So, when I’m not lolling about pretending to be a lady of leisure, I’m a speech therapist. Trying to help children develop their speech, language and communication skills. This video (courtesy of the Hello Campaign) is a nice reminder of the value of communication, and the importance of helping children who struggle. Over 50% of children start school lacking the communication skills they need to fully participate in life.
I’m all too aware of the impact that these early difficulties could have on these children’s lives. With 120 kids on my caseload I’m also aware that I can only be a tiny part of the help they need. Having a group of people eager to help a child is needed every time. When parents or teachers start tuning in to how a child communicates and then how to encourage them further, I get a little excited about the possibility of change. It keeps at bay my fear of this daunting task and reminds me that I’m not expected to try to fix it all. Working in a team offers the possibility of actually making a difference to childrens’ lives. So I just want to give props, to the mums and dads, the teachers and pre-school workers. And the kids, for being the funnest part of my day.