Celebrating the Success of the SALT Team’s First Universal Staff Training!

We’re delighted to share some fantastic news from the Clinical team at Timeout Children’s Homes. Recently, Lorna and the SALT (Speech and Language Therapy) team delivered their very first universal staff training session, and it was a tremendous success! This half-day training introduced carers & teaching staff to the world of speech and language therapy, providing them with practical tools to better support individuals with speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN).

Highlights from the Session:

Engagement & Success: The session saw excellent engagement from participants, culminating in a 100% pass rate on the assessment.

Positive Feedback: Attendees shared glowing reviews, with an overall quality rating of 4.9. Every participant reported learning something new, and the practical activities were especially praised for helping connect theory to real-world practice.

Supportive Environment: Everyone felt comfortable sharing their thoughts and experiences, creating a collaborative and encouraging learning atmosphere.

What Did Participants Learn?

This interactive training provided a concise and practical introduction to supporting children with SLCN.

Key takeaways included:

Understanding the terms speech, language, and communication and the communication chain.

Recognising essential communication skills and their importance for long-term outcomes.

Learning evidence-informed strategies to support comprehension (chunk/chill/check) and expression (model, wait, expand).

Adapting language to support de-escalation through stepped language adaptations and non-verbal approaches.

Applying these strategies in scenario-based exercises and identifying immediate changes to implement in daily practice.

Looking Ahead:

The SALT team is already preparing for their next training session, scheduled for 3rd June. This session promises to build on the strong foundation laid, offering even more practical insights and strategies to empower staff in their roles.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to the success of this training. We hope you’ve come away with valuable tools and tips to implement in our homes and schools. Together, we can continue creating environments where every child can thrive!