Specialist communication

• What are the six active listening skills?

  • Open, relaxed posture
  • Show empathy
  • Nodding agreement
  • Clarifying
  • Eye contact, looking interested
  • Summarising to show understanding
• What is specialist communication?

  Service practitioners in health and social care settings use different

  forms of communications. These include specialist communications that are designed to meet service users’ specific and unique needs that may arise out of a condition or disability.
• Advocate

  Definition: Someone who speaks on behalf of a service user who is unable to speak up for themselves eg a young child, somebody with learning difficulties, an older person with dementia

  Benefits:

  • Children who are looked after in care can benefit from having an advocate to ensure that their wishes and feelings are taken into account when important decisions about their lives are made.

  Examples:

  • Children who have complex communication needs can have their views represented through an advocate who knows them well e.g a family member.
• Benefits of having an advocate

  • independent – it enables service users to have their views, wishes and preferences communicated by an independent person
  • confident – it supports service users to communicate their views, wishes and preferences to others
  • heard – it empowers service users by ensuring others listen to their views, wishes and preferences
  • resourceful – it supports service users to believe in their own abilities.
• Braille

  Definition: Braille is a tactile reading and writing system used by individuals who are blind or visually impaired and are unable to access materials in print. Braille uses raised dots to represent letters of the alphabet, numbers and punctuation marks; these can be read or written by touch.

  Benefits: It is important because it enables individuals to read and write

  independently.

  Example:

  • In a care home, the lunch menu can be written in braille for a person who can't see the menu.
• British Sign Language (BSL)

  Definition: It is a form of communication that uses gestures, facial expressions and body language. It is used by individuals that are deaf or hearing impaired. Recognised by the UK government as an official language in 2003.

  Benefits: Individuals with hearing impairments are able to communicate using a recognised language and has its own grammar and sentence structure.

  Example:

  • A care worker being able to sign 'good morning', 'can I help you’, to a deaf service user can make them feel less isolated.
• Interpreters

  Definition: Interpreters can make or facilitate communication by converting spoken or sign languages from one language to another. They support people who are not fluent in the language to understand what is being said.

  Benefits: Allows individuals who do not speak the same language to communicate.

  Interpreting can be carried out:

  • in person, e.g. at a care plan meeting
  • by telephone, e.g. at a hospital

  Example:

  • A GP having an interpreter available to support a non English speaking patient during a consultation can enable them to feel included and involved in making decisions
• Makaton

  Definition: A form of communication that uses signs and symbols to help adults and children who have difficulties with speech to communicate. It is designed to support spoken language, the signs and symbols are used with speech, in spoken word order.

  Benefits: It enables service users who have no speech, limited speech or whose speech is unclear, to interact and communicate with others.

  Example:

  • A social worker visiting a family with a young child who has communication difficulties to ask them how they are to reduce feelings of isolation and frustration.
• Voice Activated Software

  Definition: Voice-activated software enables individuals to operate a device, carry out commands or write without having to use a keyboard, mouse or push any buttons. It can be used by individuals who have difficulties with their mobility (their ability to move) or in using a keyboard to type due to a physical or learning disability.

  Benefits: Voice-activated software can promote equal opportunities and provide individuals with independence

  Example:

  • An older adult who has limited mobility could use the software to open and close curtains or turn the lights on and off.