07812 586 191
07812 586 191
We're expanding our service to meet growing demand! If you have a passion for supporting children's communication development and would like to be part of a dynamic and highly motivated team, we'd love to hear from you!...https://www.yorkshirespeechtherapy.com/joinourteam.php
At Away With Words, we’re passionate about supporting children and families - but just as importantly, we’re committed to supporting the next generation of speech and language therapists too.
Becoming a speech and language therapist is such a rewarding career, but it takes more than just studying. Real-life experience is a huge part of learning, and that’s where placements come in. They give students the chance to build confidence, develop practical skills, and really understand what the role looks like day to day.
We’re proud to work closely with Leeds Beckett University and York St John University to offer student placements within our paediatric service. Welcoming students into our team means they can see therapy in action, learn from experienced clinicians, and get involved in supporting children with a wide range of communication needs.
For us, it’s not just about teaching skills - it’s about creating a supportive space where students feel encouraged to ask questions, try things out, and grow in confidence.
By supporting students now, we’re helping to shape the future of the profession. And ultimately, that means better support for children and families in the years to come.
We’re really proud to be part of that.
https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/speech-and-language-therapy/
Are you a teaching a Teaching Assistant looking to develop your skills and add further value to your education setting?
The HLCP programme (offered by Elklan: elklan.co.uk/HLCP) is an accredited training route that recognises the invaluable role Teaching Assistants play in delivering speech and language interventions within education settings. It is designed for TAs who want to develop advanced skills to confidently support speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) in school-aged children, working closely alongside teachers and speech and language therapists.
The programme provides:
Schools who have taken part report very positive outcomes so far (currently anecdotal, with more formal evidence expected over time), with particular benefits linked to the skilled, consistent involvement of trained Teaching Assistants in everyday communication support.
Speak to your school SENDCo or find oyt more at http://elklan.co.uk/HLCP
28.11.25
The 2025 RCSLT Conference was an inspiring event, bringing together speech and language therapists from across the UK to share learning, research and best practice.
There was a strong and welcome focus on early years, reinforcing the critical importance of early identification, prevention and support to promote positive communication outcomes for children and families.
A particularly thought-provoking theme explored the impact of spending time outdoors in nature on children’s communication and language development. Presentations demonstrated how natural environments can support interaction, vocabulary development, wellbeing and engagement, offering valuable insights for both therapy and universal provision.
We loved the contributions from Stamma.org, emphasising advocacy, lived experience and the importance of affirming, inclusive approaches to supporting children and adults who stammer.
Alongside the high-quality content, the opportunity to connect with colleagues and share reflections across services was invaluable. Thank you to RCSLT, speakers and delegates for an engaging and thought-provoking conference. We look forward to translating learning into our local clinical practice and continuing discussions sparked by the conference!
23.05.25
Away With Words associate speech and language therapist Rachael Wakefield has set up Stammer in the Woods, a West Yorkshire group for children who stammer, which featured on stamma.org this week. Take a look!...
https://stamma.org/features/using-nature-group-setting-children-who-stammer
25.02.25
Feeling enlightened and empowered after attending fantastic GLP training yesterday delivered by specialst speech and language therapist Ali Battye. Our team attended along with some of the teaching staff we work with and parents we support. We feel priveleged to have benefitted from Ali's knowledge and experience for a whole day!
The learning around neurodiversity affirming practice, natural language acquisition, identifying children who are GLPs and assessment and support for these children will be invaluable to our practice going forward.
The training was fascinating, motivating and practical, with take away strategies that we can put to work straight away.
We feel that GLP should be part of core training for all speech and language therapists and teaching staff supporting GLP learners. We can highly recommend Ali's training. See Ali's website for more information on training courses and resources: http://www.alispeech.com/
We are following Ali on Instagram: Ali_battye_speech
Other recommendations include:
Amazing.autistic.abby
Crescendo.communication
mariamshaperatales
Meaningfulspeech
Natural communication
Natural.language.acquist ion
Spinsandstomps thespeechden Uniquely human
23.01.25
10.10.24
Are you looking for a fulfilling role providing client needs-led effective intervention? We are looking for experienced speech and language therapists to become part of our friendly and supportive team providing personal and quality services to schools in Leeds.
The role will involve identification of speech, language and communication needs and provision of interventions to children as well as support and training for staff and parents and facilitation of whole school approaches.
This is a full-time 9 months fixed term maternity cover starting in February 2025, with the stong liklihood of extension to a permanent role.
For more information please go to the Join Our Team page!
https://www.yorkshirespeechtherapy.com/joinourteam.php
07.03.24
What better than to have a day dedicated to the celebration of books!?
Reading with children is the easiset way to support speech and language development...
At Queensway Primary School today, the staff and children celebrated by holding a poetry competition. All the children did a fantastic job performing their poems to the whole school! This year's winners were Lyla (Y1) and Hannah (year 3) - well done girls!!
04.03.24
Are you looking for support for a child who stammers?
Stammer in the Woods is an exciting new Leeds based outdoor support group for children aged 5-11 who have a stammer. Please see the link for more information:
https://www.thetalkingpot.co.uk/stammer-in-the-woods
01.03.24
Are you looking for a fulfilling role providing client needs-led effective intervention? We are looking for experienced speech and language therapists to become part of our friendly and supportive team providing personal and quality services to schools and families throughout Leeds.
