01539 272034 SouthLakes.SLT@gmail.com

Author: Libby

  • The Importance of Parent Coaching

    The Importance of Parent Coaching

    After over twenty-five years in the field of speech, language and feeding therapy, a lot has changed! My hair style and clothing, not to mention my taste in music; but what hasn’t changed is the importance of parents in their child’s speech, language and feeding therapy success.

    When parents initially seek out speech, language or feeding therapy, they rarely are thinking about how services will be delivered; but, as your therapist, I regularly am thinking about how I can deliver the best and most effective services possible. For young children this almost always means a parent coaching model. Why? Because as a parent, you are your child’s superpower!

    What is Parent Coaching?

    Parent coaching is a collaborative, family-centered way of delivering therapy where the speech and language therapist coaches parents and caregivers in specific techniques and strategies to support their child’s communication and feeding development during everyday activities.

    As a speech, language, and feeding therapist, I want to maximize a child’s opportunities to practice their new communication and feeding skills across their day. The best way to do this is to teach parents and caregivers how to create opportunities and interactions throughout the day that support their child’s communication and feeding learning; voilà, ‘parent coaching!’

    Does it Work? Yes!

    Children spend significantly more time with parents and caregivers compared to the time they spend with their speech and language therapist; so it makes sense that in order for a child to make the most progress, a child’s parents and caregivers need to understand how to use therapeutic strategies with them during everyday activities. A meta-analysis in 2019 found “… a positive association between parent training and child (development)… suggesting that parent training should play a primary role in intervention… (in order to maximize) outcomes for children….1 Notably, the meta-analysis found that children whose parents and caregivers were coached to use specific strategies made more progress than children whose parents and caregivers were not taught these strategies.

    Findings supporting a parent coaching model for young children are repeatedly duplicated in the research and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) recommends a family-centered model of service delivery, such as parent coaching, when working with children.2 3 Not surprisingly, parent (and caregiver) coaching has been shown to be effective across settings (home, community, education) and with a variety of individuals (parents, grandparents, teachers, nursery staff, etc.).4

    What Can I Expect from Parent Coaching with South Lakes Speech & Language Therapy?

    Parent coaching with South Lakes Speech & Language Therapy can take place in your home or in the community and can be in-person or via teletherapy. In-person sessions involve us playing together with your child during which time I will model and teach you specific therapy strategies and help you use these strategies with your child to support their speech and communication skills. If we meet over video, I will rely on you to tell and show me how you and your child play together, and we will talk about specific strategies to support your child’s speech and communication during play and every day activities.

    If we are working on feeding, South Lakes Speech & Language Therapy parent coaching sessions usually occur during a mealtime. Either in-person or via teletherapy, I will sit with you and your child and observe a milk feed or mealtime while trialing specific feeding techniques and strategies. We will practice new feeding techniques and strategies together so you are confident using these to support mealtimes with your child.

    If I see your child at school, whenever possible your child’s teacher, teaching assistant, or one-on-one will be involved in the session and directly coached in strategies to support your child’s needs. Following the session, I will leave a detailed note for you and the school describing what was covered during the session and ways to practice and carry-over skills in the classroom and at home.

    For more information about parent coaching and communication and/or feeding therapy for your child with South Lakes Speech & Language Therapy, please get in touch, and sign up to our newsletter if you would like new posts sent directly to your inbox.

    1. Roberts MY, Curtis PR, Sone BJ, Hampton LH. Association of Parent Training With Child Language Development: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatr. 2019 Jul 1;173(7):671-680. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.1197. PMID: 31107508; PMCID: PMC6537769.ggjll ↩︎
    2. RCSLT SLCN Resource Manual ↩︎
    3. RCSLT – Placing Children and Young People at the Heart of Delivering Quality SLT ↩︎
    4. Rush, D.D., and Shelden M.L. (2020).‘
      The Early Childhood Coaching Handbook’,
      2nd ed. Paul H Brookes Publishing Co., Baltimore, MD. ↩︎
  • Back to School

    Back to School

    For children with speech, language, and/or feeding needs, a new school year can bring unique opportunities and challenges. There are some things you can do to help your child feel confident, prepared and supported as they return to school.

    Supporting Children with Speech and Language Needs

    1. Establish a Routine

    Children thrive on predictability. Establish a school day routine with consistent wake-up and go to bed times and structure school mornings so your child can predict what and when things happen before leaving for school (e.g., getting dressed, eating breakfast and brushing teeth). Some children may benefit from a wall calendar that shows the day of the week, and for children using Now / Next boards or other visual schedules, make it clear what days are school days so your child knows what is happening each day.

    2. Practice Self-Advocacy Phrases

    Practicing language such as “I need help”, “I am hungry / thirsty,” or “Where do I go?” can help your child feel more confident advocating for themselves at school. If your child’s speech is difficult to understand, help them communicate in other ways when needed such as describing or showing what they are trying to say; and if your child uses Makaton or other sign language system, make sure you show your child’s teacher the signs and their meaning. Whenever possible, provide pictures of your child’s sign vocabulary to be kept in the classroom. 

    For children who use pictures to communicate, be sure to provide the classroom teacher and teaching assistant with a copy of the pictures you use at home and explain how your child uses the pictures. There will be new picture vocabulary that you child will need at school, so talk to your child’s teacher about what pictures they think may be relevant in school that you have not yet used at home.

    3. Expand School-Related Vocabulary and Activities

    Introduce words your child might hear at school such as, “schedule,” “assembly,” “school hall,” “recess,” etc. and model how to use this new vocabulary in real-life. Looking at books together that tell stories about children at school and have pictures of classrooms and school settings is a good way to support your child to learn school-related vocabulary.

    4. Practice Social Communication and Play

    Practice social situations like asking for help, taking turns, or joining a group during free play or at recess. If your child is shy or has difficulty navigating social scenarios, simple scripts like “Can I play?” or “My turn” can help your child build confidence when meeting new friends. For children who use pictures and/or sign language to communicate, introduce social pictures and signs at home and practice using them in situations your child may encounter at school.

    Supporting Children with Feeding Challenges

    1. School Dinner and Lunchbox ‘Dress Rehearsals’

    Borrow a dinner tray and/or plate from school and let your child practice eating some meals from it at home. If your child will be bringing a packed lunch to school, let them practice eating from their actual lunchbox at home. This includes using the same containers they will bring to school. This way your child gets used to a new mealtime routine and you can see which containers, if any, are difficult for your child to open or close.

    2. Stick to Familiar Foods

    Avoid experimenting with new foods at the start of the school year; the sight, smell and sound of having a mealtime with peers can be overwhelming for some children. Pack safe, preferred foods your child is most likely to eat in a busy, sometimes overstimulating environment.

    3. Involve Your Child in Meal Preparation

    Let your child help pack their lunch and choose containers so they know what to expect when they sit down to eat. 

    4. Talk about Lunchtime Expectations

    Explain school mealtime rules: sitting in one spot, limited time to eat, and not always having an adult to help immediately. Practice these at home, so your child knows what to expect when they sit down to eat at school. 

    5. Help School Understand Your Child’s Mealtime Challenges

    Talk with the school’s mealtime supervisors to make sure they understand your child’s feeding challenges and how to support your child at mealtimes. It is important that mealtimes be pressure free and that your child find mealtimes at school enjoyable which may mean they don’t always make a healthy choice or finish what is on their plate.


    For more information about supporting children with communication and/or feeding difficulties, please see South Lakes Speech & Language Therapy’s Information & Resources page or get in touch; and sign up to our newsletter if you would like new posts sent directly to your inbox.