Nick Peacey

Consultation as a model for providing speech and language therapy in schools: a panacea or one step too far?

In recent years there has been a pressure to introduce an indirect “consultative model” to working with children with speech and language needs. It is favoured by educationists because it avoids the need to take children out of class and embeds any support children received in the curriculum. This paper reports the results of a recent study which indicates that Speech and Language Therapists are concerned about the universal application of this model of service delivery. It introduces and discusses a number of interrelated factors which need to be in place before the consultative model can be successfully introduced.

Meeting the needs of children and young people with speech, language and communication difficulties

BACKGROUND The UK government set up a review of provision for children and young people with the full range of speech, language and communication needs led by a Member of Parliament, John Bercow. A research study was commissioned to provide empirical evidence to inform the Bercow Review. AIMS To examine the efficiency and effectiveness of different arrangements for organizing and providing services for children and young people with needs associated with primary speech, language and communication difficulties. METHODS & PROCEDURES Six Local Authorities in England and associated Primary Care Trusts were selected to represent a range of locations reflecting geographic spread, urban/rural and prevalence of children with speech, language and communication difficulties. In each case study, interviews were held with the senior Local Authority manager for special educational needs and a Primary Care Trust senior manager for speech and language therapy. A further 23 head teachers or heads of specialist provision for speech, language and communication difficulties were also interviewed and policy documents were examined. OUTCOMES & RESULTS A thematic analysis of the interviews produced four main themes: identification of children and young people with speech, language and communication difficulties; meeting their needs; monitoring and evaluation; and research and evaluation. There were important differences between Local Authorities and Primary Care Trusts in the collection, analysis and use of data, in particular. There were also differences between Local Authority/Primary Care Trust pairs, especially in the degree to which they collaborated in developing policy and implementing practice. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS This study has demonstrated a lack of consistency across Local Authorities and Primary Care Trusts. Optimizing provision to meet the needs of children and young people with speech, language and communication difficulties will require concerted action, with leadership from central government. The study was used by the Bercow Review whose recommendations have been addressed by central government and a funded action plan has been implemented as a result.

Facilitating communication between education and health services: the provision for children with speech and language needs

In this article, James Law, Marie Gascoigne and Nina Soloff, of the Department of Language and Communication Science at City University, London; Geoff Lindsay and Sue Band, of the Institute of Education, University of Warwick; and Nick Peacey and Julie Radford, of the Institute of Education, University of London, explore provision for children with speech and language needs. The authors report the outcomes of Government-funded research into the provision of speech and language therapy services and identify 13 key themes which emerge from a review of these findings. They proceed to make a series of important and challenging recommendations, many of which focus on the need for enhanced collaboration at a range of levels.

Planning, Teaching and Assessing the Curriculum for Pupils with Learning Difficulties: Curriculum Guidelines To Support the Revised National Curriculum.

In this article, Ian Colwill and Nick Peacey provide an authoritative commentary on the publication of QCAs guidelines on developing the curriculum for pupils with learning difficulties. They link these guidelines to the recent review of the National Curriculum and identify some of the key contributions these guidelines can make to planning, teaching and assessment. The authors conclude by raising some challenging issues for future practice and enquiry. Ian Colwill and Nick Peacey were both principal managers at QCA with responsibility for Curriculum Co-ordination and Support and Equal Opportunities and Access respectively. They co-chaired the Steering Group for the curriculum guidelines project. Ian Colwill supervised the production of the booklets and the website.

Collaboration between LEA and SLT managers for the planning of services to children with speech and language needs

Whereas collaboration between practitioners such as teachers and therapists is relatively well documented, less is known about collaboration between their respective services at managerial level. This article reports on the case-study phase of a national study into provision of services to children with speech, and language needs. The case sites were 15 LEAs and a corresponding health trust partner, 10 self-rated as high collaborators. 57 health and education managers were interviewed about a range of themes relating to the strategic planning of services, collaboration, funding and resource allocation, training and professional development and the involvement of parents. We find extensive recognition of the need for collaboration between agencies, but wide variation in practices across England and Wales. At strategic level, various factors appear to facilitate joint planning, although constraints operate at several levels. Tensions in the current system are explored, with particular reference to how to achieve equitable distribution of resources whilst working towards an agenda of inclusive education.