The demand for our service is growing and we would love to hear from you if you are interested in being a part of our expanding provision.
The role will involve identification of speech, language and communication needs and provision of interventions to children as well as support and training for staff and parents. You will have autonomy to shape new service provision in schools.
We have employment vacancies from September 2023 for a therapist seeking 4 or 5 days a week work and also opportunity for contracted independent therapists looking to fill a day or 2 days a week.
Essential requirements:
Desirable:
We offer:
For more details please contact Lauren Green (Lead Speech and Language Therapist) 07812 586 191 / lauren@yorkshirespeechtherapy.com
22.04.23
Miniplay2learn is a Leeds based preschool class for children aged 3-4 who love learning about the world and exploring through play. The classes support language developmet and teach important skills such as phonics and number to facitate children's readiness for school. For more information visit their website https://miniplay2learn.co.uk/
07.11.22
The number of 5 and 6 year olds who need speech and language support at school has risen by 10% in England over the past year. Read the BBC's full analysis here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-63373804
If you are a parent concerned that your child's speech and langauge development has been affected by the lockdowns, get in touch: https://www.yorkshirespeechtherapy.com/contact.php
If you are a Headteacher or SENDCo looking to address this issue, we may be able to help.
Get in touch: https://www.yorkshirespeechtherapy.com/contact.php
04.07.22
See the Join Our Team page for current opportunities
https://www.yorkshirespeechtherapy.com/joinourteam.php
03.07.22
It was great to see so many Early Years Practitioners when we provided EYFS Communication Development training this weekend. The training aims to upskill EYFS staff in early identification of communicatuon diffiuclties and provision of universal strategies to support speech, langauge and communication development accoss early years settings.
If you are interested in exploring this training for your EYFS setting please see our training page https://www.yorkshirespeechtherapy.com/forschools.php or get in touch https://www.yorkshirespeechtherapy.com/contact.php
15.10.21
Today is DLD Awareness Day, an annual event to raise awareness of Developmental Language Disorder, which affects 2 children in every average primary school class of 30.
What is Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)?
Developmental Language Disorder is a diagnosis given to children and young people who have life-long difficulties with speaking and understanding that are not associated with another biomedical condition (e.g. Down's syndrome or Autism) .
To find out more about what DLD is and how you can support children in the classroom, visit the dedicated Developmental Language Disorder section on iCan's website: https://ican.org.uk/educational-support-for-children-with-developmental-language-disorder-dld/?utm_source=All+Subscribers&utm_campaign=ba1102cfbd-DLD+Awareness+Day&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_aaf225d5ad-ba1102cfbd-118445574
11.10.21
We are delighted to welcome Helen Tatterton to our team. Helen is an experienced paediatric therapist who will be bringing her knowledge and skills to our primary school service. Find out more about Helen here...
https://www.yorkshirespeechtherapy.com/aboutus.php#helen
11.04.21
We are seeking a full-time / split-post part-time paediatric speech and language therapist(s) to join our small and friendly team providing bespoke and quality services to schools and families across Yorkshire. See full details on the 'join our team' page
https://www.yorkshirespeechtherapy.com/joinourteam.php
04.01.21
Folloiwng this evening's government announcement of a national lockdown we are sorry to have to suspend all home visits.
Where appropriate, online provision will be offered in place of face to face visits.
If you are the parent of a child with an upcoming appointmet booked with us, the speech and language therapist will be in touch in advance of this appointment to explain what will hapen next.
Thank you for your understanding and patience in these challenging times.
15.10.20
Friday 16th October 2020 is International Developmental Language Delay Awareness Day, so this is the perfect time to share some facts about this common but little-known condition:
These facts come from the not-for-profit organisation, Raising Awareness of Developmental Language Disorder (RADLD - https://radld.org/). If you'd like to learn more about this common developmental difficulty, you can:
And once you've learned more, why not help raise awareness yourself, and share what you have learned with friends, family and colleagues!
22.09.20
We are so happy to announce the safe arrival of the newest member of the Away With Words family! Keeley and Rich are thrilled to introduce their daughter, Phoebe Dora Cutts-Braddock, who arrived safe and sound on 30th August, weighing 7lb 7oz. Mum and baby are doing well.
Welcome Phoebe!
03.09.20
We are pleased to be able to offer face-to-face services again as of the 7th September.
We have conducted a thorough risk assessment in accordance with the government guidance on Coronavirus and have developed a Covid-19 Safe Working Policy, which you can view here:
https://www.yorkshirespeechtherapy.com/docs/AWW-Covid-19-Safe-Working-Policy-Final-27Aug20.pdf
26.03.20
To enable us to continue to provide the high level of service you expect from us, in line with current government advice, we are offering online appointments.
Via the use of Zoom, a reliable and secure cloud platform for video and audio interaction, we can deliver assessment and intervention sessions without visting you. Zoom is GDPR compliant and uses encryption to provide a secure connection.
To speak to a therapist and find out whether this type of intervention may be an appropriate means of supporting your child's communication, please get in touch via our contact page https://www.yorkshirespeechtherapy.com/contact.php
18.03.20
Away With Words continues to follow the information and advice released by the Government and Public Health England with regards to Coronavirus (COVID-19).
We are now operating a reduced service in line with government advice for social distancing.
This means that we have suspended home visits until further notice and will be offering alternative online provison / send-home activity packs in the event of school closures.
