What was discussed?

A number of issues were raised, both from suggestions by the RCSLT and from the MPs who were in attendance:

• An upcoming Green Paper (Government publication that details specific issues, and then points out possible courses of action in terms of policy and legislation) about Special Educational Needs (SEN), and concern that the Comprehensive Spending Review will force the Green Paper to make recommendations on funding cuts.
• I CAN’s ‘Make Chatter Matter’ campaign.
• The Bercow Review.
• Jean Gross as Communication Champion.
• 2011 as The National Year of Communication.
• The importance that all levels of the Government work with the RCSLT when developing policies to maximise potential benefit.
• An upcoming report from The International Longevity Centre about the pressure SLTs will face as instances of Alzheimer’s increase.
• The perceived high drop-out rates of Speech & Language Therapy trainees.
• The role of SLTs in helping young offenders not to reoffend and increase their life chances.
• Communication competences being key indicators in school performance, along with literacy and numeracy.
• Funding cuts to AAC initiatives, ACE Centres and front-line SLT services.
• Stigmatisation of having SEN.
• Changing a ‘tick-box’ service-oriented SEN culture to that of a person-oriented culture with tailored support needs for each individual.
• Statementing – 10% of cases at the special educational needs tribunal arise as a result of deficiency in speech and language therapy provision in schools.
• The need for joint working between the Department of Health and “how the plans for NHS reform, academies and special educational needs will coalesce seamlessly”.
• Youth offending services identification that 60-70% of young offenders have an underlying speech, language or communication disorder and 60% of prisoners have an underlying speech, language or communication disorder.
• The National Autistic Society has identified that 70% of young people with autism, the vast majority of whom have an underlying language and/or communication disorder even if that is restricted to higher-order language difficulties, also have a mental health difficulty.
• Shelter states that a significant proportion of people classified as homeless have an underlying language and communication disorder.
• Better training for all early years education staff-teachers and support staff
• Language development needing to be an integral part of the whole curriculum rather than isolated SLT sessions.
• The need for specialist SLTs need to be actively involved in curriculum design and delivery and in-service training for staff in schools.
• An accountability framework that understands the importance of language development in learning, and holds not only head teachers and governors, but those who commission children’s health services, to account for the training of staff and the outcomes of children with speech and language difficulties.
• The consideration of transferring the funding for children’s heath services to local authorities alongside funding for public health.
• The link between Speech, Language & Communication Needs (SLCN) and behaviour.
• The shortage of SLTs and specialist SLTs.
• Early identification of SLCN.
• Concerns from the National Deaf Children’s Society that budget cuts to existing Building Schools for the Future projects will mean that new facilities do not meet the standards set for acoustics.
• The current Government to go ahead with Labour’s plan of extending free nursery places to disadvantaged two-year-olds.
• Utilising health visitors to administer communication screens.
• Concerns that the new commissioning agenda for the NHS might mean that specialist services for speech and language therapy will not be commissioned by GP consortiums.
• The White Paper (report made by a governmental agency endorsing a specific policy) on schools and the SEN Green Paper will set out plans for developing the knowledge, understanding and skills of the children’s work force and will specifically address continuing professional development.
• Integrating the commissioning of services for children with SEN, including the question of the differences in commissioning for high need with low incidence and low need with high incidence.

The debate last for 1.5 hours and, as illustrated above, encompassed a wide range of different topics. The RCSLT’s Policy and Public Affairs Team intends to follow up many of the points discussed with the relevant individuals and departments. It is hoped that this debate will spark national interest in the field and promote positive change for affected children.

Further Information

RCSLT’s briefing on the debate – http://www.rcslt.org/news/briefing_on_the_westminster_hall_debate_on_speech_therapy_