The Y WA is working in partnership with Edith Cowan University School of Medical and Health Sciences to directly respond to expanding demand for speech therapy services in Western Australia.
The not-for-profit organisation has been engaging with speech pathology students from the ECU to provide targeted support during the most critical years of a child’s learning.
This unique partnership brings students into real-life early learning settings and delivers early speech and language support across two of the Y WA’s Early Learning Centres (ELC), providing much needed support to families whilst offering a value-added service at no extra cost.
As part of the initiative, third year speech pathology students are completing 12-week placements at the Westminster and Brabham ELCs, which commenced in August and will continue through to October.
"With some WA families waiting up to three years for speech therapy, this 12-week program provides invaluable support during the most critical years of learning." The Y Baldivis ELC director Amanda Broad
The students are supervised by a qualified speech pathologist as they work with children in centres and develop resources that can be shared and used by parents across all 14 of the Y WA’s ELCs.
Speech pathology students are given the opportunity to apply their trade through practical on-the-job training while still completing their studies, and families using the Y WA’s ELC services receive support from students ready to make a real impact.
The Y WA Brabham ELC director Noureen Ansari said the additional support from students has been invaluable for the staff, the children and their families.
“With some WA families waiting up to three years for speech therapy, this 12-week program provides invaluable support during the most critical years of learning, setting children up for success at school and beyond,” Ms Ansari said.
ECU students Stacey Clark (left), Ruining Nong and Kymberley Jefferies work with child Kora Eni at the Y Westminster ELC. Photo: Tegan Taudigani
An initial trial was delivered in March at the Y WA Baldivis ELC prior to a further roll-out of the Y WA and ECU partnership in August.
Baldivis ELC director Amanda Broad said there were clear improvements in the children during that trial period.
“There was a notable difference with the children who spent time with the ECU students,” Ms Broad said.
“One child for example, was close to non-verbal. After the 12 weeks that we had the students here, he now comes in each day and says hello to everyone, talks and sings with his peers, and he has moved up into a different kindy room where he can fully engage with the Y WA School ReadY Program.”
The partnership between the Y WA and ECU complements the current School ReadY Program offered across all of the ELCs.
Developed by the Y WA, School ReadY provides educators with resources and coaching to help make a difference every day as they support children to develop skills in three fundamental domains; oral language and pre-literacy, early numeracy, and social-emotional wellbeing.
As part of the program, children complete a LanguageScreen assessment which helps to identify children who may benefit from extra help with their language skills.
Y WA chief executive Tim McDonald said collaborating with ECU has bolstered the organisation’s capacity to intervene early if children are experiencing language difficulties.
“Our aim is to ensure children do not start school behind, as we know that research shows it is much harder to remediate a learning difficulty the longer it is left,” Dr McDonald said.
“The Y WA are nurturing the next generation of allied health professionals while delivering real impact for children, families, and educators.”
By Hearts and Minds