If you are the parent of a child with an upcoming appointmet booked with us, the speech and language therapist will be in touch in advance of this appointment to explain what will hapen next.
We are laisiing closely with our schools to plan remote service delivery.
We thank you for your understanding and patience in these unprecendented circumstances.
12.03.20
Away With Words is closely following the information and advice released by the Government and Public Health England with regards to the spread and containment of Coronavirus (COVID-19).
We felt it sensible to ask our clients to familiarise themselves with this important information and guidance which you can view here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public
It is important to stress that this is precautionary, as we are trying to stay ahead of the game in order to protect our employees and clients. We will continue to closely monitor the information published by the Department of Health and Social Care.
Clients who have attended any of our therapy sessions within the previous 14 days and who are subsequently diagnosed as having contracted Coronavirus, or have been in proximity to someone who has subsequently been diagnosed as having contracted Coronavirus, are asked to advise us immediately.
We would like to assure you that all of our therapists are taking the following steps to ensure good hygiene:
- Washing hands for 20 seconds with soap and hot water, or with sanitising gel, before and after all client sessions
- Using tissues for coughing or sneezing and disposing of these immediately
- Washing all toys and therapy equipment between uses
We are still committed to offering you the same high-level of service you expect from us and visits will continue as normal unless government advice changes.
If we have to cancel any sessions we will give you as much notice as possible.
Rest assured, it is still business as usual for us.
We are a small team of speech and language therapists providing needs-led quality services to schools and families across Yorkshire. We are looking for a therapist to join our team who shares our vision to provide the best possible support for children with speech, language and communication needs in order for them to achieve their communication potential and to be safe and happy.
We are seeking a paediatric speech and language therapist to work with private clients in primary schools and client homes in Leeds, to begin in September. The role will involve identification of speech, language and communication needs and provision of direct intervention as well as support and guidance for school staff and parents.
Essential Requirements:
Desirable:
The post is flexible part-time to full-time hours.
We offer:
For more details please contact Jo Joyce (Speech and Language Therapist) 07904 810 156 / jo@yorkshirespeechtherapy.com
It’s been a busy few weeks for our team – we’ve been expanding in more ways than one!
First of all, we are delighted to welcome Karen to our team. Karen is an experienced therapist who has also worked previously as a teacher, so we are very much looking forward to having her on board! She will be taking over Lauren’s schools in North Leeds for the time being whilst Lauren is on maternity leave…
Which brings me to our second announcement…
We are over the moon for Lauren and her husband as they welcomed little Heidi into the world at the beginning of March! Lauren and Heidi are both well and enjoying their time at home with plenty of visitors – the tiniest people are always the most popular aren’t they?!
Thank you to Lauren’s schools and clients for well wishes and support during handover to other therapists. While Lauren is on maternity leave, Jo is busy responding to emails and phonecalls and is happy to answer any queries, so please get in touch!
Thank you to Dawn House School, part of I CAN, the children’s communication charity, for showing us around your wonderfully nurturing and inclusive setting.
I CAN’s mission to 'ensure that no child should be left out or left behind because of a difficulty speaking or understanding', came across loud and clear during my short time spent at Dawn House. What stood out, beyond the multi-disciplinary team working, a focus on sensory integration and flexible learning environments, was the child-centred, needs-led ethos echoed by all staff we had the pleasure to meet during our whistle-stop tour.
As well as high quality education, therapy and care of pupils, Dawn House also offer regular training opportunities for professionals. Keep your eye on their website for informtaion.
The next traning on offer is a signing workshop on 24th November 10am-1pm. The workshop includes over 100 signs, using signs in sentenes and reinforcing sign in song and stories. For more information or to book, contact Andrea Robinson on 01623 795 361 / a.robinson@dawnhouse-ican.notts.sch.uk
http://www.dawnhouseschool.org.uk
We are missing Jenny to say the least but we are very much inspired by the task that has pulled her in another direction...
To begin work as a speech and language therapist in Zambia!
You can read Jenny's fascinating blog 'Leeds to Lusaka: A Speech and Language Therapist's Zambian Experience' at http://leedstolusaka.blogspot.com/?m=1
Best of luck Jenny!
We are pleased to be able to extend our services to York and surrounding areas. If you are a parent in the area seeking speech therapy for your child, or a school looking for bespoke intervention, please get in touch on 07904 810 156 / info@yorkshirespeechtherapy.com
You may be aware that EU legislation around data protection is changing this month. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force on the 25th May 2018.
We have adapted current procedures and introduced new measures to ensure our compliance. If you would like to know more please view our privacy policy: http://www.yorkshirespeechtherapy.com/privacy.php
Away With Words are working to ensure compliance with the the new General Data Protection Regulation legislation by the 25.05.18 deadline.
A general guide developed by the Information Commisioner's Office (ICO) can be found here: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/
Please contact our service and ask to speak to the data protection officer if you would like to know more.
Seeking Paediatric Speech and Language Therapists to provide home and/or school based services to children in North Leeds, Harrogate, York and Barnsley.
We are looking for therapists to join our small & friendly team to provide services in each of these areas.
Potential for full or part-time work in one of or a combination of the locations. Flexible working days with pay equivalent to Band 6 or 7 dependng on experience.
