COMMUNICATION MATTERS HALTON Autumn 2015

Welcome to Communication Matters in Halton. A newsletter for everyone who supports children aged 0-7 and their families. In this first newsletter we will introduce Communicate, our team in Halton and the services we will shortly begin providing for families and the workforce.

Communicate SLT CIC is a not-for-profit organisation providing high quality, innovative Speech & Language Therapy (SLT) services in the North West of England. Within our team we have a MEET THE TEAM great deal of experience developing and delivering universal early years services in Blackpool. We hope to adapt and extend this established service model to meet the needs in Halton.

Caroline Coyne Speech and Language Therapist, Director of Communicate

Rachael Tuckley, SLT Team Lead

Commissioned by Halton Borough Council, we will support the educational development and inclusion of all children aged 0-7 years and particularly those who have or may develop Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN). Services for children with a specialist level of need will continue to be provided by Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Trust. Helen Morgan, SLT in Widnes

Our services will focus on working in partnership with families, the children’s workforce and partner agencies. We will provide information, guidance and training to enable children’s everyday communication partners to best support speech, language and communication. UNIVERSAL: FOR ALL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES All Children and families can access our universal services (see details over leaf). TARGETED: Nikki Christie, SLT in Runcorn FOR CHILDREN Accessing our targeted services couldn’t be WHO HAVE OR easier, simply send a referral to Bridgewater MAY DEVELOP SLCN SLT team (as before) and this will be passed to the most appropriate SLT team (i.e. Bridgewater, Communicate or the SPECIALIST: Together Trust). SLCN Caitlin Wallace, Communication Assistant

We are very keen to find out more about all the services being delivered across Halton and make links and plans for working in partnership. Please get in touch to make that link, to find out more about our team or to offer comments or suggestions.

t: 01514 205 482 e: [email protected] w: www.communicate-slt.org.uk @communicateSLT Communicate SLT Halton COMMUNICATION MATTERS SERVICES FOR CHILDREN & FAMILIES Autumn 2015

UNIVERSAL SERVICES (for all children and families provided within children’s centres). Families can drop-in to an Information Station where a Speech and Language Therapist will be available with information and advice. For more details or to book a specific time, please contact the host children’s centre on the telephone number provided. DATE TIME SERVICE ADDRESS '

Wed 16th Sept 1pm - 3.30pm Stay & Play Windmill Children’s Centre 01928 717132

Fri 2nd Oct 10am - 11.30am Stay & Play Ditton Children’s Centre 0151 420 5482

Fri 2nd Oct 1pm - 4.30pm Stay & Play Warrington Rd Children’s Centre 0151 424 4686

Tues 13th Oct 9.30am - 11am Terrific Twos Halton Lodge 01928 573107

Wed 28th Oct 9.30am - 12.30pm Little Monkeys Kingsway Children’s Centre 0151 511 6222

Fri 13th Nov 9am - 11.30am Little Monkeys Brookvale Children’s Centre 01928 797160

Tues 24th Nov 1.30pm - 3pm Stay & Play Upton Children’s Centre 0151 257 2450

Tues 8th Dec 1.30pm - 3pm Stay & Play Wicksten Drive 01928 573265

TARGETED SERVICES (For children and families who have been referred to Speech and Language Therapy). COMMUNICATION CHECK-INS Children and families referred to ALL ABOARD FAMILY GROUPS our service will be contacted by All Aboard is a 5 week fun family group for children from aged 0-4 years. our Communication Assistant The focus is on communication and each session we practice key skills (Caitlin). She will provide information and (like learning to listen, understand and talk). Parents hear about handy invite families to a Communication Check-in tips that they can use at home to develop their child’s communication appointment with a Speech and Language Therapist. skills. This terms groups are at: Check-in sessions will be on Tuesday afternoons at Halton Lodge Children’s Centre children’s centres throughout Halton. Thursday mornings · 9:30 – 11am (starting 17th September) Upton Children’s Centre HANEN PARENT WORKSHOPS Thursday afternoons · 1:30 – 3pm (starting 17th September) Parents will be invited to attend these workshops to learn more Halton Brook Children’s Centre about how they can help their Monday afternoons · 12:30 – 2pm (starting 2nd November) child’s development at home. Ditton Children’s Centre Thursday mornings · 10-11:30am (starting 5th November) This term, these workshops will be either at: Ditton Children’s Centre, on Wednesday evenings starting Wed 14th October For more information contact our Communication Assistant: Brookvale Children’s Centre, on Thursday afternoons Caitlin Wallace t: 0151 420 5482 e: [email protected] starting Thurs 5th November

t: 0151 420 5482 e: [email protected] w: www.communicate-slt.org.uk @communicateSLT Communicate SLT Halton COMMUNICATION MATTERS SERVICES FOR CHILDREN’S WORKFORCE Autumn 2015

We are very excited to be part of a new project During the autumn term we will visit every early years setting, with the Early Years Consultant Teachers called…. school and resource base in Halton to introduce ourselves, learn Communication Counts in Halton. about local needs and discuss how we can work together to support children’s Speech, Language and Communication (SLC). The aim of this project is to maximise the communication environments of all children in Halton by supporting, We’ll be asking every setting (and service) in Halton to identify skilling and empowering the people that children a Communication Ambassador. interact with every day. This person will have knowledge and information relating to SLC, By working together enabling them to be a contact point we can all make a huge for families, colleagues and the difference to children’s community. Anyone interested in early communication being a Communication Ambassador development and to their ability to learn, make should come along to the Launch friends and achieve. event on 29th September.

