Speak Out Feb 2020 DIGITAL EDITION. pdf

FEBRUARY 2020

THE MAGAZINE FOR AUSTRALIAN SPEECH PATHOLOGISTS

Meet our 10,000 th member Special feature Privacy and your obligations

WOULD YOU BE READY FOR A MEMBER AUDIT? Find out on p20

February 2020 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au BE INVOLVED IN SWALLOWING AWARENESS DAY USING “COACHING” TO BUILD CAPACITY WITHIN

1

Speak Out

Conte n ts

February 2020 in focus...

National Office Level 1/114 William Street Melbourne VIC 3000 T 1300 368 835 F 03 9642 4922 E office@speechpathologyaustralia.org.au Chief Executive Officer Gail Mulcair T 03 9642 4899 E execassist@speechpathologyaustralia.org.au Speech Pathology Australia Board Tim Kittel - President

Belinda Hill – Vice President Communications Brooke Sanderson – Vice President Operations Maree Doble – Director Chyrisse Heine – Director Kathryn McKinley - Director Eddie Ong - Director Follow Speech Pathology Australia via:

p16

SpeechPathologyAustralia

@SpeechPathAus

speechpathaus

SpeechPathAus

Speech Pathology Australia

3 4 5

From the President

Copyright © 2020 The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Speak Out is the official bi-monthly magazine of The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Ltd. Speech Pathology Australia (SPA) owns the copyright to Speak Out and no part of this magazine may be reproduced without the explicit permission of SPA. Write to us Letters can be sent to publications@speechpathologyaustralia.org. au Letters may or may not be published in future issues of Speak Out magazine at SPA’s discretion. Advertisements Please refer to the “Publications” menu at www.speechpathology australia.org.au to view the 2020 Speak Out ad kit. Any queries may be directed to SPA Publications Manager T 1300 368 835 E pubs@speechpathologyaustralia.org.au Advertising booking dates for April 2020 Speak Out . The official booking form must be received at National Office by COB 5 March 2020. Speak Out Branch Editors ACT – via pubs@speechpathologyaustralia.org.au New South Wales – Jamie Summerfield Northern Territory – Rebecca Amery Queensland – Leanne Sorbello, Catherine Hicks, Erika Campbell and Rebecca Sexton South Australia – Melanie Barrie Tasmania – Rachael Zeeman Victoria – Shane Erickson Western Australia – Jamaica Grantis Please see the website for Branch Editor contact details. Disclaimer To the best of The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Limited’s (‘the Association”) knowledge, this information is valid at the time of publication. The Association makes no warranty or representation in relation to the content or accuracy of the material in this publication. The Association expressly disclaims any and all liability (including liability for negligence) in respect of use of the information provided. The Association recommends you seek independent professional advice prior to making any decision involving matters outlined in this publication. Print Post Approved PP349181/01711 Print ISSN 1446-053X Digital ISSN : ISSN 2208-7125

Meet our 10,000 th member

Get involved in Swallowing Awareness Day

7

Book of the Year

8

Highlights of 2019

10

Policy and advocacy news

16

Using "coaching" to build capacity within

18

Aged care update

20

Certified practising audits: What's involved?

21

Professional education

24

Ethics mailbag

25

National conference news

29

Special feature Privacy and your obligations

33

Ask SPA

35 36

Training in clinical supervision

Branch news

Cover pic: Nicole Hansen was the Association's 10,000 member marking a significant milestone for the Association. Read more page 4.

2

February 2020 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Speak Out

From the President

Welcome to the first issue of Speak Out for 2020. It’s been a challenging summer, where our notion of what defines Australia as a society, and our values, have been put to the test. The Speak Out editorial for February 2019 made mention of record temperatures, bushfires, and severe flooding, and this summer has been similar. National Office is aware that some members and their families have been adversely affected by events this year, and have stepped up efforts to support them as best they can. Although I was glued to the news, professionally speaking my January was relatively quiet, and so I took the opportunity to "skill up" by attending some workshops. Some were within my comfort zone, and some really weren’t. Clinical governance? I can deal with that. But one workshop was on Corporate Governance, which is an area I really wanted to explore more. During one section of the learning, the facilitator started to talk about the notion of "organisational culture". In groups we discussed the values of various agencies and associations, and how setting those values is vital. Naming the right values is vitally important in terms of communicating what a company stands for. I had to smile as I thought about how hard it seems to be for a group of us to agree on a definition at times. If you want to slow a speech pathologist down, ask them to narrow down a concept to four or five key words and lock them in. (Just as a side note: this does not appear to be such a problem in the accounting industry). But what turned everything around for me is when the facilitator suggested that organisational culture defines how a business or association will react when faced with an emergency. Well, now we’re talking. Because over the past few months, it’s been heart-warming to see the reaction across social media from our colleagues when faced with disaster. I’ve read about how some members were evacuated from their homes, and then returned, and then scrolled through the well wishes from their colleagues. Initiatives, including the building of social stories, AAC aids, and accessible information for people with communication disorders have sprung up from a range of sources. Similarly, with the increased vigilance around

