Barbara Hollis
Speech and Language Therapy Co-Coordinator,
Ashfield and Mansfield PCTs
Tel: 01623 723232
Email: Barbara.Hollis@mansfield-pct.nhs.uk
Summary:
The aim of the project was to improve pre-school children’s concentration and listening skills, thus preventing a subsequent need for speech and language therapy. In the absence of commercially available resources to meet this need, the “listening bag” scheme was developed by sure start speech and language therapists and delivered in nurseries. Following limited training by the speech and language therapist; nursery staff and parents become the key users of the scheme with their children. The evaluations showed significant improvements in listening skills and gained positive user feedback.
Abstract:
The outcomes framework published with ‘Every Child Matters, Change for Children’ in December 2004, identified ‘Enjoy and Achieve’ as a key target area. In 2002 the WILSTAAR research showed that up to 40% of pre-school children, living in disadvantaged areas, are at risk of language delay. This has a long-term consequence on their literacy and learning and ultimately on their social and economic well-being. Consultation with local nursery school staff via a speech and language questionnaire reiterated national research in highlighting attention and listening as the main area of concern in pre-school children. Traditionally, speech and language therapists have not taken the preventative approach to this problem. The development and use of the ‘listening bags’ in nurseries was a proactive approach to the prevention of attention and listening problems, thus reducing speech and language difficulties.
A set of ‘listening bags’ consists of 15 draw-string bags each containing 2 written listening activities, the resources to complete the activities, a nursery rhyme and a book. The 15 bags are uniquely developmentally graded and each bag addresses a key interactive / listening skill underpinning language development. Time management for service users, (both parents and nursery staff), is greatly improved by innovatively providing practical equipment to accompany the listening activities
Prior to implementation in a specific nursery the speech and language therapist arranges both nursery staff training and a parents meeting in order to engage and explain the scheme to these key users. 2 sets of listening bags are then lent to the nursery for a period of 12 weeks. During this time nursery staff are responsible for the administrative tasks. Each week parents borrow and return a different bag using the enclosed resources to interact, listen, play and have fun with their children in a quiet environment.
The ‘listening bags’ have created a whole early intervention and preventative package of care, delivered by other professionals and parents, thereby reducing waiting times and improving prognosis and outcomes.Data obtained from a pre and post assessment indicate a 49% increase in children’s listening levels. Outcomes of a pre and post childcare workers questionnaire indicate a 20% improvement in confidence, knowledge and skills in attention and listening.
Children receiving the listening bag service clearly showed improved listening skills. This is likely to decrease the need for subsequent referral to speech and language therapy services. 475 contacts were achieved in 5 early years settings. Parents completed 295 comment cards and reported 271 positive experiences delivered in a very local setting. These favourable findings are regularly reported back to service users.
The ‘listening bags’ provide an inclusive opportunity for all young children and their families, in their local nurseries. The scheme can be administered by any staff group given initial support from the speech and language therapy service as the package includes clear administrative instructions and all the resources required for nursery staff to implement the scheme.
The ‘listening bags’ idea has been widely shared with colleagues via presentations to local and regional special interest groups in the speech and language therapy profession, sure start staff plus local educational agencies. Mainstreaming the programme has been facilitated by skilling up local speech and language therapists to deliver the service.
Hence, these unique ‘listening bags’ are an attractively packaged, stand alone scheme that require little or no encouragement for service users to adopt. Nurseries and other speech and language therapy services have enquired about their commercial availability as it is such a practical, proven, time-saving resource for helping children’s social interactions, attention and listening skills, all crucial for further learning and development and yet often neglected in our busy, noisy environments.
