Training for Child Minders & Foster Carers

• Exploring Communcation Development
• Let's Talk
• It takes two to talk
• See nursery courses page too

For details see below:

1.  Exploring Communication Development (2 x 1 hr sessions)

During the two sessions parents will:

• Learn the importance of communication development for all children
• Identify key factors in the development of communication
• Identify their role in supporting children’s communication development
• Gain an understanding of how they can support their children’s communication development
• Know where to find information and support on children’s communication development.

2. Let's Talk (6x 2 hour sessions)

Lets talk with Under 5's is an accredited course delivered over six two-hour workshops with an optional seventh which explores phonology.

Who is the course for?

This course is relevant to parents, carers (including child minders) and pre-school practitioners wanting some key skills and knowledge. Completion of this course can lead to exploring the issues involved in more depth by attending our Speech and Language Support for Under 5's ten week course.

What do participants receive?

• Teaching from qualified speech and language therapists and or an experienced teacher
• Opportunities to discuss ideas to help children learn to listen, understand and talk
• Information about communication difficulties children can experience
• Opportunities to meet other pre-school practitioners, parents and carers
• Information about normal speech and language development
• An illustrated workbook full of practical tips and ideas which provides a rich source of individualised strategies and information to support a specific child
• Accreditation if you would like it
• Support needed to complete the workbook to achieve accreditation at level 1 though the Open College Network.

What is taught?

• What is communication?
• Adult-child interaction
• Play; the link between play and language.
• Using words and sentence
• Asking questions and sharing books
• Helping children with unclear speech

The sessions are very practical, there are opportunities to:

• Think about you child's communication
• Try new ideas
• Choose activities specifically for you
• Discuss a range of issues
• Practise using ideas at home or in the work place
• Gain recognition for taking part in the course by recording your ideas, observations and activities in a booklet. You can gain a certificate from the Open College Network South West which is part of Plymouth University. This could help you with employment opportunities. You will be given support and encouragement to achieve this goal.

3. It Takes Two to Talk (8 weeks)

The It Takes Two to Talk Program is designed specifically for parents of children ages five and under who have been identified as having a language delay. In a small, personalized group setting, parents learn practical strategies to help their children learn language naturally throughout their day together.

The It Takes Two to Talk Program teaches you, step-by-step, how to become your child’s most important language teacher.

The It Takes Two to Talk Program includes:

• 6-8 training sessions for parents in small, personalized groups
• A Hanen Certified speech-language pathologist leading the program
• A pre-program consultation for you and your child with the speech-language pathologist
• Three individual visits for you and your child with the speech-language pathologist in which you are videotaped while practicing strategies to help your child achieve specific communication goals. You and the speech-language pathologist then watch the videotaped interaction to “see” what’s helping your child and what you can modify to help even more.

Why Take the It Takes Two to Talk® Program?

Here are some of the valuable things the program will teach you how to do:

• Recognize your child’s stage and style of communication so that you know which steps to take next
• Identify what motivates your child to interact with you so you’ll know how to get conversations started
• Adjust everyday routines to help your child take turns and keep interactions going
• Follow your child’s lead to build his confidence and encourage him to communicate
• Add language to interactions with your child to help him understand language and then use it when he is ready
• Tweak the way you play and read books with your child to help him learn language
• Change the way you speak to your child so that he’ll understand and learn new words

read more at@ http://www.hanen.org/Hanen-Programs/Programs-For-Parents/It-Takes-Two-to-Talk-Parent-Program.aspx