the Coronavirus, I’ve been watching members starting to ask questions about this. How do we best operate a practice around this, within and across a variety of settings? And again, people are sharing ideas, approaches, and resources. Not out of self-interest, but with a genuine need to make sure that those people most vulnerable to a potential outbreak (who are often our clients) are as protected as they can be. And, as our members ask questions and take steps forward, our National Office staff have stepped up, and are providing information as fast as it becomes available. It’s important that we look back and recognise the successes of what the Association has achieved over the past twelve months, and a summary of our advances in advocacy, disability services, and public awareness are highlighted in this issue. What I’m taking from all of this is that, as our world changes, the mindset of our profession is adapting alongside it. Reading through this issue of Speak Out , this is very evident. I’m intrigued by the program for our National Conference this year. The theme, Local Contexts, Global Practice is woven through the workshops, seminars, and presentation groupings. This is shaping up to be a memorable conference, and I can’t wait for the full program to be launched on February 12. Of course, behind all this, we have reached 10,000 members. In this issue, you’ll meet our ten thousandth member. And you will also meet a variety of other members here too, who we congratulate for their innovation, their ability to coach family members, their ground breaking research into linguistic culture and diversity, and their first steps from clinical placement into new worlds. Because that is also a part of what we do well: we recognise the efforts of our colleagues. So, that brings us back to this workshop. Towards the end, the facilitator said that organisational culture is a tricky concept to measure, and it would be foolhardy to assume that any association has a complete understanding of their “culture”. But if this issue of Speak Out is anything to go by, even in a world that is unpredictable and occasionally frightening, I think we have some pretty positive indicators that, in times of emergency, we have the numbers, and the collegiality, to be amazing.

Tim Kittel

Tim Kittel National President

3

February 2020 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Speak Out

10,000 STRONG Association news In January 2020 Speech Pathology Australia accepted its 10,000th member. The long-awaited milestone has a significant “ripple affect” for the Association. It means the Association has a stronger voice in policy and advocacy, strengthens our voice as the peak representative body of speech pathologists in Australia, and enables us to further develop programs and services to support members. “Association membership has grown rapidly over the past five years, and we celebrated each time we crossed the threshold of seven, then eight, then nine thousand members,” said President Tim Kittell. “But, reaching this milestone is even more crucial from a strategic point of view. It’s important to recognise the impact of the quantitative notion of 10,000 in the mind’s eye of others. It gives the opportunity during advocacy discussions to say, ‘So, from this meeting today, what message do we take back to the ten thousand members of our Association?’ “Similarly, when we perform public awareness events, such as Book of the Year or Swallowing Awareness Day, being able to A chance conversation with a neighbour about the long wait for speech pathology services sparked Nicole Hansen to act and explore becoming a speech pathologist. After graduating from her degree in December 2019 Nicole joined the Speech Pathology Australia and became our 10,000 th member. Nicole graduated from Curtin University with an undergraduate degree in speech pathology. Becoming a member was the next step to advancing her career. “Ethically being a member is the right thing to do and the Association gives lots of support for individuals and also those with a family.” Nicole has four children and hopes to combine her passion for working with children in roles within the early intervention space. “I love working with children and I want to be able to use those skills, and it was clear to me that speech pathology was the way to go.” “Learning about speech pathology during my course was beyond what I imagined. I realised how important communication is, and there is more to speech pathologists than speech – they are communication enablers. After doing the course I am convinced that I want to do this for the rest of my life.”

state that ten thousand number, backs up our assertion that the Association is a significant professional body – one more than capable of forwarding Australia’s research and clinical practice across a range of areas. While we sometimes struggle with raising public awareness about our breadth of practice, the act of introducing how many of us we are, serves as an introduction to reinforce that we are incredibly diverse, and add value to lives in a myriad of ways.”

Welcome Nicole! Our 10,000 th member

“I had some language difficulties when I was growing up and it took me a long time to catch up. My passion is to help families, and to skill the parents so they can empower the whole family.”

To welcome Nicole as the 10,000th member the Association will present Nicole which Association merchandise and free access to a professional development workshop of her choice in 2020.

4

February 2020 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Speak Out

Association news

awareness day Wednesday 18 March 2020

How can you get involved in 2020? Members can get involved in Swallowing Awareness Day 2020 in a number of ways 1. Get involved in our social media competition. You can find details on the Association’s website: www. speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/ swallowing 2. Engage in the wider social media conversation to promote Swallowing Awareness Day 2020 and to highlight dysphagia. Don’t forget to include the appropriate handles and hashtags: @SpeechPathAus #swallowingaware2020 #dysphagia 1. Download the Swallowing Awareness Day campaign materials from

Theme set for Swallowing Awareness Day

The theme for Swallowing Awareness Day in 2020 is: Dysphagia. A difficult diagnosis to swallow. The selection of the same theme as used in 2019 is an attempt to reinforce the importance of Swallowing Awareness Day and draw attention to the danger of swallowing difficulties (dysphagia). It is estimated that up to one million Australians have a swallowing difficulty, and Swallowing Awareness Day is an opportunity to bring attention to swallowing disorders and to connect people with speech pathologists, the professionals who can help. Like breathing, swallowing is essential to everyday life. Humans swallow at least 500-700 times a day, around three times an hour during sleep, once per minute while awake and even more during meals. In 2020, Speech Pathology Australia will again coordinate its campaign with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists in an endeavour to highlight how dysphagia affects people’s lives, and how speech and language therapy transforms the experiences of those living with the condition. Swallowing problems can occur at any stage of life. However, knowledge of dysphagia and its implications remain largely unknown for most Australians. For this reason, the Association and its Board of Directors felt a designated day to promote the effects and management of dysphagia was warranted. Swallowing Awareness Day continues to go from strength to strength.

