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Events
Open Evening
More than 170 supporters joined The Trust at its Open Evening held on 9th October 2008 at The Royal Hospital School, Holbrook.After an update on research carried out at the UCS by Dr Penny Cavenagh and Research Associate Sarah Costelloe, the keynote address was given by John BercowMP, now Speaker of the House of Commons (pictured below, second from right).
John Bercow had been asked by the Government to chair a report making recommendations about what steps it should take to transform provision for, and the experience of, children and young people with speech, language and communication needs and their families. He presented his findings, which emphasise the imbalance of communication between professionals; the importance of early identification and intervention; the need for a continuum of services and multiagency collaboration; and consistency and equity of access for families to SLT support.
More information can be found at www.dfes.gov.uk/bercowreview.
Eleanor Barker replied on behalf of the Fund, demonstrating how the work of the Fund was addressing each of the principle concerns expressed in the Bercow Review. The evening was informative and provided for guests to meet over an informal supper and The Trust is truly grateful to Gill Garnham for all her hard work. It also prompted a number of generous donations for which the Trustees are very grateful.
Trust signals support for ACCE
Eleanor Barker, Vice Chairman, represented the Trust in June 2009 at the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Speech and Language Difficulties, which saw the launch of an initiative called theAdult Communication Coalition (England) (ACCE). Previously chaired by John Bercow until he became Speaker of the House of Commons, it aims to build on the
Bercow Review and to campaign to have a similar outcome for adults as the Bercow review is having for children. The ACCE is a coalition of charities, many of which are campaigning on acquired speech and language difficulties in adults (caused by disease, ageing or trauma), and only a few on innate conditions such as stammering. In the short term, ACCE is pressing
for a Government audit of services for adults with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), and looking for evidence of their needs that can become the basis for commissioning of future services. The Trust will support the campaign and share findings of its research to assist in the development of future policy through this group.
Exchange of Ideas
Dr Steve Davis OBE speaks at UCS Study Day
A Study Day held in March 2009 at the UCS was attended by 24 SLT’s and other health professionals as well as three trustees. Sarah Costelloe, Research Associate at UCS, made a presentation about early childhood dysfluency. She summarised some of the well known
research findings and talked about the existing projects at UCS, funded by Dom’s Fund.
Dr SteveDavis,OBE, (pictured above) of University College, London – who was awarded his OBE in the 2009 NewYear Honours list, for his services to children with communication disorders – then presented some of their findings from UCL with older children. Therapists were interested in their new model which shows how you can predict recovery and persistence at 12 years.
In the afternoon there were two workshops – one discussing evidencebased practice, and the other about recognising and supporting pre-school children who stammer – one of which was delivered by Peta Cook, Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy Manager for Suffolk PCT.
Amongst Dreaming Spires
The 8th Oxford Dysfluency Conference The Trust was well represented at the eighth international
Oxford Dysfluency Conference held from 3rd-6th July at St. Catherineʼs College. The Conference
takes place every three years providing an ideal opportunity to meet with people from all over
the world who share an interest in Dysfluency.
Tammy Davidson Thompson, UEA, gave a presentation entitled ʻIs current speech and language therapy practice meeting the psychological needs of adults who stutter?ʼ
Dr Monica Bray and Dr Sarah James, of Leeds Metropolitan University, presented ʻAn investigation into the effectiveness of a telephone device (TAD) for people who stammerʼ.
Dr Per Alm, Uppsala University, gave two presentations: ʻFluency disorders: a discussion of possible causes and mechanisms, from a neuroscience perspectiveʼ and ʻStuttering and temperament, a reviewʼ.
Sarah Costelloe, the Research Associate at UCS also attended the conference. All of these researchers were funded by, or supported by, grants from the Dominic Barker Trust. |
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