10 May 2021

The RCSLT is delighted to announce the launch of Mind Your Words, a new free online course to support those working with children and young people with mental health needs.

The aim of this learning journey is to improve understanding of children and young people who have both mental health needs – or social emotional and mental health needs (SEMH) – and speech, language and communication needs (SLCN). This is made all the more important during the COVID-19 pandemic, as research suggests it has had an effect on everyone’s mental health, including children.

The new online training highlights the links between mental health and communication, and outlines how professionals can work together to remove communication barriers and help children and young people achieve their potential. The course consists of 15 modules, of which the first five apply to all settings.

The five core modules explain:

  • What speech, language and communication needs are.
  • What social, emotional and mental health needs are and how to recognise them.
  • How SLCN and SEMH are inter-related and what are strategies you can put in place.

The remaining modules look in more detail at ways you can support children and young people, including getting support from speech and language therapy, working collaboratively, modifying risk assessment and de-escalation techniques, becoming a communication accessible service and much more.

To access this free resource please visit the RCSLT CPD platform.

Find out more about the Mind Your Words project.