Swallowing Awareness Day page on the Association’s website: www. speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/ swallowing

2. Hold an event in your workplace that highlights the impact of swallowing on people’s lives. 3. Download the Swallowing Awareness Day email signature graphic.

Michael Kerrisk Manager Communications and Marketing

www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/swallowing

5

February 2020 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Speak Out

Association news

Shane Erickson, LaTrobe University

Sarah Gravina, Catholic Education Melbourne

Stephanie Fornaro, Catholic Education Melbourne

Kate Bridgeman, LaTrobe University

In 2019 a new research grant, the Clinician-Researcher Partnership Grant, was offered for the first time. This grant of $30,000 aims to build research capacity in clinicians, to contribute to the evidence-base for communication and swallowing disorders and to meet strategic objectives of the Association. Suitable projects may arise from a question or issue identified by a clinician, or may extend current research to a clinical context. There was considerable interest from both clinicians and researchers, with 12 submissions reviewed. The Association acknowledges the time and effort which went into each of these submissions, and extends grateful thanks to those reviewers who made such a crucial contribution to the process. The inaugural Clinician-Researcher Partnership Grant was awarded to Sarah Gravina, Stephanie Fornaro, Shane Erickson, and Kate Bridgeman for their project Outcomes from the implementation of a state-wide telepractice delivered Lidcombe Program service for primary school aged children who stutter . The project builds on a 2019 collaboration between clinicians at Catholic Education Melbourne (Gravina and Fornario) and researchers at LaTrobe University (Erickson and Bridgeman). The project will build on a small scale project in which a team of primary school-based speech pathologists trained and supported to deliver a pilot telepractice stuttering treatment service to 15 children. Preliminary analyses of data related to the experiences and perceptions of the speech pathologists indicated that this is a viable model worth pursuing. In the proposed project a team of speech pathologists will deliver treatment to up to 50 children across Victoria. The study has been designed to meet the definition of a stuttering clinical trial proposed by Onslow Clinician-Researcher Partnership Grant

et al. (2008) 1 and seeks to maximise clinical translation. Both quantitative and qualitative outcomes will be reported and disseminated through scholarly journal publications, presentations at SPA conferences and the development of a continuing professional development workshop. Reviewers noted that the proposal was well written, aligned strongly with SPA strategic goals and provided a clear plan for collaboration. A very high likelihood of outcome achievement and demonstrable impact within and beyond the profession was identified. The Association congratulates the successful research team, and all those who submitted project proposals. We look forward to tracking the progress of the successful project through our various social media channels. The Clinician-Researcher Partnership Grant will again be offered in 2020, with applications due on September 30. Details of the grant will be made on the Association website.

1. Onslow, M., Jones, M., O'Brian, S., Menzies, R., & Packman, A. (2008). Defining, identifying, and evaluating clinical trials of stuttering treatments: A tutorial for clinicians. American Journal of Speech - Language Pathology, 17(4), 401-15.

Cori Williams Senior Advisor Evidence-Based Practice and Research

6

February 2020 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Speak Out

Association news

BOOK OF THE YEAR

Speech Pathology Australia

Book of the Year 2020 The Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards raise awareness of the role speech pathologists play in assisting people of all ages to develop their language and literacy skills. In 2020, the Indigenous Children’s Book category will become the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Authored Children’s Book category and subsumed across the other four categories. Further detail about this initiative is outlined below. This reform follows consultation with the Association’s Aboriginal and Torres Islanders Advisory Committee and a leading publisher of Indigenous Children’s books. The Book of the Year Awards will retain its four age-related categories, with the best Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authored children’s book judged from across these categories. • Birth to 3 years • Three to 5 years • Five to 8 years • Eight to 10 years. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Authored Children’s Book Speech Pathology Australia is committed to reducing the gap in literacy levels between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian children. In 2020, the Indigenous Children’s Book category has been renamed the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Authored Children’s Book category. A book written by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander author will, in addition to being judged in the age-related category for which it was nominated (and shortlisted), be eligible for judging for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Authored Children’s Book Award. This means a booked authored by an Indigenous author could win both its age-related category and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Authored Children’s Book Award. While the reform is designed to give fillip to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors, the change is primarily intended to promote pride in Indigenous culture and language, and encourage

