24 GHP Q4 2023 Oct23273 Small Talk Speech & Language Therapy was established back in 2007, founded for the purposes of bridging the seemingly widening gap between available speech and language therapy services and the number of children indicating a need for them. Childrens Speech & Language Clinic of the Year 2023 – Midlands awardee Small Talk Speech & Language Therapy today works with children and young people facing a wide range of language and communication difference, whether this be language delays or disorders, sound difficulties, stammers, voice problems, selective mutism, or auditory processing disorder, among others. Working with babies through to 25-year-olds, the team’s work is vital in building the necessary communication skills to enable children and young people to thrive. At the helm of this noble operation is award-winning speech and language therapist Libby Hill, whose extensive experience in the field serves to champion the cause and assist those in need. Communication problems of any sort, regardless of severity, are certain to lead to frustration and isolation, and impact individuals throughout their lives. In the case of children, it can hinder their ability to make new friends and fit in at school, something the team at Small Talk Speech & Language Therapy are determined to remedy. Libby is proudly bolstered by a team comprised of fully qualified and experienced professionals, all of whom are registered members of the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists, Health Professionals Council, and the Association of Speech & Language Therapists in Private Practice. Any assistants who accompany efforts are likewise fully trained and have enhanced DBS checks to ensure safety. The company handles referrals from across the UK at its clinic base on the Staffordshire/Derbyshire border, routinely seeing patients that hail from all over the UK. Libby has been taking part in diagnostic assessments, including with Dr Ravi Jayram and Dr Dawn Harper for Channel 4’s Born Naughty, since 2015, where the team successfully developed their knowledge by working closely with complex autistic individuals. Specialising particularly in pathological demand avoidance (PDA), the team see children experiencing this from all over the UK and even overseas, with Libby proudly being part of groups including PDA Professionals Group, PDA Research Group, and the International Complex Autism Special Interest Group. It is this passion for neurodivergent affirming that has also led to the team working with autistic adults, aiming to garner further insight into the condition. The team of experts within the company specialise in working with autistic children and young people, as well as offering a diagnostic service as a part of a multidisciplinary team. First contact will always involve an assessment, as it necessary for a therapist to obtain a complete picture of the child’s communication and their speech and language skills prior to any services being provided, ensuring that the best possible course of action is taken. This association includes observation and discussion elements, as well as informal games and more formal standard assessment tools. It is also recommended that a hearing test is undertaken if any communication issues are suspected, as attention, listening, understanding, and forming sentences are just some of the issues that it will be necessary to explore. Any assessments that are carried out will be discussed fully afterwards, allowing for the manufacturing of a plan of action that is sure to yield success. The first session will include a brief report, and if further detail or follow-up is requested, then this is easy to arrange, and any therapy decided will be undertaken within an agreed upon timescale with expected outcomes set beforehand. From here, the therapy is integrated into the child’s routine, as practice is extremely important. To this end, parents will receive tasks and activities they can do with their children outside of the typically weekly therapy sessions, and it is important that everyone with whom the child has regular contact is made aware of these goings-on to achieve the best results in the shortest possible timeframe. In order to assist with this, Small Talk Speech & Language Therapy offers various training packages suitable for parents, nursery staff, and teachers, outlining useful advice and support. For more than 8 years now, Libby and the team have been operating from a barn conversion in the Derbyshire countryside, offering a peaceful and serene location where families can come for assessment and therapy away from the distractions of city life. With an incredible passion for making a real difference to boot, the team are more than deserving of this award, and remain humble as they continue to carry out their stellar work with unrivalled dedication and determination. Contact: Libby Hill Company: Small Talk Speech & Language Therapy Web Address: http://www.private-speech-therapy.co.uk/index.php Nurturing Communication Difference in Children 58
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