Case study: Play and Communication Team – Children’s Centres, Barking and Dagenham The Play and Communication Team provide a unique service, directly to parents and children. The team has three full‐time equivalent Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs ) and a dedicated Play and Communication Worker (PCW) for each Children’s Centre in the borough. The Play and Communication sevice is a universal service with around 80 per cent of the people using the Children’s Centres accessing it. All children accessing the service are screened on arrival through a questionnaire filled in by their parent or carer with help from the PCW. Further observations during play are carried out by the PCW using a structured monitoring system enabling early identification of SLCN. The team discuss identified cases at the monthly discussion group with SLTs to devise a plan for the whole family. SLTs provide four‐week parent and carer play and language sessions as well as regular intensive training for the PCWs. The PCWs also provide outreach services in pre‐school and school settings to demonstrate effective support strategies for speech, language and communication needs (SLCN). The team also works in partnership with other children’s centre staff and a range of external agencies across health, education and social services to provide a holistic service for children and their families, with the aim of ensuring all adults working with children understand and support SLCN. They work in partnership professionals at universal, targeted and specialist levels, working with family support workers, portage teams and leading on the common assessment framework for children with SLCN. The PCW role is unique to Barking and Dagenham and was developed to enhance support in the borough for children’s speech, language and communication development. The six core play and communication services were developed, drawing on national and international research and sevices developed with a strong evidence base. . There is a robust evaluation system, based on evidence, case studies, and parent, carer and staff evaluation, enabling further improvement and development. The impact of the play and communication services on children’s SLC development: (figures from period September 2010 to July 2011) •
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1,825 parents were surveyed and 88 per cent reported their children had improved in at least one area of communication, having attended play and communication services 228 parents/carers attended baby massage classes – 81 per cent reported their baby’s early communication development improved as a result 378 play and communication profiles were completed with the children of new families attending the centres – 81 children were identified with SLCN and provided with an appropriate care plan.