readers to explore ideas and concepts through the lens of Indigenous culture/community. Call for nominations Do you have a favourite children’s book that you believe should be nominated for this year’s awards? The Association is seeking nominations for children’s books that speech pathologists feel promote oral language development and literacy skills in the various award categories. A book needs to be exciting and stimulating, and satisfy the eligibility criteria: • written by an Australian author; • readily available in Australia; • published in 2019 or 2020; • retail for no more than $55; • facilitate interaction and collaboration; • appeal to children; and • maintain high production standards (graphics, design, paper stock, etc.). The nomination form is available from the Book of the Year page on the Association’s website. The deadline for nominations is 27 March 2020. Hall of Fame nominations When warranted, Speech Pathology Australia presents its Children’s Language and Literature Award . This is the Association’s Hall of Fame award. The award recognises authors who have contributed significantly to children’s language and literature. The award is not presented every year but only when a stand-out candidate is nominated by a member. The relevant nomination form and selection criteria are available from the Book of the Year page on the Association’s website. The deadline for nominations is 15 March. The last author inducted into the Speech Pathology Australia Hall of Fame was Morris Gleitzman in 2018. Michael Kerrisk Manager Communications and Marketing

7

February 2020 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Speak Out

Association news

Celebrating the highlights of 2019

What a year it was for Speech Pathology Australia!

Record-breaking membership At the close of 2019, the membership of Speech Pathology Australia stood at 9832, with the 10,000 member barrier beckoning.

Join us as we celebrate the achievements of members, the Association and industry partners.

70 years young In 2019, Speech Pathology Australia celebrated its 70th birthday. On 22 November 1949, the Australian College of Speech Therapists met for the first time as an unincorporated body. That has led to 70 years of service and support for the speech pathology profession in

Book of the Year Five books and their author/illustrators were celebrated as part of the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year 2019 awards, held at the State Library of Victoria. Slightly over 200 books were nominated across the five categories in 2019. Harrison Craig, the winner of the Australian TV series The Voice (2013), was the Association’s guest speaker at the 2019 awards. Professional development

Australia. Celebrations included a podcast with the Association’s Chief Executive Officer, Gail Mulcair; a video interview with Mary Buttifant (a member of the Association of over 61 years), and the release of a 70th anniversary poster, lapel pin and keep-cup. Reconciliation Action Plan The Association submitted its Reconciliation Acton Plan to Reconciliation Australia in May 2019, receiving conditional endorsement and later secured formal endorsement on 8 November 2019. The formal endorsement and public release of the Association’s RAP was delayed by the completion of artwork commissioned by the Association as part of the RAP’s development. This artwork now hangs proudly in the Association's Board Room.

Dr Julie Cichero presented a sell out 2019 Speech Pathology Australia National Tour, around two workshops: ‘Paediatric dysphagia: The A-Z of the IDDSI Framework, fussy eating and medication administration in babies and children’, and ‘Improving the lives of adults living with dysphagia’. Joint Conference

The Association’s annual conference in June 2019 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre was a joint event with the New Zealand Speech-Language Therapists’ Association (NZSTA). The joint event was attended by over 970 delegates and was addressed by keynote speakers, Professors Susan Rvachew and Marian Brady, with Professor David Copland delivering the Association’s Elizabeth Usher Memorial lecture and Professor Suzanne Purdy presenting NZSTA’s Grace Gane Memorial Award lecture. Formal Apology On Monday 3 June, at the Joint Conference in Brisbane, the Association’s then National President, Gaenor Dixon delivered the Association’s Apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. The Association’s landmark Speech Pathology 2030 project

Reconciliation Action Plan June 2019 – June 2020

8

February 2020 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Speak Out

Association news

10,000 members & climbing

report outlined eight aspirations for the profession as it approached the future. These include services for all, client and community driven service delivery, and a diverse and dynamic workforce. The Association recognised early that these aspirations could not be reached by the profession without partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. In seeking to develop truly collaborative partnerships that are based on shared decisions and power, the Association recognised the harms that past ways of working inflicted and committed to forging a future that is truly collaborative with all Australians. The Apology is accessible on the Association’s website . Awards In 2019, the Association awarded Life Membership to Professor Jennifer Oates and Professor Deborah Theodoros. Fellowship of Speech Pathology Australia was awarded to Professor Kirrie Ballard, Dr Elisabeth Harrison, Professor Patricia McCabe and Ms Barbara Lyndon. The Service to the Association Award was presented to Ms Erin Coonan and Ms Jenny Moody. Change of leadership At the Joint Conference in Brisbane in June 2019, Gaenor Dixon stepped down after four years as National President, and eight years as a Director of the Association. Gaenor was succeed as National President by Tim Kittel. Belinda Hill was selected as Vice President Communications, and Brooke Sanderson as Vice President Operations. Digital world What a year digitally! By the end of 2019, the Association had 11,000 followers for its Twitter handle, @speechpathaus, and 21,816 likes on its Facebook page. Add to this the 6571 followers on the Association’s Instagram account and 5653 followers on LinkedIn. The Association also continues to support 17 membership Facebook groups or communities. In 2019, the Association also launched its new podcast series , Speak Up , with 26 episodes in its first five months. Innovation Awards Pursuant to the aspirations outlined in the Speech Pathology 2030 report, the Association’s Board of Directors, early in 2019, approved the implementation of the Speech Pathology Australia Innovation Awards. Two awards were introduced to promote and support innovation across Professional Practice and Research. The winners of the inaugural Innovations Awards 2019 were Bronwyn Sutton in the

