starting from scratch setting up an aac assessment service alison webb speech and language therapist...
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Starting from Scratch
Setting up an AAC Assessment Service
Alison WebbSpeech and Language Therapist
An AAC assessment service for Children in Cornwall was jointly commissioned by Health and
Cornwall Council in September 2009
The Team then
Alison Webb
SLT
1 day per week
Anne Williams
AAC Officer
1 day per week
What you will hear about• Barriers to Multi- disciplinary working• How to provide a service on limited hours, with
a limited budget• The development of our referral pack• The development of our service Pathway• Case studies through the Pathway• The need to provide training and development
on low tech solutions• The continual need to revise the above• What worked and what didn’t!
Barriers
• Working across 2 agencies• Clarifying roles• Sharing documents• Accessing documents• Videos• Lack of time• Lack of resources• Lack of team leader
How did we do it?
• Limited hours - Involve local SLT• Limited budget - Use loan
equipment from suppliers, rather than having a bank of aids
• Strict referral criteria• New waiting list
Referral Pack
• 3 months in developmentWe used:• Previous service forms• Ace Centre Oxford forms• Discussed the importance of video• Service Leaflet
Referral Pack
• Consent to video• Child Support Team information• Background Information Form
Service Pathway
• Link to old pathway
Case studies
•Kyle•Harvey•Millie
Kyle
• Age 15• Learning Disabilities – Special School• Referred April 2010• Little experience of Speech Output• Loaned Go Talk• Lost Interest/School not supportive• Loan of Tellus Smart August 2011
Harvey
• Age 9• Down Syndrome and Learning
Difficulties• Mainstream School• Referred October 2010• Little experience of Speech Output• Using Clicker 5 at present• About to trial Fizzbook
Millie
Millie
• Age 10• Epilepsy and Learning Difficulties• Special School• Referred May 2010• Had Go Talk and Communication
Book• Had seen Dynavox Express and
trialled a Springboard Lite successfully
Millie - Decisions
• Dedicated aid• Weight and screen size important• 3 to compare• Discussed with parents• Loan of Dynavox V came available
Pre-requisites• Comprehension level is above expressive level - as determined by
SLT report • Understands and demonstrates Cause and effect• Shows Intentional Communication – the child is a Developing
Communicator (as in Communication Development Profile)• Has the ability to generate one form of consistent and reliable
movement e.g. hand, eyes, foot• Has a communication system in place, e.g. signing, communication
book with evidence of use across 2 settings (e.g. home/school)• Has had experience of speech output device, e.g. Big Mack, Go
Talk, Clicker 5 • Commitment to AAC (home/educational settings) – CAACAT
Service Leaflet shared with parents/carers/education• Has a communication passport
What we’ve changed
• Referral system • Documentation• Service Pathway – National standards• Triage system• The team• AAC awareness in community– AAC
reps, training, equipment, shared drive information
What Works• Casework meetings• Objective sheets• Triage• Drop Ins• SLT involved• Programmer
identified• Equipment List• Team leader• Discharge from
Team• 3 heads are better
than 1
What Doesn’t• Not having a loan
store• Only having 1 day a
week• Video storage• Cross agency
documents• Not having an overall
leader• Having 2 people with
the same name/initials
The Team now
Alison Webb
SLT
1 day per week
Ann Nicol
OT
2 days per week
Anne Williams
AAC Officer
1 day per week
Team Leader – Mel Meadows