What do children and young people think about speech ... - Afasic

SupportingInformationThe following section gives moredetailed information on the consultation,expanding on information alreadypresented and giving details of how theconsultation took place.BackgroundThe Communication Trust 1 believes in thefundamental importance of speech, languageand communication skills for all children andyoung people and the challenges faced bythose who find communication difficult.The Trust is working to raise awareness of thisissue in the children’s workforce. The Trustbelieves a skilled and supported children’sworkforce, confident in their knowledge ofchildren’s speech, language and communication,is crucial to ensuring all children developthese essential skills. The Trust aims to supportthe children’s workforce in developing theirknowledge and skills in this area.Why consult with children and youngpeople?Children’s right to have their voice heardis one of the guiding principles of the UNconvention of the rights of the child 2 , aprincipal reinforced throughout UK legislation,in respect of all children 3 4 5 with additionallegislation related to special educationalneeds 6 7 . Children have firsthand experienceof their own lives and as such can makecontributions in a way that no one else can.Children have been ‘keen, constructive andthoughtful commentators on their everydaylives’. Including them as active participantshas been evidenced as not only possible, butproductive 8 .It is important that the process of consultationis meaningful and not just a token exercise.This can be a particular challenge forchildren with significant communicationdifficulties 9 as there are inherent difficulties inenabling children with speech, language andcommunication needs (SLCN) to contribute inthe same way as their peers. Communicationdifficulties are frequently given as the reasonwhy disabled children are not consulted 10and in some cases the views of childrenwith communication difficulties are oftenignored 11 .The Trust wants to ensure the voice of youngpeople is represented in its work; we are keento find out the views of children and youngpeople themselves in relation to speech,language and communication and to includeyoung people both with and without SLCN.MethodsThe aim is to capture the opinions of as widea group of young people as possible and toensure we do this within a good practiceframework of consultation 12 .Young peopleYoung people were recruited on the wholefrom the Trust membership organisations. Theywere given information about the aims of the1 www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk2 United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (1989):www.unicef.org/crc/crc.htm3 Every Child Matters: Change for Children (DfES 2004), 4 ChildrenAct (1989), 5 Human Rights Act (1995),6 Dfes Code of Practice (2002)7 Disability Discrimination Act (2005)8 Prout, A. (2002); Researching children as social actors: an introductionto the children 5–16 programme. Children and Society 16, 67–76.9 Owen, Hayett and Roulstone (2004); Children’s views of speechand language therapy in school: consulting with communicationdifficulties. CLTT10 Dickens, M., (2004); Listening to young disabled children. NationalChildren’s Bureau11 Ward, L., (1997); Seen and Heard: Involving disabled childrenand young people in research and development projects. JosephRowntree Foundation12 Clark, A., Quail, S., Moss, P., (2003); Exploring the field of Listeningto and consulting with Young Children Thomas Coram ResearchUnit, DfESChildren and Young People’s Consultation 2009 13