A groundbreaking speech and language therapy programme launched in Jewish primary schools in Stamford Hill has been shortlisted for a prestigious award.

Talking Together works in around 20 schools to improve language and communication skills.

Thanks to the programme, over the past three years, more than 300 children have been able to receive specialist speech and language therapy, with all children showing improvement, according to programme coordinators.

Talking Together is now a contender for a Health Service Journal (HSJ) Patient Safety Award in the category Improving Health Outcomes in Minority Ethnic Communities.

The project was created by Zippy Leigh, lead speech and language therapist at Stamford Hill-based charity Children Ahead, together with Helen Wilson, speech and language therapist from Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

Leigh said that what made Talking Together unique was that it was the first time a Charedi education and health charity had worked in partnership with the NHS on speech and language intervention.

Leigh told the JC: “Historically, children in the Charedi community, generally did not access statutory-funded speech and language therapy due to them mostly being educated in independent schools. After years of advocacy, this pilot project was commissioned, and it has gone a long way towards breaking down barriers and ensuring Charedi children can access the services they are entitled to.”

Zippy Leigh, lead speech and language therapist at Stamford Hill-based charity Children Ahead, who co-created the Talking Together programme for Charedi primary schools

She added that it had also “helped to build trust in NHS services more widely as we are working together with the NHS. They see that we understand the culture, so the schools are much more open about bringing things to the table.”

Two speech and language therapists – one from Children Ahead and one from the NHS – work in tandem, either directly with the pupils or training teachers, and materials used have been specially adapted to make them accessible to children from a Charedi background. For example, instead of “Grandpa”, “Zeidy” is featured, and Allan the Alien has been replaced by Moishe from the Moon.

Leigh said that the assessments had picked up language difficulties such as word-finding difficulties, challenges with sequencing a story and understanding abstract questions, such as “Why?”, “How?” and “What do you think?”

The programme had led them to diagnoses such as autistic spectrum disorder in some children, which otherwise would have gone undetected.

“A lot of these needs weren’t being picked up before and through Talking Together, we have been able to target these individuals using group or individual therapy,” said Leigh.

Materials from the Talking Together speech and language programme have been specially adapted to be culturally accessible to children at Charedi primary schools in Stamford Hill (Photo: Talking Together/Children Ahead/Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation)

Due to the collaboration with the NHS, children who are identified as needing further support are now also able to access an EHCP (education, health and care plan) from the local authority, when historically, the rate of EHCPs in Charedi schools has been much lower than in mainstream schools.

Leigh said that they had seen improvements in all the children who had participated in the programme. “We work with children on emotional literacy. Beforehand, many could only use word like ‘good’ and ‘bad’ to describe their feelings, whereas now they are far better at expressing how they feel and sharing this with others,” she said, adding that research had shown that children with better emotional literacy were less likely to suffer from mental health difficulties in the future.

Leigh cited a child who, before the Talking Together programme, wasn’t able to put up their hand in class. “They now have more confidence, are better at finding their words and can access their learning more effectively.”

The consensus from teachers and parents has been overwhelmingly positive, with nine out of 10 saying they would recommend the training provided by Talking Together to a colleague.

One staff member said: “We strongly feel that all children and staff are really benefitting from this amazing programme. Children are all progressing beautifully and it’s amazing to see how the average class level has risen.”

A parent of a child on the Talking Together programme said her child had “learnt how to manage her feelings and express her wants and needs to us in an appropriate manner”.

Helen Wilson, speech and language therapist at Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation, who co-created the Talking Together programme for primary schools in Stamford Hill

Responding to the news of being shortlisted, Helen Wilson, clinical lead speech and language therapist at Children's Integrated Speech and Language Therapy Service for Hackney and the City, told the JC: “We’re really pleased to have been shortlisted. It’s testament to the positive impact joint working between the NHS and a trusted community provider can have, both for the children we worked with, and on better relationships and increased trust in NHS services.”

Children Ahead works with improving outcomes for over 600 Charedi children with learning and emotional difficulties and their families each year.

Working closely with the NHS, its 40 professionals offer a range of specialist interventions including occupational therapy, psychotherapy, speech therapy and specialist teaching.

Health Service Journal (HSJ) is the news and insight service for all healthcare leaders working in, for, or with the NHS.

The winner of the award will be announced in September.