Professional Practice category for her innovation: ‘The Learning App Guide to Autism and Education’; and Rebecca Amery in the Research category for her nomination, titled: ‘Collaborative design and development of aided AAC system prototypes for Yolnu living with Machado-Joseph Disease’. United Nations Speech Pathology Australia, with the support of The Royal College of Speech Language Therapists (RCLST), American Speech–Language–Hearing Association (ASHA) and the International Communication Project (ICP), hosted a dedicated side event on 12 June as part of the activities surrounding the 12th session of the Conference of State Parties (COSP) to the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The side event was titled, 'People with Communication Disabilities Speak Up for Inclusion and Participation: How the implementation of the CRPD and Sustainable Development Goals can support this right'. The Association’s forum was one of 88 events scheduled during the COSP, which ran alongside the main conference’s, the UN General Assembly and Roundtables, and a Civil Society Forum. Additionally, the Association took the opportunity to deliver two intervention statements during the Civil Society Forum and the General Debate sessions. The statements were delivered by the Association’s Vice President, Communications, Belinda Hill, and Chief Executive Officer, Gail Mulcair.

9

February 2020 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Speak Out

Policy & advocacy

Policy and advocacy: 2019 in review LEFT: Professor Sharynne McLeod, Derek Munn the Director Policy and Public Affairs, Royal College of Speech Language Therapists and Speech Pathology Australia Chief Executive Office Gail Mulcair, outside the UN building in New York. ABOVE: Association Vice President Communications, Belinda Hill at the UN.

For those of you who read our half-yearly update in the August edition of Speak Out , we apologise for any overlap/repetition as we now present a summary of our activities for the whole year. Consultation submissions In 2019 we responded to 20 consultations. Not all submissions being equal however, we have been particularly busy responding to and preparing for Royal Commissions into Aged Care Quality and Safety, and Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability as both have resulted in subsequent/ follow-up requests for further information on particular areas of focus. These will continue well into 2020. For example, the public hearings for the Disability Royal Commission inquiry has already spawned further consultations into specific areas such as education and learning, group homes, people with cognitive disability and experiences with the criminal justice system. Furthermore, following the release of its interim report the Royal Commission into Aged Care has also called for submissions regarding the proposed aged care program redesign. Another key consultation related to the MBS Review Allied Health Reference Group report, which presented 18 recommendations, all of which Speech Pathology Australia supports, especially those we feel promote better access to speech pathology services and enhanced communication between allied health professionals and General Practitioners to improve coordination of care. With regard to the MBS Review Mental Health Reference Group, the Association called for the role of speech pathology in mental health services to be better recognised and requested speech pathology to be added to the panel of professions able to access the MBS mental health items. An example of effective collaborative advocacy was the successful outcome of the campaign led by Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA) to delay the roll out of the DVA Treatment Cycle Initiative until further consultation and planning occurred. NDIS Mealtime supports We had long advocated for funding the planning and provision of mealtime supports for people with disability, and therefore welcomed the eventual decision by the NDIA for dysphagia supports, including the development of oral eating and drinking Some advocacy “wins” DVA Treatment Cycle Initiative

care plans and swallowing therapy, as well as thickener and tracheostomy equipment, to be funded by the NDIS. Price guide changes These came into effect on 1 July 2019 and included increases for both therapeutic supports, and early childhood supports The NDIA confirmed that they will be implementing a specific strategy to improve the timely access of young children to early intervention. Quality and Safeguarding Commission From 1 July 2019 the National Quality and Safeguarding requirements were expanded to include Victoria, Tasmania, ACT, the Northern Territory and Queensland, so the NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Commission now oversees governance in all states except WA. Notable meetings SPA representatives met with five state Ministers/Shadow Ministers, six groups of state/federal Ministerial Advisers and the Federal Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Senator Richard Colbeck. Other advocacy opportunities In her role as Chair of Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA), The Association's CEO represents allied health on the Primary Health Reform Steering Group, appointed by the Government to help develop a Primary Health Care 10-Year Plan. SPA at the United Nations Speech Pathology Australia representatives, alongside UK based partners, raised awareness of communication disability on the global stage at side event discussions and presentations as part of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Sincere thanks to all of you who contributed to the many submissions and policy positions developed in 2019. We look forward to working directly with some of you on policy and advocacy issues again in 2020 and continuing to advocate on behalf of all our members and their clients. Mark Smith Manager Policy and Advocacy Sandy Fowler Senior Policy Officer (including some non face-to-face activities). Early Childhood Early Intervention

