspectives and preferences, however, to not clarify the potential for harm, clearly documented in ethically-driven research into these interventions summarised above, poses a clear risk to both therapists and the individuals we support. In 2003, HRH The Countess of Wessex took over as the RCSLTs Royal Patron, continuing the historic relationship between speech and language therapy and the royal family. For example, the SLT role in facilitating equitable clinical services at all points of access and care, summarised using the acronym SPACE in Doherty et al (2023) sets out how to meet 5 Autistic core needs in healthcare.