DATE & TIME TRAINING DETAILS PRESENTERS CONTACT

29th September Communication Counts Launch: Caroline Coyne (SLT, Communicate) To book your place 9.30am - 12.30pm Come along, have your say and get and Jill Farrell (Early Years School contact: joanne. The Stadium involved in this exciting project! and Setting Improvement Officer) [email protected]

8th & 15th October Hanen Teacher Talk A: The first of Caroline Coyne (SLT, Communicate) To book your place 9.15am - 12.30pm the Teacher Talk trainings, which and Karen Hardman (Early Years contact: joanne. The Stadium focuses on encouraging Language Consultant Teacher) [email protected] Development in Early Years Settings. N.B. Practitioners must attend both workshops

TBC Elklan Speech & Language Support for Rachael Tuckley (Speech and To find out 0-3 Launch. Language Therapist Communicate) more contact: Enabling early years staff to best communicate@ develop the skills of babies and young halton.gov.uk children. Practitioners attending this N.B. Practitioners must course are able to gain a Level 2, 3 or 4 attend all 3 full days accreditation award.

3rd November Cluster workshop - The adults role Caroline Coyne (SLT, Communicate), To book your place 9.30am - 11.45am Each Communiaction Counts Cluster Rachael Tuckley (Speech and contact: joanne. The Stadium will have: Information about a specific Language Therapist Communicate) [email protected] topic (this cluster it’s ‘The adult’s role’) and Karen (Early Years Consultant and; a discussion / surgery time with Teacher) the EYCT and SLT (we’ll be consulting with you to find out how you would like this to be structured).

10th November Referrer’s workshop - [no the adults role] Caroline Coyne (SLT, Communicate), To book your place 9.30am - 12.30pm For all members of the children’s and Gail Vaughan-Hodkinson contact: joanne. The Stadium workforce covering: Communiaction (Early Years Consultant Teacher) [email protected] development; Difficulties; Importance of early years; How to help; Local Speech and Language Therapy services.

Please let us know if there is a particular topic you would like us to cover in our training or if you have feedback or suggestions about any aspect of our services.

t: 0151 420 5482 e: [email protected] w: www.communicate-slt.org.uk @communicateSLT Communicate SLT Halton COMMUNICATION MATTERS COMMUNICATE NEWS & TRADED SERVICES Autumn 2015

COMMUNICATE NEWS (from Blackpool and Halton teams) We are delighted to welcome the new team members in Halton, Caitlin, Rachael, Nikki, Helen. The team have been busy with their inductions and planning during August and are eager to begin providing services in September. We would also like to extend a warm welcome to Claire Watson a Specialist ICAN EARLY TALK BOOST ICAN TALK BOOST Speech and Language Therapist who will be providing services to Early Years settings (for 3-4 year olds) (for 4-7 year olds) and schools in Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde Early Talk Boost is a targeted intervention ICAN Talk Boost is a targeted, evidenced- in September. A familiar face in the North aimed at pre-school aged children with based, in-school program delivered by West, Claire has many years’ experience delayed language development. The teachers and teaching assistants, that can working in Schools and Resources bases program helps to boost their language accelerate children’s progress in language particularly with children with specific skills and narrow the gap between them and communication by an average of 18 speech impairment and dyspraxia. and their peers. The intervention is months after ten weeks of intervention. delivered by trained nursery staff in early What did teachers say: years settings over a 9 week period and includes a workshop for parents / carers. “I would definitely recommend the training” ICAN have found that after the 9 week “Fantastic. Simple, clear and effective” Early Talk Boost intervention, children make Schools send 2 practitioners (usually a as much as 6 months progress helping teacher and a TA) on one full training day. them to catch up with other children their Each pair of participants receives 2 ICAN Claire Watson age. This is twice the amount of progress Manuals which include all the information of children not having the intervention. needed to run this intervention within their Communicate will next be school. delivering Early Talk Communicate will next be Boost Training: delivering Early Talk On: Friday 13th November 2015 Boost Training: At: Mereside Children’s Centre, On: Monday 9th November 2015 Langdale Road, Blackpool. At: Mereside Children’s Centre, FY4 4RR Langdale Road, Blackpool. Cost: TBC (likely to be £625 which FY4 4RR The Communication Trust is again includes the cost of training 2 member encouraging schools to put down their Cost: TBC (likely to be £475 which pens and run a day of speaking and of staff from one nursery and all the includes the cost of 2 attendees from listening activities. You’ll find lesson plans, ICAN resources and support). one school and all the ICAN resources activity ideas, homework, information for For more information or to book and support). parents, information for staff, assembly ideas and much, much more at… http:// your place contact: enquire@ For more information or to book www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk/ communicate-slt.org.uk or your place contact: enquire@ projects/no-pens-day-wednesday/ phone 01253 462123 …and it’s all FREE! communicate-slt.org.uk or We’d love to hear about your schools phone 01253 462123 No Pens Day activities.

To find out more about Communicate SLT CIC and the services we offer throughout the North West, visit our website or contact us by phone, email or social media. t: 01253 462123 e: [email protected] w: www.communicate-slt.org.uk @communicateSLT CommunicateSltCIC

Communicate SLT CIC is registered in England and Wales as a Company Limited by Guarantee No. 08398194 Registered Office address: Manse House, 49 Hardhorn Road, POULTON-LE-FYLDE. FY6 7SR