Lost for Words: Lost for Life Welcome by the Organising Committee We are delighted to welcome you to the conference, Lost for Words: Lost for Life, hosted jointly by the Department of Language and Communication Science, City University, London, I CAN and Afasic. It is immensely fitting that the conference takes place in the 2011 national year of communication, and specifically in the month of June, the theme of which is ‘Imagine life for those that struggle’. John Bercow, in his review of services for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs in 2008 drew attention to the widening gap in specialist support to older children and young people experiencing difficulties with speech, language and communication. As we come together in 2011, it is fair to say that whilst this gap may be narrowing for some, the extent of provision with this group is still patchy and the ‘postcode lottery’ scenario is still very much in existence. The overwhelming response to this conference is testament, however, to the commitment that professionals have to enhance services to young people with SLCN and their families. You will see from reading the programme an array of exciting presentations from a range of people interested in the education and well being of young people with SLCN. These include academics and practitioners, including speech and language therapists, psychologists, teachers and teaching assistants, and parents of the young people. And crucially we have young people with SLCN here at the conference, sharing their experiences of living with a communication disability, living full and creative lives. We have on display various arts and crafts designed by some of our young people, reflecting their unique skills and talents, and we hope you make time to visit their stands. The conference bag is an example of the success our young people can experience, and was designed and produced by young people from Flashlite, a business enterprise of Dawn House further education department. The conference aims to share good practice in working collaboratively and holistically with older children and young people with SLCN, to challenge our current ways of working and to push the boundaries with regards to intervention and support with this group. We hope that you take this opportunity to listen and talk to each other; that at some points during the conference you feel angry, passionate, exhilarated and challenged by what you hear and see; that you have fun, find time to laugh, connect with old friends and make new contacts and friendships. And most importantly, that when you leave here on Friday evening, you feel energized and have identified for yourself some specific strategies and future pathways for progression appropriate to your own specific work contexts and needs. The initial planning for this conference began over a year ago, and as the organising committee, we are most relieved that this event has finally arrived and we are all, more or less, in one piece! We can now stop worrying about the many administrative concerns that have preoccupied us over the last year and focus instead on what really matters: the impact of a language and communication disability upon a young person’s life and how best to support that person. We hope that you will be as excited as we are by the prospect of the next few days. Let’s have a great journey together. Lost for Words: Lost for Life conference committee 3 Lost for Words: Lost for Life Welcome to the Department of Language and Communication Science, City University Welcome to the Department of Language and Communication Science, a member of the School of Health Sciences. We have been providing education to Speech and Language Therapists for over 60 years. We developed from the London Hospital School of Speech Therapy, founded by Winifred Kingdon Ward in 1942. In 1982 we linked with City University London, becoming a full Department in 1986. We are the largest teaching, research and clinical department in the UK, providing courses leading both to registration as a practitioner in speech and language therapy and post- registration opportunities for a range of professionals working in communication disability. We are a dynamic and forward-thinking department in which contributions to professional developments, teaching and learning, research and clinical application are flourishing. Our staff are committed to providing high quality, research-informed teaching in which theoretical and scientific rigour are given equal prominence. Our department has an active team of researchers undertaking applied research projects in the area of speech, language and communication needs in older children and young people. Current research includes the investigation of interventions (narrative and vocabulary enrichment) delivered by teaching assistants in schools (ELCISS – www.elciss.com – funded by the Nuffield Foundation) and an ESRC-funded longitudinal study (SLI and adulthood) exploring the long term impact of communication disability on well being. We have established a strong reputation for our innovative approach to education and clinical practice: we were the first speech and language therapy department to develop both a postgraduate route to qualification, two masters programmes for practising clinicians and an on-site clinic. The close link that it has always made between theory and practice remains, and its long-standing commitment to improving public awareness of communication disability continues to motivate staff and students alike. The Department recognizes the importance of working collaboratively across education and speech and language therapy and the importance of joint training. To facilitate this collaborative process, this Department, together with the Institute of Education, University of London, now offers a joint Masters Degree in Joint Professional Practice: Language and Communication. The course is specially designed for both teachers and speech and language therapists. There are opportunities within all modules to share theory and professional practice across the disciplinary boundaries of health and education (www.talklink.org). 4 Lost for Words: Lost for Life I CAN I CAN is the children’s communication charity. We are here to ensure that no child is left out or left behind because of a difficulty speaking or understanding. I CAN’s mission is to make sure that everyone in contact with children knows how important communication is, what a communication difficulty looks like and what they can do to help. • We do this through: - Increasing public awareness of the problems children face through initiatives such as Make Chatter Matter and the Chatterbox Challenge - Giving expert advice to families about what to look out for and what to do through our enquiry service run by I CAN Speech and Language Therapists - Offering a range of DVDs and resources for parents and practitioners to support children’s communication development - Carrying out speech and language assessments of children so that their families know what support will meet their needs. - Giving schools, local authorities and the children’s workforce the tools to help children and families through our training courses and Talk programmes: Early Talk 0-3, Early Talk, Primary Talk and our new programme for secondary schools, Secondary Talk At the very heart of I CAN are our special schools, Meath School in Surrey and Dawn House in Nottinghamshire, which give expert care and education to children with problems whose needs cannot be met elsewhere. We also run Talking Point, the website dedicated to children’s speech, language and communication which is funded by Hello - the national year of communication. Find out more at www.talkingpoint.org.uk For more information about I CAN telephone 0845 225 072, email [email protected] or visit: www.ican.org.uk . 5 Lost for Words: Lost for Life Afasic Afasic was founded in 1968 as a UK-wide, parent-led organisation, to help children and young people with speech and language impairments and their families. We promote understanding, acceptance, equal opportunities and the inclusion into society of children and young adults with speech and language impairments. Afasic seeks to raise awareness and to create better services and provision for children and young people with speech and language impairments. It works in partnership with local and national government, professional and statutory bodies and other voluntary organisations. Afasic provides information and training for parents – and professionals – and produce a range of publications and resources. Members meet in local groups in many areas of the UK. We also run a Helpline for parents which provide information about how to access appropriate support for children with speech and language impairments. The Helpline service now responds to over 1000 queries a year and has become one of Afasic’s most important and valued services. The Afasic Youth Project, run in North East London, is a unique provision for young people aged 11-19 who are affected by the hidden disability of speech, language and communication impairments. The project provides a social meeting place for them; encourages them to form friendships in a supportive atmosphere; develops their social, life and team working skills; and reduces their social isolation. The Project has developed a person-centred planning initiative supporting young people as they move towards FE, employment and independence. For more information about these and other projects and activities,