Speech Therapy Service For Schools

It is a worrying time for Speech and Language Therapy Services. With budget cuts, pay cuts and service cuts daily on the news, we have to consider how much Speech and Language Therapy Services are likely to suffer!

In recent years to cope with the cuts in funding to Speech and Language Therapy Services, services to schools have become more consultative. It is now common place for direct speech and language therapy intervention to stop on entry to school and be replaced with a consultative model of service delivery.

Consultative therapy delivers a high standard of support to schools, families and students, providing assessment, advice and therapy programmes. However that all important direct therapy service has been lost.

I hear frequently from schools comments such as: “We have a great programme of activities but no one to carry it out”, “We don’t know what to do with the therapy programme!”, “We have a programme for ‘s’ but the child just can’t do it!”

More and more schools are turning to the Independent sector to source direct speech and language therapy services for their students.

TinyEYE Therapy Services is a world leader in providing speech and language therapy services to schools. TinyEYE have pioneered Online Speech and Language Therapy Services, developing state of the art, award-winning software to connect students with therapist. The service they provide includes – finding a qualified therapist for your school, assessment on site, consultation with teachers and parents, providing assessment reports, IEP goals, therapy plans and the all important Direct Therapy Intervention.

Direct Speech and Language Therapy is carried out online, through TinyEYE’s award-winning software. All you need is an internet connection, computer and webcam. The software is so much more than just video conferencing – it connects therapist and student face to face, it is interactive, and fun for the students, with a wide range of therapy games and activities right there on-screen, and every student has their own online homework backpack.

Online Speech Language Therapy has been proven effective, is efficient, cost-effective and affordable.

TinyEYE Therapy Services provide speech and language therapy intervention to schools throughout Canada and the US. Through their growing UK team of speech and Language Therapists, services are now available to schools here in the UK.

All Speech and Language Therapists providing services to UK schools have:

* A degree in Speech and Language Therapy
* Membership of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
* Registration with the Health Professions Council
* Enhanced CRB check.

TinyEYE’s team of Specialist Online Speech and Language Therapists have the support of a highly skilled management team experienced in delivering services to meet each schools individual needs, and a specialist software development and technical support team. Therapists participate in mentoring, continuing professional development activities, and adhere to strict quality standards.

TinyEYE deliver the whole package of support. An international team delivering services worldwide, using local therapists.

Contact TinyEYE to find out how Online Speech Language Therapy Services would benefit your school.

Amanda Fox
Manager of Service Excellence
TinyEYE Therapy Services
amanda@tinyeye.com
www.tinyeye.com
Tel: 07527 584 774 (UK number)
Owner: KidsTalk Speech & Language Therapy Service (UK), www.kidstalkslt.co.uk.

TinyEYE UK Job Opportunity

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join TinyEYE’s growing UK team of online speech language therapists.

We are seeking an enthusiastic Speech and Language Therapist who thrives on making a difference for school-aged children. The successful candidate would have the following:

- Membership of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists

- Registration with the Health Professions Council

We have two clients requesting Speech and Language Therapy services for Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons after 4pm, starting as soon as possible. There is also the possibility of expanding this caseload.

You would provide therapy services to these clients through your TinyEYE virtual office, where you would access all of the games and therapy tools. You would receive paid training and become a valued member of TinyEYE’s online speech therapy team.

TinyEYE’s online SLPs thrive on engaging children and helping them to become confident, competent communicators. Our team values are character, skill, and spark!

If you are interested in being considered for this opportunity, please forward your CV and availability to DreamTeam@TinyEYE.com . Please put UK JOB OPPORTUNITY in the subject line.

With thanks,

Amanda Fox
Manager of Service Excellence
TinyEYE Therapy Services
amanda@tinyeye.com
www.tinyeye.com
306-955-1911

How To Find a Speech Language Therapist

When a parent first recognises that their child needs to be seen by a Speech and Language Therapist, it can be the start of a long and complex journey. Just finding out how to access a Speech and Language Therapy assessment can be difficult.

There are several routes to seeing a speech language therapist and here I will outline how to access NHS, Private and Online Speech Language Therapy Services.

The NHS: referral to your local NHS Speech Language Therapy Service can be done directly by a parent. Usually a call to the department by a parent is enough to get a child on to the waiting list. Referrals can also be made by your GP, Health Visitor, Paediatirician or a teacher. Waiting times for an assessment vary from one NHS Authority to another. Some can have up to a 12 month wait, others operate a system where assessment takes place within 2 – 3 months, but there is then a second waiting list for therapy. www.RCSLT.org   

Private Therapy: A child can be refered to a private/independent Speech and Language Therapist directly by their parents. A searchable database of Independent Speech and Language Therapists (all fully qualified members of RCSLT and registered with HPC) is available through the Association of Speech And Language Therapists in Independent Practice www.helpwithtalking.com  . This provides the names, contact details and areas of speciality of therapists in your local area. Independent Speech Language Therapists can usually offer assessments within weeks, and direct therapy services immediately after if required.