Please contact Lauren Green (Lead Speech and Language Therapist) for more information - 07904 810 156 / lauren@yorkshirespeechtherapy.com
(Posted 07.12.17)
Thank you to Communication Crossroads' Emily Rubin (MS, CCC-SLP) for her delivery of the SCERTS training we attended this week and to Sheffield Children's NHS Speech and Language Therapy service for organising such a well attended event allowing around 200 practitioners to access training in this highly regarded approach.
SCERTS (Social Communication Emotional Regulation Transactional Support) is a comprehensive intervention framework for children and adults with autism and their families.
The model has proved sucessful across the US and more than a dozen other countries worldwide. We were very lucky to have Emily visit the UK to share a slice of the cake with us.
We're looking forward to putting all we have learnt in to practice to support the children we work with to become confident social communicators and to access learning in a meaningful way.
If you are a parent, teacher or professional involved in supporting an individual with autism and would like to find out more have a look at the SCERTS website http://www.scerts.com
(Posted 20.09.17)
Seeking Speech and Language Therapists to provide contracted services to children referred in Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, South Yorkshire, North Yorkshire area(s).
Flexible hours and pay per client.
At least 2 year paediatric speech and language therapy experience essential.
Please contact Lauren Green (Lead Speech and Language Therapist) for more information - 07904 810 156 / lauren@yorkshirespeechtherapy.com
(Posted 14.07.17)
We are currently a small team of five speech and language therapists providing bespoke and quality services to schools and families across Yorkshire. We are looking to take on new therapists who share our vision to provide the best possible support for children with speech, language and communication needs in order for them to achieve their communication potential and be safe, happy and fulfilled.
We are seeking a part-time paediatric speech and language therapist to work in primary schools and client homes in Leeds, to begin in September. The role will involve identification of speech, language and communication needs and provision of interventions to pupils as well as support and guidance to staff and parents.
At least 2 years paediatric speech and language therapy experience and experience working in primary school settings is essential.
This is a 12month fixed term contract with the likelihood of extension.
For more details please contact Lauren Green (Lead Speech and Language Therapist) 07904 810 156 / lauren@yorkshirespeechtherapy.com
Unspoken is an inspiring production coming soon to Leeds Carriage Works Theatre. With input from Dr Trudy Stewart (Highly Specilaist Speech and Language Therapist) this show about the much misunderstood condition of stammering is a must see. The production is running from 5th - 8th July.
Tickets available now at http://www.leeds.gov.uk/carriageworks/Pages/Event.aspx?s=5913
31.03.17
Today we atteneded the Gina Davies Autism Centre Attention Autism training.
Probably the most inspirational training we have had the privilege to be a part of... there is no wonder there is a waiting list!
The training has equipped us to introduce the Attention Autism approach to the schools and families we work with, to support both children with ASD and children with other speech, languge and communication needs.
But certainly, the key point I am taking away from this training is the need for a change in the way we view inclusion for chilren with ASD and how impoartant it is that we adapt the curriculum to make all learing exoeriences meanigful for them.
We know that children with ASD are visual learners and we therefore need to think carefully and plan well to ensure we are consistently offering an irresistible invitation to learn, that is presented primarily through visuals....
...and as it is with all successes, the key is team work - everyone involved with supporting the child singing from the same hymn sheet and fully buying into creating the right environment to help children with ASD achieve their huge potential for communication.
We look forward to sharing our bucket of wonders and 'irresistable' lessons!
Check out some of Gina's ideas for yourself at https://www.facebook.com/ginadaviesautism
A big thank you to Gina and to the East Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre for hosting.
03.03.17
We seem to have days for everything don’t we…. World Hugging Day, World UFO Day… We’re keeping a mental note of World Sleep Day and we’re all for the International Day of Happiness! But, as speech and language therapists, our favourite has to be the one we celebrated yesterday… World Book Day… a day dedicated to books! Entirely justified we think!
There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world.
Love of books is the best of all.
–Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
So naturally we wasted no time in embracing this!
Any excuse for a non-uniform day… Cat in the Hat was the choice of the primary school staff. This underrated feline is the star of Dr Seuss’ 60 year old book of the same name, one of the best-selling children’s books of all time.
But we were definitely trumped by the efforts of the pupils…. enter Miss Trunchball complete with monobrow, Darth Vader and his talking mask not far behind.
I very much enjoyed my day with these wonderful characters and others - the Mad Hatter, Cruella Deville and Thing 1 and 2 to name a few!
Darth told me he likes books because ‘they’re cool’ - I couldn’t agree more and here’s why…
From a very early age, books facilitate development of fundamental pre-verbal communication skills such as attention and listing, anticipation and prediction Books for young children, particularly those with rhyme and alliteration, support the development of phonological awareness skills - the building blocks for literacy development in later childhood Books feed imagination, an essential component of cognitive development Books support the learning of vocabulary… … and semantics (word meaning and how words are related) Books support the development of narrative skills (the ability to re-tell stories and events) Books help children to make sense of the world around them and to begin to develop all important social communication skills such as inferencing and reasoning Reading with children helps them to internalise vocabulary and sentence structure, consolidating language acquisition Reading books together provides opportunity for quality child and care-giver interaction…
… And most of all books are FUN! Today we have been on a bear hunt, rumbled through the jungle, had a run in with a giant octopus, rescued a dancing hen and moved house with mouse…. Definitely the most memorable day of my week!