10

February 2020 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Speak Out

Association news

Advocacy in the disability sector

The implementation of the NDIS has meant a new and very different way of providing supports for people with disability. It has also created an important opportunity for Speech Pathology Australia to inform the development of the new system, including advocating for continued provision of and access to safe, high quality evidence-based speech pathology services for people with disabilities. Over the past six years, the Association has advocated in many ways and within a range of forums in relation to the NDIS, including with the NDIA, the NDIS Commission, State and Federal Ministers and services as well as mainstream agencies (e.g., jurisdictional health and educational departments). The efforts of the Association have been consistent, strategic and where appropriate, collaborative. Timelines for providing input have often been very short, but the Association has sought to include contributions from and feedback by members where possible and provided support and encouragement to members to submit. Where issues have been specific to our members or to speech pathology service provision the Association has advocated independently. For the most part, however, the NDIA and the NDIS Commission have targeted their communications and consultations through Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA) as the representative of all the allied health professions involved in service provision to NDIS participants. The role of Speech Pathology Australia, with AHPA has been and continues to be considerable. The Association was instrumental in the establishment of an NDIS Sub-committee of AHPA. The Senior Advisor Disability has been the chair of the sub-committee for the past two years, as well as contributing to its activities, since its inception. The Association’s CEO Gail Mulcair is the current chair of the board of AHPA. AHPA has provided input and comment in relation to a range of issues and NDIS processes, including pricing, functionality of the NDIS Portal, the way plans are "built", access, plan gaps, problems with plan development, "early" plans etc. AHPA is now at the table to represent issues for the Allied Health Professions at a range of forums, including the NDIS Market

Oversight Advisory Group and the Victorian State Government auspiced NDIS Capability Framework Steering Group. Through AHPA, the Association has been able to directly contribute to decision making by the NDIA, including increased funding for travel, indirect service provision and NDIS required reports, and against the introduction of tiered pricing for allied health. AHPA has ongoing opportunities to contribute directly to NDIS issues such as the development of the Digital Marketplace, design of the Portal, pricing for therapy supports, specific disability streams (e.g., for deaf and hard of hearing). Other advocacy activities of the Association in relation to the NDIS have included: Submissions to Federal Government forums The Association has provided submissions to various inquiries undertaken by the Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS, and the Disability Royal Commission. In relation to the latter, this has included making recommendations to make the Commission communication accessible. There are also plans to make submissions to the Senate Inquiry into Autism. The Association has been able to raise awareness of a number of issues through these submissions; delays with approvals and provision of Assistive Technology; Planners making decisions outside of their scope; delays with access to the scheme, and to Plans; and inappropriate and potentially risky focus on the use of AHAs, as a cheaper alternative to allied health professionals. Submissions are The Association's contributions influenced the decision by the NDIS to include oral eating and drinking supports as one of the disability related health supports in NDIS participants plans. As well as meeting with Federal and State Disability and Health Ministers and with the Deputy CEO of the NDIA, the Association provided information to the Senior Officers Working Group, which was commissioned with managing these intersectoral issues through the Disability Reform Council (DRC) of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). available on the Association’s website. Mainstream interface issues

11

February 2020 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Speak Out

Association news

Quality and safeguarding The Association has provided input on the need for development and structure of the NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Framework throughout the implementation of the NDIS. AHPA was consulted and provided feedback in the lead up to the recent changes in the National Quality and Safeguarding Framework which have meant that providers who are in an incorporated structure and providing low risk supports are only required to undertake verification rather than the more onerous and costly Certification. AHPA has also consistently promoted the position that allied health professionals are already appropriately and adequately regulated, in the case of speech pathologists through CPSP membership of Speech Pathology Australia, including for provision of early interventions supports, and identified the risks to choice and control for participants, and to a healthy and sustainable market, arising out of the requirement that providers registering to provide Early Childhood Supports undertake certification. Additionally, the Association has also contributed within a range of forums and directly with the NDIS Commission, to the development of standards for provision of oral eating and drinking supports for people with disability. The Future The role for the Association in this space shows no signs of abating, with the Disability Royal Commission continuing throughout 2020 and beyond. To date, the Association has provided a submission regarding education for children with

disability in Australia, and the barriers to access and inadequacies of the education system, and will be making submissions on accommodation services; health system access and issues for people with disabilities; people with cognitive impairment, and access to the justice system. The Association is planning to focus on access to the scheme, and Plan supports, for children with Developmental Language Disorder and Childhood Apraxia of Speech, and adolescents and adults who received these diagnoses as children and who continue to experience activity limitations and barriers to participation arising from their ongoing communication disability. To date, access to the NDIS for both of these populations has been variable, but with a general "trend" observable to limit access, and to "exit" children who entered the scheme under the early intervention criteria, despite them continuing to meet the Disability Access criteria. To date, a letter and briefing documents have been sent to the new Chief Executive Officer of the NDIA, and we are awaiting a response. The NDIS will be fully rolled out across Australia by July 2020, but it is clear that there will be a continued need for advocacy, and opportunities for collaboration, to help the Scheme to deliver its full promise for people with disabilities and for Australia as a forward looking nation. Cathy Olsson Senior Adviser Disability

Maximize the early language outcomes of all children Workshop space is limited! Register today.

