DVD highlights vital service for children (From The Northern Echo)

DVD highlights vital service for children

2:55pm Wednesday 30th December 2009 in NHS Darlington and County Durham

A DVD highlighting a vital service for children, young people and families has been launched in North Durham. The 53-minute DVD showcases some examples of the speech, language and communication difficulties that children and young people experience. It also shows the different types of therapy and the different settings in which speech and language therapists and assistants work The DVD describes the experiences of children and young people who have communication difficulties and shows integrated working practices with partner agencies.

“We take communication for granted but often people don’t realise how many children and young people do have difficulties in this area,” said Amanda Hampshire, speech and language therapist (Language Resource Base Team).

“Around 5-10% of children have speech, language and communication difficulties and can benefit from speech and language therapy.

“Our job as speech and language therapists is to give children and young people a voice and this DVD aims to make people more aware of the problems children can face and how they can be helped.”

The DVD features children, young people and their families and carers from across North Durham and was produced by the Newcastle-based company filmNOVA.

It shows young people describing how they have overcome communication difficulties as well as highlighting the work of specialist groups for children and young people with eating and swallowing difficulties, autism and other special needs.

Lynn Jones, clinical lead (Early Years Training and Development), said: “This DVD also highlights the range of people that we work with. We are really grateful to everyone, especially the children, young people, parents and families who have taken part in the DVD.”

The DVD was launched by Kath Vasey, assistant director of children’s services, County Durham and Darlington Community Health Services, at an event in Clayport Library, Durham attended by many of the people who took part in the film, key stakeholders and NHS managers. ENDS