We all know the importance of books and reading for child development, but sometimes it’s not that straightforward. Not all children learn to read in the same way and some children have difficulty reading phonetically in the way that is taught by the national curriculum. For children who find phonetic reading difficult, whole word reading may be a more successful approach. Discuss any concerns you have with your child’s teacher. Differentiation of the curriculum to better meet the needs of children with such difficulties is often possible.
Of course we feel professionally obligated to encourage reading, but more than that, we see first-hand the huge benefits of reading on speech, language and communication development.
Here are some of our top tips for getting the most out of story time…
Make stories a part of your child’s bedtime routine Let the child choose the book - we know that children are more receptive when engaged through taking the lead Let the child flip through pages - don’t worry if you haven’t got time to read all of the words before they flip - the most important thing is that they are interested. As they get older attention develops and they will spend more time looking at each page Talk about the illustrations When talking about the pictures or story content, provide more comments and descriptions than questions Model the reading experience by singing or saying the words clearly and rhythmically Finger-point to particular words, phrases or initial sounds to reinforce knowledge and to show left-right directionality Pause at the end of familiar lines to give the child the opportunity to ‘fill in the blanks’ For the older child who is reading independently, allow for errors and gently model back the correct word for them Encourage the child to segment (sound out) tricky words Take a trip to your local library!… Many libraries are open 7 days a week and offer activities and story times for children. Find out where your nearest library is and check out the events on offer:
http://www.leeds.gov.uk/leisure/Pages/Your-library.aspx
Leeds City Council also offer mobile library services, which are a great alternative for those who find it difficult to access amenities in the community. The library buses are designed for young children and their families with 1,500 items specially selected to appeal to children, including board and picture books, popular stories and resources to help with homework. Parents and carers can choose from a selection of novels and information books, and access the internet. There's a cosy seating area for story-telling. The children here at school get a weekly visit and love it!
Children have loved stories for as long as stories have been told and books have forever been at the core of learning. But the 21st century presents both exciting opportunities and new challenges in the way we engage and teach children. The use of iPads, particularly for very young children is a popular current debate. Is children’s love of books beaten only by their love of technology? Well I asked each of the children who came to see me today what they like best… 'reading books or playing games on the iPad?'… 7 out of 10 said ‘books’!
That's a big up to books!
And here are some of our some of our favourites…
Pre-School
The very Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle
Good Night Moon - Margaret Wise Brown
Dear Zoo - Rod Campbell
Brown Bear - Eric Carle
Monkey Puzzle - Julia Donaldson
Guess How Much I Love You - Sam McBrantey
Mr Brown Can Moo Can You? - Dr Seuss
First Rhymes - Rod Campbell
What the Ladybird Heard - Julia Donaldson
Key Stage 1
Cat in the Hat - Dr Seuss
Big Bad Bun - Jeanne Willis & Tony Ross
Ug - Raymond Briggs
Horrid Henry - Francesca Simon
Fantastic Mr Fox - Roald Dahl
The Worst Witch - Jill Murphy
The Magic Faraway Tree - Enid Blyton
Key Stage 2
Mr Stink - David Walliams
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase - Jane Aiken
Once - Morris Gleitzman
Stig of the Dump - Clive King
The Lion, the Witch and the wardrobe - C S Lewis
Goodnight Mr Tom - Michelle Magorian
Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
The Story of Tracy Beaker - Jacqueline Wilson
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone - J K Rowling
The Hobbit - J R R Tolkien
Finally, we thought we’d throw in some of our own most thought-provoking reads, all centred around the importance and complexities of human communication:
The Rosie Project - Graeme Simsion
Ageing with Grace - David Snowdon
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Mark Haddon
Thinking in Pictures - Temple Grandin
The Autistic Brain - Temple Grandin
Now we’ve just about time to finish that chapter……
P.s. National Donut Day is June 2nd!
01.02.17
Please see further information under the Join Our Team page http://www.yorkshirespeechtherapy.com/joinourteam.php
07.12.16
Wishing Hannah all the best as she leaves our service (ony temporarily we hope!) for maternity leave. THANK YOU and GOOD LUCK Hannah!
Hannah's role will be covered by Anna Lees (Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist), who, with her wealth of experience, we are very pleased to WELCOME to the team. Find out a bit more about Anna...
13.11.16
We are seeking a children's illustrator to collaborate in an ongoing project creating speech and languge therapy resources for primary school age children. See full details at http://www.yorkshirespeechtherapy.com/joinourteam.php
29.09.16
We are pleased to welcome Alison to our growing team. Alison will be providing primary school based speech and language intervention and brings with her over 18 years of experience. Safe to say we are happy to have her on board!
Find out more about Alison... http://www.yorkshirespeechtherapy.com/alisonsweasey.php#
28.09.16
Thank you to the Leeds Complex Needs Service for providing Funding for Inclusion training for our team and our wider independent therapist peer group this week.
We are very grateful to the service for providng training that was tailored to our specialism and our role in supporting Leeds early years settings and schools to apply for support for children with the most significant communication needs.
It is a positive step forward for therapists in independent practice that government organisations recognise that we have vital role in providing services to schools and in contributing infomation for education funding purposes.
We look forward to continuing to broaden these communication avenues to meet the needs of children with speech, language and communication needs.
13.09.16
Today marks one hundred years since the birth of Roald Dahl!
"One of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century"... His works for children include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, The BFG, Fantastic Mr Fox, Matilda, The Witches, The Twits and George's Marvellous Medicine.... get reading! 