Online Speech Language Therapy: Online Speech Language Therapy Services are now available within the UK, following immense success throughout Canada and the US. Services are available to schools and individual families, with fully qualified therapists, all members of RCSLT, registered with HPC and CRB checked. Referrals can be made directly by parents or through the child’s school. Services are available to anyone with a computer and internet access, no matter where in the country you are. There are no geographical barriers to therapy, an ideal solution if there are no Speech Language Therapy Services local to you. Assessments can be carried out online or directly with the child at home/school through the outreach team of therapists, who will travel anywhere. Assessment can usually take place within weeks of the referral and therapy if required can start immediately after. Therapy is fun, interactive and effective, using state of the art software from TinyEYE Therapy Services.

As with NHS and Independent therapy services, Online Speech Language Therapy allows for assessment, reporting, therapy, and consultation with parents, teachers and other professionals. Every child has individual therapy goals and their own interactive homework backpack.

If you are a school needing Speech and Language Therapy Services, online speech language therapy services can answer your students speech and language needs.

If you have any concerns regarding your child’s Speech and Language development contact a Speech and Language Therapist as soon as possible. Referrals should be made as early as possible – Do Not Hesitate to make that call!

KidsTalk Speech and Language Therapy Service is pleased to be working with TinyEYE Therapy services, a world leader in the provision of online speech therapy services and specialists in providing therapists for hard to fill posts. www.kidstalkslt.co.uk        www.tinyeye.com

ADHD – A Genetic Link?

A new study carried out at Cardiff University has this week hit the headlines with it’s research findings suggesting a genetic link to ADHD, as with other brain disorders such as Autism and Schizophrenia. The argument rages on as to whether the findings are clearly indicating a genetic link or not. As with any new research the results will always be interpreted differently according to which scientist is being interviewed.

I am glad that research into the genetics of ADHD is starting to emerge and I am sure this is only the beginning and the debate will rage on for years to come, as with Autism. My reason for writing this Blog today is not to discuss the merits of each side of the debate, or agree with one side or the other. My motivation for this is the sheer distress I felt at listening to the public’s opinion on children with ADHD on the phone in show of a national radio station. So many people ready to point the finger and blame ‘Bad Parenting’ as the cause for ADHD. Lack of discipline, poor diet, poor routine!

As a Speech and Language Therapist I have had many families over the years ask: Is it my fault? Have I done something wrong? And have seen the distress on parents faces when the child does something in public that leads to disapproving looks and comments from others. As a parent there is always that feeling in my mind – am I doing the right thing? Is it my fault when things go wrong?

Why do we always have to play the blame game? It’s the parents! It’s the teachers! What is wrong with just providing support! Whatever research comes out, it can only serve to improve our understanding of ADHD, stimulate further research and debate, and ultimately benefit the child and family. Every situation is different, every child is an individual, when is there ever a straight forward answer. In some cases diet may be a contributory factor, food allergies, a child may need a higher level of routine/structure than others, or a genetic link may be identified. In a lot of areas families do not have easy access to the support of professional services such as Speech and Language Therapists, Child Psychologists, Dieticians and Behaviour Therapists, and are struggling on alone to help their child in very difficult/stressful circumstances.

Let’s provide the support needed to these children and their families, and stop the blame game!

Amanda Fox, B.Sc (Hons)

Speech Language Therapist, Mbr RCSLT, Reg HPC

www.kidstalkslt.co.uk

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11437079

What is Online Speech Therapy?

What is Online Speech Therapy? How does it work? Who can use Online Speech Therapy?

What is Online Speech Therapy?
Online Speech Therapy is so much more than just web conferencing, it is an online interaction between therapist and child in a fun and motivating environment using award-winning software developed by TinyEYE Therapy Services.

How does it work?
Online speech therapy sessions allow child and therapist to connect via the internet using the web cam and a headset. The state of the art software allows the child and therapist to participate together in fun activities which target each individual child’s speech and language goals. Sessions are interactive, fun and have been proven effective.

See some of the games and activities in action:

Online Speech Therapy encourages the participation of the child, parent/care giver and school in the therapy relationship. Each child has their own Individual Therapy Plan online containing agreed upon speech and language goals, progress notes and reports. Each child also has their own Homework Backpack into which games and activities are added for online home practice. Messages for parents and teachers can be added to the backpack either written or a video message.

Who can use Online Speech Therapy?
Online speech therapy is available to individual families and to schools, and there is no geographical barrier to therapy. The Speech Language Therapist will connect with you wherever you live. All that is required is an internet connection, web cam and headset.

Online Speech therapy is efficient and effective, and has been used to work on speech sound development, language development, interaction skills/social communication, stuttering and voice disorders.

An adult is required to login into the therapy session for the child, and to bring each child along to the therapy room/return them to the classroom. A second headset can be attached to allow the adult to participate in the session.

TinyEYE Therapy Services are the world leader in online speech therapy provision. Their software is award-winning, and they have an International team of Specialist Speech and Language Therapists who have delivered over 15,000 online speech therapy sessions around the world. KidsTalk Speech and Language Therapy Service has been working with TinyEYE for two years providing therapy to children in Canada. I am now proud to be working with TinyEYE to bring Online Speech Therapy home to the UK.

Amanda Fox, B.Sc. (Hons)
Speech Language Therapist, MbrRCSLT, Reg HPC