Resources

Disability Matters - Communication Basics

This session explores what we mean by communication – what it is, how and why we do it.

Disability Matters - Understanding Matters for Effective Communication

This session will help you to improve your chances of being understood and your awareness of whether or not you have been understood when you communicate, including with children and young people with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN), learning disabilities, social communication difficulties and Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Disability Matters - Communication Support Tools

This session looks at how to enable effective and accurate communication with disabled children and young people about their health needs and care needs.

Disability Matters - Communication Matters in Health

This session looks at how to communicate effectively with disabled children and young people in and about their learning, in educational settings and beyond.

Disability Matters - Communication Matters in Learning

This session looks at how to communicate effectively with disabled children and young people in and about their learning, in educational settings and beyond.

Disability Matters - Communication Matters in the Legal System

This session looks at how to enable best communication and best evidence with disabled children and young people involved in legal proceedings as either victims, witnesses, defendants or as parties in civil or family proceedings. The word order ‘disabled children and young people’ is used in this and all the Disability Matters sessions. This is because disabling factors are most often external to the person and are therefore something that everyone in society can do something about.

Communication

Children and young people with learning disabilities have a range of communication needs. Some communicate using speech, others communicate via body language, eye pointing or facial expressions. Some children and young people need support to communicate, use symbols or voice-output communication devices.