The partnership between our highly-trained clinicians and the families on our Auditory Verbal therapy programme is crucial in developing their child’s listening and spoken language.

At fortnightly therapy sessions the child comes to ‘play’ and with input from their Auditory Verbal therapist, parents learn relevant strategies and techniques to develop their child's language and social skills.  Families leave sessions armed with ideas on how these techniques can be used in everyday routines at home. The parents play a crucial role in supporting their child.

We recognise that this hard work takes place alongside other responsibilities that family life and work brings. Parent-only are an integral part of the programme.  They take place annually, in the autumn term, and are an opportunity to reflect on the successes and challenges that have taken place over the last six months. Supported by their Auditory Verbal therapist and a member of AVUK's family support team, parents have the opportunity to discuss what is going well and to raise concerns, without their child present. This time is focused on the parents and discussions often include the progress their child has made with their listening and language development, specific concerns they might have, and what the next steps are going forward. It is also a space to discuss Education Health and Care Plans, thoughts around school and for parents to provide feedback on how they are finding the programme. Parents and therapists have the opportunity to request a further parent-only session in either the spring or summer term if the need arises and in lieu of a therapy session.

The parent-only session was a great moment of reflection. It gave us an opportunity to think where we've been and where we want to go. And to note the achievements, as its always so easy to be looking to the next target and goal and not realise how far [our child] has come.  It was great to have a chance to focus and talk without [our child] in the room so we could really have the time to properly reflect.

Parent of a child currently on the programme at AVUK

If you'd like to find out more about our programme for families click here.