In our update this month: For Wales: Preparing for the Senedd elections in 2026: https://www.rcslt.org/wales/#section-2 Work has begun on a Welsh language version of CAUK training, funded by the National Lottery. (See original CAUK training: https://communication-access.co.uk/) What’s happened following the launch of the State of the Nation report (See here: https://www.rcslt.org/wales/#section-2 ) in January.Opportunities to get involved: Frailty task and finish group.Captur...
In our update this month: Exploring the workforce implications of waiting lists in children and young people’s speech and language therapy services.Response to the 10-year health plan for England.Continued focus on SEND in England and proposals in Northern Ireland.Report from RCSLT Scotland with an experimental analysis of additional numbers of SLTs needed in education. This interview was conducted by Victoria Harris, Head of Learning at The Royal College of Speech and produced and edit...
A report, ‘SLTs on the tight rope: Learning from the experiences of disabled SLTs in the workplace’ (April 2025) by Mélanie Gréaux explores the experiences of disabled Speech and Language Therapists and what we can do to promote disability inclusion in the speech and language therapy profession. (You can hear more about this in the first podcast of this set of two.) In this second podcast some of our members with disability discuss importance of the report and issues it raises including the: ...
This podcast is the first of two podcasts looking at the experiences of disabled speech and languages. We open in this episode with an interview with Mélanie Gréaux, author of a report published early April, ‘SLTs on the tight rope: Learning from the experiences of disabled SLTs in the workplace’. The report explores the experiences of disabled SLTs and what we can do to promote disability inclusion in the profession. We cover: What was the research question you wanted to ask?&nbs...
The June news podcast for the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists featuring Derek Munn, Director of Policy and Public Affairs. Published 16 June 2025. In our update this month: - What the Chancellor's Spending Review means for speech and language therapy; - Developments across the UK covering children; the Health Select Committee First 1,000 days of Life inquiry; involvement in the UK Parliament modernisation committee; Integrated Care Board blueprint; and the Northern...
The May news podcast for the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists featuring Derek Munn, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, and Steve Jamieson, CEO for the RCSLT. Published 27 May 2025. In this month’s news podcast RCSLT CEO joins us to talk about the 80th birthday celebrations; the Equality, Diversity and Belonging (EDB) work with members; the leadership programme; applications for new governance roles and more. Derek Munn shares some exciting wins for the profession aro...
How can we best implement communication partner training with familiar partners of people with aphasia? In this International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders paper the authors set out to: (1) determine the perceived and/or observed barriers and facilitators to implementing CPT with familiar partners of adults with aphasia; (2) to map extracted barriers and facilitators to a common theoretical framework; (3) to synthesise extracted barriers and facilitators; and (4) to id...
The February news podcast for the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists featuring Derek Munn. Published 27 February 2025. We look at recent concerning news about growing waiting lists in adult community speech and language therapy in England, and also see how waiting lists compare across the UK. See statement: https://www.instagram.com/p/DGBH1T1IdnW/ Derek gives an update on key topics keeping his team busy right now and we have a look at closer look at things happening in Sc...
Welcome to the fourth episode in our RCSLT AI series. In this episode we chat with Dr Richard Cave, Project Manager SLT at MND Association and Consultant Speech and Language Therapist, about his work in the field of Artificial Intelligence. Richard has backgrounds in both computing and speech and language therapy and he brings these together in his work with voice banking and AI, working with Goggle, MNDA and most recently in his PhD research at UCL. We cover: Richard's journey with AI and s...
What is the role of AI in AAC (Augmentative and alternative communication)? In this episode Professor Annalu Waller, Professor of Human Communication Technologies at the University of Dundee and Alan McGregor, ex UK team paralympic swimmer and honorary researcher at the University of Dundee take us through what it can do now and developments they'd like to see. We cover: What is AI's role in AAC?How can we use generative AAC to expand on communication?What are some of the ethical considerati...
In this, the first of our conversations around AI in speech and language therapy, we chat with Rachel Barton, speech and language therapist about her journey from AI sceptic to AI advocate. Rachel shares what she has learned and offers ideas on how others might approach AI in their work. Rachel also advises on areas of caution and talks about her pledge for responsible generative AI use in speech and language therapy. Interviewee: Rachel Barton, independent speech and language therap...
