Selective mutism training in Staffordshire

Time goes so fast so we're planning what we're going to do for October's selective mutism (SM) awareness month already.

We aim to blitz the local radio shows again with the lovely Natasha Dale who has become a brilliant ambassador for children and young people with SM, we'll have a local press campaign and a training day for parents and professionals.

If you know anyone who would benefit from the training, please let them know, places are limited.

The aims of the day are:

• To recognise and diagnose SM
• To fully understand the causes and maintaining factors
• To relate the above to an appropriate prevention or management plan:

     - educating all key people involved with the child

     - creating the right environment at home and at school

     - talking to the children and their peers about SM

     - considering the need for a formal programme

     - formulating treatment targets

Friday 13th October 9.30am -3.00pm
Uttoxeter Fire Station, Cheadle Rd, Uttoxeter ST14 7BX

£85 to include lunch and refreshments

Book here

We'd love to see you!

Can I tell you about SM: an excellent addition to the ‘Can I tell you about..’ series

Title:   Can I tell you about selective mutism 
Author:  Maggie Johnson and Alison Wintgens
Publisher:  Jessica Kingsley Publishers

Selective Mutism (SM) is still a largely unknown and mis-understood condition, and to date the majority of books are written primarily from an academic point of view. ‘Can I tell you about Selective Mutism’ is an excellent addition to the ‘Can I tell you about..’ series of books and has been effectively written in two parts. The first half of the book is written from the point of view of a young girl named Hannah, who describes what it is like to live with SM and how it affects her relationships with other people; creating a sensitive and personalised undertone throughout the book. The second part of the book provides functional and practical strategies that can be used by parents, carers and teachers. Maggie Johnson and Alison Wintgens are pioneers in the world of Selective Mutism and have worked with this unique client group for over 20 years; they currently work with the leading UK charity SMIRA to support families of people with Selective mutism. 

The informal style of this book makes it an accessible and invaluable aid to all readers and I highly recommend it as a fantastic introduction when first learning to understand the condition. I have used it many times with families that I have worked with; as an engaging resource to read with the child when helping them to understand and explain the internal world they experience every day. ‘Can I tell you about Selective Mutism’ helps to dispel common myths that Selective Mutism is a refusal to talk by providing a powerful first-hand insight. There is still much debate about whose professional remit SM falls into and I recommend this book to be read by any professional supporting a child with the condition including speech and language therapists and psychologists.

It is available from www.speechtherapyactivties.co.uk

Natasha Hallam

Natasha Hallam, Specialist SLT, Small Talk SLT
Rating:  5
ISBN-10: 978 1 84905 289 4