Speak Out August 2019 Digital Edition

Vale: Maureen Liddy

M aureen began her speech therapy career in in 1981 working for the Department of Education in Townsville. In the early 1980s there were less than 60 speech pathologists working in schools across the state; resources were all hand drawn and cut from magazines, the duplicating machine was still in use and reports were hand written. Maureen quickly began developing her clinical skills with school age students with a wide range of speech, language and communication disorders. Within a couple of years Maureen moved back to Brisbane and worked at Kallangur State School before moving to Stafford State School in 1985 where she was based for the rest of her 38 year career. The development, coordination and provision of relevant and appropriate resources for quality services to children was always a passion for Maureen. In the mid 1980s she began contributing to the development of resources that changed the practice of speech pathology in education. In the 1990s Maureen served on design and editorial committees that produced five folders containing over nine thousand illustrations. These specifically designed resources served as master copies for Queensland Education Department speech pathologists and were also made available for purchase to the wider speech therapy profession. Maureen continued to improve her knowledge and expertise and collaborated with her colleague and friend Beth McIntosh to produce assessments and interventions in oral language. In 2006 Maureen and Beth produced the first edition of the Quick Test of Language , a screening test standardised on a population of Queensland children based on the work of Marion Blank. Maureen and Beth developed language programs Leap into Language and Lock into Language which were widely used across the state to support students in early oral language skills. Maureen enjoyed the intellectual rigour of reading and translating research into her practice and in 2011 she collaborated with three of her Metropolitan Region speech pathology colleagues, to produce Read it Again–Foundation Q ! This is an Australian curriculum support designed to develop students’ foundation skills in language and early literacy and was the result of an international collaboration with Professor Laura Justice, from Ohio State University and the Queensland Department of Education. In 2016 Maureen wrote the lessons for Tell it Again-Q1 , an intervention for speech pathologists based on current evidence and best practice in the explicit teaching of narrative skills. A reflection... by Tricia Chardon My association with the Qld PD Committee goes back 30 years, but Maureen’s began well before that. Maureen came on board as the Education Qld rep as early as 1984 and served a term of 7 years. Then in January 2008 she rejoined the committee and continued until her passing. She brought the same zeal she exhibited in her workplace to be on top of current research, information and latest quality professional development to the Committee Qld PD. She might miss a PD meeting if she was off on one of her overseas excursions, or occasionally a performance by the Qld Theatre Company, but otherwise she was a passionate and vital contributor to our meetings. When her battle with her illness meant she could not drive for extended periods, she travelled across Brisbane by bus and train to a station near me to catch a lift to meetings.

Evidence underpinned Maureen’s work and she was always on top of current research, information and latest quality professional development activities to attend or recommend to others. Maureen applied her latest knowledge to produce research updates, presentations and clinical tools. Maureen’s service to the Continuing Professional Development Working Party over many years earned her the respect of her colleagues within and outside the department and was recognised in 2017 with a Service to the Association Award. An ongoing affiliation with the University of Queensland allowed Maureen to contribute to research on speech sound disorders and develop relationships with lecturers and clinical educators. As a senior clinician Maureen supervised and trained a countless number of university students while she continued to coach and mentor new and experienced colleagues. Maureen worked in many schools and generously shared her knowledge providing quality professional development and training to school staff and parents to support students. Principals, teachers, administrators, school staff, parents and students will long remember Maureen for her intellect, passion and her outstanding practice. A few years ago, following the decision to begin chemotherapy Maureen invited a few of her trusted and stylish friends to go wig shopping. In the salon at the same time was another woman going through the same process. She recognised Maureen immediately, even though over 20 years had passed since Maureen had treated her son for a speech sound disorder. The woman greeted her warmly and shared her clear memory of Maureen’s skill and professionalism and the great impact of her work on the quality of both her son’s life and on the family. Her son had grown up, successfully finished school and gone on to start a career. Maureen was a quiet achiever who worked to improve the educational outcomes and quality of life of many individual students. She was a leader who was instrumental in many innovative changes in the practice of speech therapy within the Department of Education in Queensland. She will be greatly missed by many friends and colleagues. Karen Nicholls Acting Senior Advisor Speech and Language Therapy Department of Education, Queensland From 2013 to 2016 Maureen shouldered the responsibility of the role of PD Portfolio Leader, a position she co-shared with Stella Martin. Her contribution to the sourcing of high quality professional develoment for Australian speech pathologists extended beyond her commitment to the Qld PD Committee. Most recently Maureen suggested that Susan Rvachow, a well respected Canadian researcher in complex speech sound disorder, be invited as the keynote speaker for the joint SPA and NZSTA conference held here in Brisbane. Susan’s keynote address and workshops were highly rated by attendees. Sadly, Maureen did not get to attend to hear Susan present. Qld PD is very much poorer for the loss of a respected valued and loved committee member.

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August 2019 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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