The November news podcast for the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, guest starring new chair Irma Donaldson. Irma talks about what motivates her and her journey to being the chair. She describes her vision for the profession and also some of the big challenges it faces. Derek gives an update on key things which are happening right now including: - Covid Inquiry in Scotland - Mental Health Bill in England - Northern Ireland RCSLT member event attended by two ministers - Curric...
A group of speech and language therapists (SLTs) tell us why they believe the answer is yes. We hear about a survey of SLTs in the UK on their views of this question and find out about attitudes in Germany, Australia and wider. Interviewees: Carol Moxam, Senior Lecturer, Newcastle University & Director of The Children’s Speech & Language Clinic Claire D’Urban-Jackson, Dually qualified SLT with a postgraduate certificate (Level 7) in Language Literacies & Dyslexia, Knowl Hill Schoo...
In October's news: - It's five years since we launched podcasts at RCSLT. We take a look back at what's changed and stayed the same since then. - RCSLT annual awards. - Campaign to improve care for people living with Primary Progressive Aphasia: https://www.rcslt.org/news/campaign-to-improve-care-for-people-living-with-primary-progressive-aphasia-ppa-launched/ - DLD Vision turns one: https://www.rcslt.org/news/dld-vision-turns-one/ - AHPs Day 2024: https://www.rcslt.org/news/rcslt-marks...
In Septembers news: - Dysphagia dining event www.rcslt.org/news/people-with-d…dining-experience/ - SLT voices - a new section on the website to showcase views from the world of speech and language therapy www.rcslt.org/news/rcslt-launche…lt-voices-section/ - 80th anniversary next year www.rcslt.org/about-us/the-rcslt-at-80/ - Connect England event for members: www.rcslt.org/events/rcslt-connect-england-2024/ - Voices of the future careers event www.rcslt.org/events/voices-of-t…-language-thera...
In August's news: - Influencing into the new government in Parliament. - Update on RCSLT's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion work and plans. See also reponse to the riots across the UK: www.rcslt.org/news/rcslt-respons…ots-across-the-uk/ - Launch of Buddy Chat course in Northern Ireland. This is for children to learn to communicate with others who have communication issues - and is facilitated by teachers. - Changes in Welsh government. Please do take a few moments to respond to our podcast s...
In July's news: - Impact of the results of the General Election and how you can get involved. - Communication Access free training www.communication-access.co.uk/ - Lee Silvermann Voice Technique media coverage www.rcslt.org/news/new-study-com…e-with-parkinsons/ - King's Speech - Senedd reports on the implementation of the Additional Learning Needs legislation and curriculum reform and access for disabled children in Wales to education and childcare www.rcslt.org/news/rcslt-respond…ng-senedd-...
In June's news: - The UK General Election - Get involved in e-action: www.rcslt.org/policy-and-influen…on-2024/#section-4 - Communication Access free training communication-access.co.uk/ - Results of the Voicebox joke telling competition www.rcslt.org/news/east-lothian-…cebox-competition/ - New permanent National Speech, Language and Communication Co-ordinator within Welsh Government www.rcslt.org/news/new-permanent…-welsh-government/ Please do take a few moments to respond to our podcast sur...
Often, when we're working with kids with DLD, we assume that we need to be working on simple sentences or very basic vocabulary, but should we be aiming for more? Can we support children with DLD to learn to use grammar and vocabulary in ways that are functional for their life, such as their everyday communication or their school curriculum? The paper is: Teaching little kids big sentences: A randomized controlled trial showing that children with DLD respond to complex syntax interven...
In May's news: - VoiceBox joke telling competition in Scotland www.rcslt.org/scotland/voicebox-2024/ - Cuts to children's speech and language therapy in Aberdeen. - Working together with decision makers in Scotland to influence on future budgets. - CEO visit to Northern Ireland and update on situation there; cancer, prisons, budget challenges; SEN provision in the Assembly. - Wales: new student places; meetings with new ministers; ALN funding and First Minister Question. - Kessler report www....