Follow the link below to register for your Roald Dahl Day party pack and join in the celebrations!
http://www.roalddahl.com/create-and-learn/join-in/roald-dahl-day
08.09.16
A new academic year, no doubt lots of new challenges and good fun, and new staff members.... We are pleased to welcome Jo to our team. Jo will be working in primary schools and delivering services to children and families in their own homes across Leeds, Bradford and South Yorkshire. Find out a little bit more about Jo... http://www.yorkshirespeechtherapy.com/joannajoyce.php
05.07.16
We are seeking dynamic and innovative Speech and Language Therapists to join our small and friendly team providing services to children in early years settings, primary schools and in their own homes throughout North, West and South Yorkshire.
See full details: Join Our Team
Contact Lauren Green on 07904 810 156 / lauren@yorkshirespeechtherapy.com for details.
15.06.16
A big thank you to Pyramid Educational Consultants for delivering a fantastic training course this week. I attended the PECS Level 2 Advanced Workshop at the beginning of the week and, like all of their training I have attended, it was most valuable. Delivered by Louise, a highly experienced, skilled and knowledgable trainer, the training reviewed PECS phases I to VI. It also allowed attendees to explore supporting advanced PECS users and consider how to incorporate PECS across the whole day. The 2 day course was highly infomative and relevant to the role of speech and language therapists, teaching staff and parents supporting children and/ or adults using the Picture Exchange Communication System as a means of functional communication. I would recommend it to anyone in the same role.http://pecs-unitedkingdom.com/training.php
09.05.16
It's business as usual today after a fantastic 2 weeks. Thank you to all of the children and school staff for your lovely cards and gifts.
All correspondence now from Mrs Green (rather than Miss Brown!)
01.04.16
Tomorrow is World Autism Awareness Day.
Show your support...
25.02.16
Thank you to STARS (Specilaist Training in Autism and Raising Standards) for the Lego Therapy training provided on 24.02.16.
The training has provided a valuable additional therapy approach for developing the social skills of children with Autism and other social and communication diffiuclties.
It is certainly something we intend to implement with our primary school case loads.
http://www.starsteam.org.uk/lego-therapy
20.02.16
We are seeking a dynamic and innovative Speech and Language Therapist to join our small and friendly team of therapists providing services to children in primary schools and in their own homes throughout North, West and South Yorkshire.
See full details: Join Our Team
Contact Lauren Brown on 07904 810 156 for details.
04.02.16
Find all of the myth busters we brought to you throughout 2015 on our FAQs page http://www.yorkshirespeechtherapy.com/faqs.php
28.12.15
The last myth buster for 2015...
'Individual therapy is always better'...
A stereotypical image of speech therapy is a single child sitting across a table from the therapist drilling speech sounds, but quality therapy sessions come in all shapes and sizes. One-on-one therapy is not always the most effective form of intervention for children who need to practice with their peers or who benefit from reinforcement from others. For example, a child with difficulties with social communication skills may have greater success practicing with others in a similar boat, or with peers with whom they will eventually generalise those skills with, rather than role playing with a therapist. The speech and language therapist will carefully plan individual and/ or group interventions to target the specific needs of the child(ren) involved.
[ə verɪ merɪ krɪsməs tuː ɔːl maɪ wəndəfʊl spiːtʃ θerəpi frenz]
And a very merry Christmas to everyoneǃ
29.11.15
‘Longer or more frequent one-to-one therapy is always better'...
For some speech and language difficulties, frequent one-to-one therapy is recommended. However, therapy comes in all shapes, sizes and styles.
The length, frequency and group size of sessions will depend on the child’s individual goals, cognitive skills, attention levels, and motivation.
Some children are not able to attend to longer sessions or may become overloaded with too frequent therapy.
Speech therapy is also not only about what happens in the session, but how children are supported to practice to generalise learnt skills to use in the real. For example, a child may have developed the skill, through therapy sessions, to listen to and follow an instruction containing 3 key words, but this is only a useful skill if they can generalise it to listening to and following instructions in their home and school settings. Similarly, a child may learn how to produce the sound ‘k’ in words when focusing on this in one-to-one therapy sessions, but this is only beneficial if the child has the awareness, motivation and opportunity to practice the sound in general conversation outside of therapy sessions.
Many children benefit from group rather than one-to-one therapy. For example, if the child’s aims are to develop social communication skills, a small peer group will provide opportunity for the child to practice fundamental communication skills such as initiating and turn-taking.
The speech and language therapist will advise the most effective type of intervention for your child, whether this be weekly one-to-one therapy, monthly reviews with advice regarding how to support the child’s development outside of therapy sessions, or group work in the child’s educational setting.
28.10.15
‘A Speech Therapist’s job is to help people to speak properly'...
Although supporting children to develop accurate production of speech sounds in order to ‘pronounce’ words so that they can be understood is part of the role of a Speech and Language Therapist, it is only one of the many goals we may aim to achieve through intervention.
Generally, the aim of speech and language therapy is to reduce the impact of speech, language, communication or swallowing difficulties on an individual’s wellbeing and their ability to participate in daily life.
“Speech and language therapy provides life-changing treatment, support and care for children and adults who have difficulties with communication, or with eating, drinking and swallowing”. (Communicating Quality 3, Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, 2006.)
Speech and Language Therapists work in partnership with individuals, their families, teachers (in the case of children) and other professionals to support the individual to achieve their potential for communication, or to reduce the risks associated with swallowing difficulties.
