Early Communication Together (ECT)
Overview
About
Aims of the programme for parents:
1. To learn strategies for communicating with their child, with the guidance of professionals.
2. To understand how their child communicates.
3. To build confidence in communicating with their child.
4. To gain access to expert advice and support.
5. To meet and build relationships with other families
Aims of the programme for the child:
1. To communicate what they need or want.
2. To build attention skills – especially focusing on the agenda of an adult for a short time.
3. To manage transitions between activities with support.
4. To engage in play with another person.
Structure and interventions
The ECT Hub is made up of Speech and Language Therapists and Early Years practitioners and teachers. Key workers from the child’s nursery are also invited to attend one session to gain information on how to continue these strategies in nursery.
Each week the families take part in the following interventions;
- Attention activities
- Interactive Music Making
- Child led play – inside
- Child led play – outside
Families are supported to help their child’s skills in the following areas;
- Awareness of others
- Attention to own tasks and adult led activities
- Sending intentional communicative messages
- Imitating
- Having fun interacting with others
- Understanding and moving between locations and activities
The following strategies are used;
- Imitating their child’s sound, words and actions
- Following their child’s interests in play
- Interpreting their child’s attempts at communication
- ‘Intruding’ on their child’s play
- Giving a reason to communicate and…waiting for a response
- Using visual timetables and/or objects to support transitions
The following video explains what to expect from the 6 week programme:
Admissions/Referrals
Referrals are provided for children who have completed an initial block of therapy with the Oxleas Early Years Speech and Language Therapy Service. This is the only pathway for referrals.
Outreach
Once the six-week programme is completed, the ECT team will do an outreach visit once a term to the child's setting to work with the staff to support the child's needs. Please see the ECT Policy below for more information.
ECT Policy
