Literacy news
Barnsley PCT Early Communication Screening Tool
8 Feb 2007
Margaret Pratt and Nicola Maddy, both SLTs reported for the RCSLT bulletin that Barnsley PCT has developed significant changes to the way it educates referrers in making timely and appropriate referrals and has devised an early communication tool for referrers' use.
They reported that an audit in 2002 of referrals to Barnsley SLT highlighted the need to inform referrers about whom to refer and when. They worked jointly with health visitors who made the most referrals, to devise a screening tool. Nursery nurses also became involved at a later stage of the development.
Several refinements were made to the material following a pilot of the tool, and a training day was also devised which involved teamwork including the speech and language therapy department's special needs team and the fluency service.
The Early Communication Tool is available as a complete package and consists of three components. Assessment forms coincide with the ages at which the health visiting team visit children for developmental assessments and contains questions with yes/no responses supported by written guidelines as to whether to refer to SLT or audiology. A guideline for referral booklet gives examples of normal development and also contains a chart representing the normal development of speech sounds. Advice sheets, which can be given to families, contain useful advice and strategies to promote speech, language and communication development.
The report also highlights that over 99% of children are referred appropriately at the point of identification of needs, and that none should be missed. As referrals for children with fluency difficulties have increased, it is suggested that before the tool's use, some children with fluency difficulties were not being referred.
The Early Communication Screening Tool is now an integral part of Barnsley's PCT service, with Health Visitors and nursery nurses reporting how useful it is, in making appropriate referrals.
(RCSLT bulletin February 2007)
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