Our service supports children with a range of speech, language and communication needs including speech sounds (pronunciation), understanding language, expressing wants and needs (this may be verbally or non-verbally), interacting with others, and talking fluently. Functional communication is what we aim to achieve for all children. However, for many children, this is not through speech. Many children require the opportunity and support to communicate in other ways such as through signing or use of symbols and pictures.
Communication does not necessarily mean speech and we, as Speech and Language Therapists, do not necessarily just work on ‘speech’ – our job is far more interesting than that! 
27.10.15
Thank you to St John Ambulance for providing the First Aid For All Ages training for us today.
21.09.15
‘There is nothing to worry about because my child understands everything - his talking will catch up’...
Typical development of language understanding does not indicate typical development across all areas of speech and language. It is possible for a child to have a delay or a disorder in just one area or across several areas of development including attention and listening, language understanding, expressive language, speech sounds, and social communication.
As well as recognising the distinction between language understanding and other areas of speech and language development it is also important to recognise the difference between pure word understanding and the ability to interpret words in context. Your child may appear to understand spoken language when he/ she is in fact responding to you appropriately based on knowledge of his/ her familiar routine and the context in which you are communicating.
If you are concerned about any area of your child’s speech and language development, seek advice from a Speech and Language Therapist. A specialist will be able to provide a screening assessment and then, if necessary, further assessment of individual areas of speech, language and social communication.
For more information on typical development across all individual areas of speech and language development, visit http://www.talkingpoint.org.uk/progress-checker
14.09.15
We are now offering 2 new courses for settings and staff supporting children in early years settings:
See our Schools pages for more information http://www.yorkshirespeechtherapy.com/forschools.php
04.09.15
We are happy to welcome a new member to the team - Hannah Chard, Speech and Language Therapist, who will be providing services to primary schools and children's centres in Leeds and Barnsley.
We look forward to working with Hannah over the course of the next academic year.
21.08.15
‘Teaching a child more than one language will hinder their development’...
Many children learn two or more languages at the same time without developing speech and language difficulties. The plasticity of the brains of young children mean that they are the prime candidates for successful dual-language learning. In fact, there are potential benefits to learning two languages such as improved vocabulary, greater phonological awareness skills, and well-developed listening skills.
Typically, the same developmental milestones are expected in bilingual children in terms of vocabulary development, grammar usage, and pronunciation as in children who speak only one language.
Common concerns of parents and teaching staff supporting bilingual children include:
However, it is important to understand that these behaviours are typical of children learning more than one language and are actually a sign of language development – the child is practicing both both languages as they gain more and more exposure to the languages. Such behaviours fade as the child moves through the stages of typical language acquisition.
It may be useful to know that:
A child with a speech and language disorder will have difficulties with both languages, but this is not due to the fact that they are bilingual. If you are concerned about the language development of a bilingual child, seek advice from a Speech and Language Therapist. It is likely that the therapist will be able to provide assessment of the child’s first (native) language to inform whether or not there is a speech and language delay or disorder. Often this assessment will be done jointly with an interpreter.
14.08.15
Away With Words is now listed with EdFirst schools supplies and services. If you are a local school considering a speech and language therapy service for your setting take a look at our EdFirst profile.
http://www.edfirst.co.uk/index.php
28.07.15
‘All children will grow out of speech and language difficulties’...
As a child’s speech and language develops, it is normal for them to make mistakes. Children learn through listening, copying and experimenting with sounds and words and putting them together to make sense of their language. Making mistakes, then correcting and rehearsing is all part of typical development. It is also typical for many children to go through a period of dysfluency (stuttering) as they are learning to talk, particularly during periods of rapid language growth as their speech tries to keep up with ever increasing vocabulary and sentence structure.
However, in typical development, these errors correct themselves as the child has more exposure and practice. If errors do not start to correct themselves by the expected age intervention may be necessary.
Research indicates that early intervention is the most effective in the case of children with speech and/ or language disorders and this is why speech and language therapists often take a hands-on approach to providing assessment, and if necessary, therapy early on. Helping children with speech and language difficulties later in life can be more challenging and these children may miss out on opportunities to succeed both academically and socially if they do not receive specialist support. The best advice is to seek advice from a speech and language therapist if you are concerned. A speech language therapist can help to evaluate whether your child’s speech and language skills are age-appropriate, and if not, advise you on the best next steps to take.
18.06.15
‘My child has selective hearing – he chooses when and when not to listen’...
There are several factors that can impact on the listening ability of young children, some of which are explained below.
The typical development of attention and listening skills:
The ability to listen to an adult whilst doing an activity/ task is known as dual attention, and is a skill that is not typically established until 5 years old. If your child is under 5 years and appears not to be listening to you, it is likely that they will be focused on an activity of their own choice and will find it difficult to shift their own attention from doing to listening. You can help them by getting down on their level, being face to face, repeating their name and using a gentle physical prompt (tap on the arm) if necessary. Wait until they are looking at you and you have gained their full attention before asking a question or giving an instruction.
Conductive hearing loss:
Glue ear is a common childhood condition in which the middle ear becomes filled with sticky glue-like fluid. This prevents the tiny bones in the ear from vibrating properly, in turn preventing the child from hearing sounds at a typical volume. If your child suffers from a build-up of ear wax or has frequent ear infections it is recommended that you consult your child’s GP. Glue ear can impact on a child’s speech and language development.