Language Delay - It Takes Two to Talk® workshop

Wagga Wagga, NSW ............ Feb 12-14, 2020 Perth*, WA ............................... Jan 29-31, 2020

Brisbane, QLD ....................... Apr 15-17, 2020 Sydney, NSW ......................... Feb 5-7, 2020 Language Development - Learning Language and Loving it®

Brisbane, QLD....................... Mar 11-13, 2020 Sydney, NSW.......................... Mar 16-18, 2020 Autism - More Than Words®

*Indicates nearest major city

www.hanen.org/workshop-schedule

12

February 2020 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Speak Out

After originally commencing as IJSLP Editor in 2014, holding this position for three years, followed by a further three years as Editor in Chief and co-editor, alongside Anne Whitworth, Professor Kirrie Ballard is stepping down from her editor role as of January 2020. Over this period, Kirrie has provided excellent leadership and expert strategic direction to the journal and has further cemented its international profile and strong ranking and citation levels within the range of speech language pathology academic publications. The Association wishes to express its sincere appreciation to Kirrie for all her dedication and significant contribution made to the IJSLP during her time as Editor. Kirrie will be sorely missed, however we are very pleased that Kirrie is wishing to remain highly involved in the further development of IJSLP and has been approved by the SPA Board to join the Journal’s Executive Board. Our heartfelt thanks to you Kirrie. To join the Editor in Chief, Anne Whitworth, we warmly welcome Professor Libby Cardell to the role of Co-Editor. Libby will be known to many as Professor in Speech Pathology at Griffith University, where she established the Master of Speech Pathology program in 2012, and she currently holds the position of Acting Head of School, Allied Health Sciences, Griffith University. Libby has extensive experience in academic writing, publishing, reviewing and book and article editing. Welcome Libby and I’m sure you will be an asset to the editorial team of IJSLP. In addition Elizabeth Ambrose has been appointed to the role of Editorial Assistant taking over from Julie Anderson. Elizabeth commenced the role in January and recently completed her Masters in Speech Pathology at Curtin University. Thank you also to our existing and incoming members of our IJSLP Executive Board. The stewardship for the IJSLP, as the Association's leading academic publication remains in very good hands. IJSLP News Changes to the editorial team

Free in-clinic hearing test for children

Gail Mulcair Chief Executive Officer

An estimated 1 in 10 school children suffer from hearing loss, which left undetected can lead to speech, learning and behavioural problems. The Sound Scouts hearing check is a simple way to identify if a child has a hearing issue, including listening difficulties in noise. The test incorporates the science of a hearing test in a fun interactive game. Evidence based, accessible and delivering immediate results, it’s the perfect in-clinic solution. The Sound Scouts App is now free to test all Australian school-aged children. Download it today.

Anne Whitworth

Kirrie Ballard

www.soundscouts.com.au

Libby Cardell

Elizabeth Ambrose

13

February 2020 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Speak Out

Association news

Can prospective clients find

With about 4500 unique visits each month to the Find a Speech Pathologist page on the Speech Pathology Australia website it is more important than ever to ensure your practice details are up-to-date. The Find a Speech Pathologist service is a unique free resource for members to share their practice details and area/s of experience with the public looking for speech pathologists locally or according to their area of need. Certified Practising Members can opt-in to the online service at any time by logging into your member profile on the SPA website. Having up-to-date details is also imperative for advocacy, policy and lobbying activities so the Association has access to comprehensive information about speech pathologists and their workplaces. This ensures we have accurate and current information when advocating on behalf of our members.

To be a part of the Find a Speech Pathologist page you need to opt-in to the service. You can do this by logging in to your member profile on the SPA website and following the instructions below. When considering which areas of practice to choose, please ensure you nominate areas that you have appropriate knowledge and experience in. Alternatively if you are expanding your areas of practice, you can seek support and supervision here. For further support and information contact the Association’s membership team, membership@speechpathologyaustralia. org.au or 1300 368 835. Liz Young Manager, Member Services and Operations

How to opt-in to 'Find a speech pathologist' 1 Log into your member profile on the website 2 Click to view your account details

4 Click the + to add new details

3 Click the My Workplace tab

14

February 2020 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Speak Out

Association news

you on the SPA website?

5 Choose 'yes' to opt in to online searches

Don't forget to save and close

Online Resource Guide Bookings now open!

Bookings are now open to advertise your products, tools, services and resources for speech pathologists in the Speech Pathology Australia Online Resource Guide. The Online Resource Guide provides Association members and the public with a reference manual of products and services that relate to speech/ articulation, disability, language, literacy, voice, autism, aged care, swallowing, stuttering. Teaching aids, language programs, Apps, assessment and learning tools, courses and communication aids are just some of the resources that can be featured in the guide.

Members and not-for-profit organisations can take advantage of a free first submission entry in the guide. Plus, there are a range of display advertising options for individuals and businesses. Early bird rates are applicable so get your booking in before 18 March to take advantage of the special discounts. For more information about the Online Resource Guide please contact the Association's Publications Manager, publications@ speechpathologyaustralia.org.au.

15

February 2020 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Speak Out

Using “coaching” to build capacity from within

JOANNA GERANGUE AND JANE BACKHOUSE OF CHILDREN’S CENTRES FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND PARENTING IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA CONTINUE THE SERIES OF ARTICLES FIRST PUBLISHED IN SPEAK OUT IN 2018 ABOUT WORKING ALONGSIDE FAMILIES AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS TO BUILD THEIR CAPACITY TO PROVIDE RESPONSIVE CAREGIVING FOR YOUNG CHILDREN. THE PAIR DESCRIBE HOW EFFECTIVE THEY HAVE SEEN COACHING WHEN APPLIED WITHIN A RELATIONAL CONTEXT WITH CAREGIVERS.

