Sam Sly of Beyond Limits (http://www.beyondlimits-uk.org) shares findings from her MSc project about approaches and tools to involve children with learning disabilities and little or no verbal communication in the Inspection process.

1. Tools and Approaches for Involving
Children with learning disabilities and
little or no verbal communication in
Inspection
An MSc action research project carried out by Sam Sly

2. No “Fix all”
• No one miracle tool
• No one approach that will work with
everyone
• Tools and approaches in this project
not designed for communicating with
people with profound learning
disabilities or autistic spectrum
disorder

3. Why this project?
• Identified by CSCI User and Public
Involvement Team as needed
• The literature review showed that
the most needed and least
researched area was gaining views of
children with little or no verbal
communication
• Personal interest

4. How did the project work?
• Small project (3 inspectors and one care
home for children with learning
disabilities, aged 8-19)
• All the children, staff, inspectors and the
manager of the home were participants
with an equal say
• 9 children acted as Peer Informants
• 6 children were interviewed
• Inspectors and staff met as focus groups
throughout the project to reflect and plan
the next steps

5. How did we come up with
the findings?
• Interviews with the children were video
taped
• Interviews with Peer Informant children,
staff and Inspectors after interviews were
audio taped
• All the tapes were written up and themes
emerged that were then confirmed by
participants to be a true reflection of their
views
• The tools were improved and modified
throughout the project as they were
tested out

6. The introduction and
opt out tools
(Handout 1 and 2)
• Consent is crucial and sometimes
difficult to obtain
• As inspectors we need to introduce
ourselves and give information in
ways that are understood
• Consent is a continual process, not
a one-off statement
• Interviewees need to be able to
opt in or out at any time

7. (Handout 3, 4 and 5)
“You wouldn’t go up to someone in the town
centre on a Saturday morning, cold, and say
“right I am going to talk to you about some
of the most intimate details of your life” and
then say “thanks very much, bye!” and
expect to get anything now would you?”
“To be honest Providers have been very
professional and very tolerant of us. It is
appalling that we are being sent in to
inspect without the ability to communicate”
Comments from Inspector during project

8. The Communication
Information Tool
(Handout 6)
• Must be familiar with person’s preferred
mode of communication when planning
the interview
• Useful to know something about the
person in relation to the topics you are
going to talk about
• Can prove evidence of how well the
staff know the communication needs of
the person

9. Vocabulary
• A “language” the person understands
• Age appropriate and culturally
appropriate
• Not restricted by negative perceptions
and prejudice
• Give opportunities, going beyond the
life experiences of the person
• Be relevant to that person
• Be interesting to them!

10. Peer Informants
• Not there to represent the views of the
people you are going to use the
vocabulary with
• Own views as people with similar life
experiences
• Shared communication needs
• Similar outlooks and life experiences
• But can give their views more fully

11. Topics
• Food
• Outdoor activities
• Indoor activities
• Staff support

12. Questions prompt sheet
(Handout 7)
• Complex
- one subject, one
question at a time
• Subjective
- clear, concise,
interesting,
understandable
• Very personal
• Closed “Yes” or - “open” style to enable
decision making and
“No” answers
choice

13. Talking MatsTM
Information
• Joan Murphy & Lois Cameron for AAC
Research Unit, Stirling University
• Talking Mats & Learning Disabilities
Pack
• Talking Mats & Frail Older People Pack
• AAC Research Unit, University of
Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA
• 01786 467645 info@aacscotland.com

14. My Contact Details
• Sam Sly Regulation Inspector
• CSCI
• Linhay Business Park
• Ashburton
• TQ13 7UP
• 01364 651 800
• Samantha.Sly@csci.gsi.gov.uk