Environmental noise levels:
The environment in which a child is in can have a significant impact on their ability to listen. A child in a noisy environment may find it difficult to filter out the background noise in order to listen to speech. The same applies for background noise such as the television or radio, or even the washing machine being on. When children are bombarded with noise they find it difficult to listen. You can create the optimum listening environment by keeping background noise to a minimum, choosing a time of day to play with / read to your child when there are minimal distractions and when you are able to provide one-to-one attention. Small changes such as choosing the a different room to sit in (one with a carpet and soft furnishings, so your speech sounds do not ‘bounce away’) can have a big impact.
Currently, children routinely receive a hearing screen at birth and on school entry. If you are concerned about your child’s hearing you should visit your child's GP, who may be able to make an onward referral for a hearing screen if necessary.
25.05.15
My child will be a slow learner because he/ she has difficulty using speech sounds...
Speech sound difficulties are not an indicator of a child's cognitive ability. Children who have a difficulty with speech sounds can have a mental ability within the typical range expected for their age.
24.04.15
A big thank you for the opportunity to spend time at your school
Spending time with the Speech and Language Therapist based at the East Leeds Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre today was a valuable learning opportunity, and I was made to feel very welcome by staff and students alike. I hope to be able to visit again in the future!
20.04.15
My child is slow to talk because their older sibling talks for them…
Although it is helpful to remind older children to give their younger siblings opportunity to talk, it is unlikely to be the only reason for the delayed talking of the younger child. There are many factors that can contribute to delayed talking, for example, a family history of speech and language difficulties, premature birth, reduced opportunities for practising talking, developmental disorders. If you are concerned, seek advice from a specialist as soon as possible. Early intervention is crucial in supporting speech, language and communication development.
22.03.15
My child does not pronounce words properly because he/ she is lazy…
As a child’s speech develops, it is common that they are able to imitate a sound in isolation (on its own) but still have difficulty pronouncing that sound in words and sentences e.g. they can copy the sound ‘c’ but still say ‘tat’ instead of ‘cat’. This is because the child has a learnt automatic pattern for the sound which can be overridden when focusing on that sound alone, but is so habitual that it is difficult to change during connected speech when they are thinking about what they are saying rather than how they are saying it. The child may need help to learn to say the sound in connected speech. This begins with practising the sound in isolation e.g. ‘k’, then in simple sequences with vowels e.g. ‘koo’ / ‘eek’, then in words e.g. ‘cat’, ‘book’. This may require intervention from a Speech and Language Therapist. As a general guide, see below for what sounds are typically produced in words at what age.
1 year: m, n, p, b, w
2 – 3 years: t, d, k, g, ng
3 – 4 years: f, s, l, y, z
4 – 5 years: v, sh, ch, j, th, r
It is common for the consonants ‘w’, ‘l’, ‘y’ and ‘r’ to be interchanged between the ages of 4.5 and 5 years.
Some later developing sounds such as ‘r’ and ‘th’ often do not develop until 7 years.
There is a lot of variation within typical speech development. If you are concerned, seek advice from a Speech and Language Therapist.
Helpful things you can be doing if you are concerned about your child’s speech development are:
15.02.15
If I use signing with my child it will mean he/ she stops trying to use speech and will delay development of talking…
There is much research that evidences the positive effect signing systems have on a child’s language development.
Signing with your child can help them understand what you are saying and may give them a way to express themselves whilst speech is still developing. Having a signing system therefore means that the child can get their message across effectively without becoming frustrated or giving up when talking is difficult for them.
When signing with your child, always use speech at the same time- use signs to support only the key words of your spoken sentence.
For many children using a signing system, the child will learn to sign key words to get their message across and then learn the spoken words to use alongside these signs. Signing often then drops away naturally and speech remains.
Signing supports rather than hinders speech and language development.
11.02.15
Some of the comments from primary school Teaching Assistants who have attended our training session 'Speech, Language & Communication Awareness for Teaching Staff ' this term …
If you would like to discuss training packages for your school, get in touch 07904 810 156 / info@yorkshirespeechtherapy.com
15.01.15
Dummies don’t affect speech development…
As babies get older they need to learn to move their mouths in different ways, to smile, chew food, experiment with babbling sounds and gradually learn to talk. Dummies get in the way of the regular practice of babbling that is crucial for learning to make the quick mouth movements needed for speech. The more practice children get at babbling the better their awareness of their mouths and the better their speech is likely to be. Prolonged dummy use can contribute to delayed babbling and first words. It also increases the risk of dental problems later on.
Dummies can be helpful for comforting babies. As the baby gets older it is recommended that:
10.01.15
Thank you to the Down Syndrome Training and Support Service for the fantastic training update and networking event yesterday. The training was highly informative, practical and relevant to the role Away With Words plays in supporting children with Down Syndrome in mainstream primary schools.
http://www.downsupportbradford.btck.co.uk
03.11.14
We will be taking part in an Afasic event next March, a chance for local parents of children with speech, language and communication difficulties to get together to chat, offer advice and support to each other and access workshop sessions run by professionals. If you are a parent interested in finding out more please complete our online enquiry form. Watch this space for more info. www.afasic.org.uk
26.10.14
The assessment phase in each of our four primary school bases during the first half term has been a great success...We are now looking forward to next half term and getting underway with speech and language groups, and giving the children the support they need to fulfil their potential for communication.