Inclusive communication​ ​overview

Inclusive communication is relevant to everyone and to all forms of communication and should be adopted at individual, organisational and population level. By using inclusive communication SLTs can help to reduce inequality and social isolation and make sure services meet human rights, legal, policy and requirements.

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What is inclusive communication?

Inclusive communication is an approach to communication which enables as many people as possible to be included in that interaction.

This approach:

  • Recognises that all human beings use many ways of understanding and expressing themselves.
  • Encourages, supports and enables people to use whatever ways of understanding and expressing themselves which they find easiest.

It does not relate only to a specific activity for a particular group. It is an overarching approach which is relevant to:

  • Everyone and in all situations, not just people with communication support needs.
  • All communication at individual, organisation and population levels.
  • All modes of communication – face-to-face, telephone, written, online.

Related pages

Why adopt inclusive communication?

There are human rights, legal, economic and policy reasons for adopting this approach. It is vital to equality of access to services, person-centered care and increased participation and social interaction.

For more information see our position paper on inclusive communication (PDF).

Role of SLTs as specialists inclusive communication

SLTs are specialists in identifying and working with individuals with communication difficulties, enabling those individuals to communicate effectively and advising and supporting others to do the same.

With this expert knowledge, they are key players in promoting communication inclusion, both at an individual level and at wider organisational or population levels.

SLTs have a leadership role to play in supporting the implementation of inclusive communication through increasing the awareness, skills and knowledge of others in the public, private and third sectors.

This can be done through training, and the involvement of SLTs in discussions of policy and organisational development.

RCSLT Five Good Communication Standards

In 2013, RCSLT published the Five Good Communication Standards to assist health and social care providers manage the risk of failing to make reasonable adjustments to meet communication needs.

Please also see the Easy Read version of the Five Good Communication Standards

These standards, which apply primarily at an individual and service level, may be a good starting point when promoting inclusive communication at a service level. They can act as a basic benchmarking tool.

Case study: Using RCSLT’s 5 Good Communication standards to audit the communication environment and affect change 2015.

The Five Good Communication Standards can be used to support children’s homes to demonstrate how they are implementing the 9 Quality Standards.

The Five Good Communication Standards:

  • There is a detailed description of how best to communicate with individuals
  • Services demonstrate how they support individuals with communication needs to be involved with decisions about their care and their service
  • Staff value and use competently the best approaches to communication with each individual they support
  • Services create opportunities, relationships and environments that make individuals want to communicate
  • Individuals are supported to understand and express their needs in relation to their health and wellbeing.

The RCSLT’s Five Good Communication Standards were discussed at the Northern Ireland Hub forum 2021. Watch the recording on YouTube and download the slides (PDF).

Resources

Videos

For more videos visit the RCSLT YouTube channel.