Speech@Home consists of four different parts: parent training courses, a unique therapy programme builder which gives an individualised child's programme, lots of activities and resources. See how the therapy program builder works with the activities and resources. The therapist develops a child-specific program, and the parent/carer is sent a direct link to access it on the website together with all the picture and video resources needed to help their child. The therapist demonstrates each activity during the teletherapy session. During homework activities, parents can make notes regarding the child's progress which the therapist can see in real-time. Therapists check back in using teletherapy and develop the programme further as the child progresses. Have a look at the videos on the website and see how the therapy program builder works with the activities and resources.

Picture representation of Error Sounds                              Picture of Child's Programme

Therapists from four of the Cleft Centres in the UK and Ireland were all lined up for training in the approach so they could then train parents to be able to work with their children. Unfortunately, COVID-19 meant we had to cancel the face to face training of the therapists. On the upside, COVID-19 has meant all therapy services in the UK are moving to a model of telehealth service delivery, so Speech@Home is very timely!

We are now in negotiation with the four centres to get in place Therapist led intervention using the Therapy Programme Builder with Telehealth. But first we need to develop the therapist training online, and we need funding to do this. Ultimately, we need also to put the Parent Training online too. Many of the Lead Therapists in centres around the UK and Ireland are keen for their therapists to use Speech@Home!

www.speechathome.org