Engaging multiple stakeholders to improve speech and language therapy services in schools: an appreciative...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Speech-Language Pathology
• Educational Psychology
• Collaborative Practice Models

Background:

• Effective collaboration between speech and language therapists (SLTs) and teachers is vital for supporting children with developmental language disorders (DLD) in schools.
• Current service delivery often results in inadequate support for children with DLD, highlighting a gap in collaborative practice.
• Co-designing services with all stakeholders is proposed to improve school-based support for this population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engage key stakeholders, including SLTs, teachers, parents, and children with DLD, in co-designing ideal speech and language therapy services and school support.
• To inform the development of a conceptual model for guiding collaborative practice in schools for children with DLD.
• To understand diverse perspectives on improving speech and language therapy services for children with DLD.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative study employing appreciative inquiry to explore stakeholder ideals.
• Purposive sampling used for recruitment.
• Data collection via focus groups with practitioners (SLTs, teachers) and parents, and semi-structured interviews with children with DLD using 'draw and tell' techniques (n=27).

Main Results:

• Children with DLD identified ideal supports enabling connection, contribution, and achievement, emphasizing the need to address environmental barriers.
• Practitioners focused on improving children's language skills, while parents and practitioners highlighted the importance of strengthened networks and a collaborative culture.
• A shared need for enhanced collaboration and communication across service providers and users was identified.

Conclusions:

• Stakeholder perspectives on improving speech and language therapy services varied, underscoring the value of diverse input.
• Children with DLD provided unique insights into school-based barriers, advocating for their influence in support decisions.
• Findings support empowering children in decision-making regarding their educational and therapeutic supports, with implications for policy, research, and practice.