Coaching can be described as, “an adult learning strategy in which the coach promotes the learner’s (coachee’s) ability to reflect on his or her actions as a means to determine the effectiveness of an action or practice and develop a plan for refinement and use of the action in immediate and future situations”. We draw upon several approaches to guide how we coach in Children’s Centres including The Hanen Centre’s four-step parent coaching model, Friedman and colleagues’ coaching framework, M’Lisa Shelden and Dathan Rush’s early childhood coaching, and Maria Aarts’ Marte Meo. While there are various terms used for strategies in each of the approaches listed above, they generally include aspects of joint planning, observation, action/practice, reflection and feedback. These strategies can be used in a fluid way, multiple times per session, rather than being followed in a strict sequence. Our coaching is based on several key tenets including the importance of supporting caregiver-child relationships using strengths-based, family-centred practice and effective adult

learning in order to impact positively on children’s development. Relationships underpin and promote children’s healthy development. In recent years the concept of family-centred practice has shifted from largely provider driven intervention, (sometimes inviting family participation) to caregiver implemented intervention where the provider’s role is to coach, and to help strengthen the caregiver-child relationship. We know that adults learn and make changes if they are motivated, their current understanding is recognised and made explicit, they have a conceptual framework in which to organise their knowledge, they have opportunities to apply new information and they develop skills to reflect on their own understanding and abilities. Our main focus is working with caregivers (families and early childhood educators) of children from birth up to 3-years-old, given the prime importance of intervening in early childhood. We coach caregivers in naturalistic interventions that they can build into everyday situations to strengthen their relationships with children, and to build children’s self-registration and regulation (emotional and sensory). These foundations set the child up for learning language, play and social skills. Some of the skills

16

February 2020 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Speak Out

we coach in build relationship and language rich environments concurrently. In Children’s Centres coaching occurs in groups, as well as individually. It looks different in each setting, but always begins with building relationships with caregivers and children. Sometimes this occurs quickly, particularly when the caregiver has approached the speech pathologist for assistance with supporting their child’s development. At other times it may take many weeks of building trust and rapport for a caregiver to be ready to engage in coaching. In an individual setting the speech pathologist talks with the caregiver to establish what the caregiver is noticing in their child and how they interact with each other. Through this conversation they establish the caregiver’s goals. The speech pathologist may observe the caregiver and child interacting and highlight moments of responsive caregiving or parent child connection that occur. The speech pathologist invites the parent to try the next step (expanding on the existing responsive caregiving) to support their child’s development. For example, the speech pathologist might say, “When Lee has a play idea, you are following his idea. You could also name his idea by saying something like, ‘you’re feeding the teddy’. In this way he knows that you’re in his world, that you have noticed and accept his idea, and also gives him the words to go with what he’s doing.” Once the caregiver has practised using that strategy, the speech pathologist invites them to reflect on what the experience was like for them, and what they noticed in their child. The speech pathologist builds on that by commenting on strengths in their interaction, gently encouraging the caregiver to use the skill, as well as highlighting the child’s positive response. Finally, the caregiver and parent brainstorm how the caregiver will use the strategy at other times and in other settings. In group settings the coaching process is modified according to the size of the group, and the familiarity of caregivers with each other and the speech pathologist. A speech pathologist might use role playing in caregiver pairs as an opportunity for caregivers to practise strategies, with a third caregiver observing and assisting with reflection. This may occur while the speech pathologist moves around the various triads scaffolding reflections and offering feedback. This would be followed by play activities where caregivers practise the strategy with their children while the speech pathologist continues to facilitate reflection and give feedback. Another tool used in coaching is video review. The speech pathologist and caregiver review video of a different caregiver and child, or of that caregiver and child, and then reflect on how the “We know that adults learn and make changes if they are motivated…and develop skills to reflect on their own understanding and

caregiver and child interact — what influence they had on each other and why their responses to each other have an impact. We still have much to learn about coaching and how we can use it most effectively with caregivers. In 2020 we will look into objective measures of our coaching practices. Joanna Gerangue and Jane Backhouse Children’s Centres for Early Childhood Development and Parenting Department for Education South Australia

Previous articles about ‘Capacity building from within’ appeared in the August 2018 and December 2018 editions of Speak Out.

1. https://inclusioninstitute.fpg.unc.edu/sites/inclusioninstitute.fpg.unc. edu/files/handouts/Using_a_Coaching_Interactive_Style_with_Families. pdf 2. http://www.hanen.org/SiteAssets/Helpful-Info/Whitepapers/parent- implemented-early-language-intervention-wha.pdf 3. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/0a21/6189233771198f7fb282a934d fa21d887c2c.pdf 4. https://inclusioninstitute.fpg.unc.edu/sites/inclusioninstitute.fpg.unc. edu/files/handouts/Using_a_Coaching_Interactive_Style_with_Families. pdf 5. https://www.martemeo.com/en/ 6. https://www.rch.org.au/uploadedFiles/Main/Content/ccchdev/ CCCH-The-First-Thousand-Days-An-Evidence-Paper-Summary-Sep- tember-2017.pdf

17

February 2020 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Speak Out