Locked Up and Locked Out: Communication is the key

1

• Locked Up and Locked Out Communication is the
  key
• Royal College of Speech Language Therapists
• Jane Mackenzie
• England Country Policy Officer

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Communication support for young offenders The
England political context
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• Why does delayed speech and language development
  matter?
• The national political and policy context
• RCSLT criminal justice campaign
• Achievements so far
• Developing SLT services in youth justice

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Why does delayed speech and language matter?

• Up to 8 of children have speech, language and
  communication problems
• Link between language delay and low
  socio-economic status
• In some areas 40-50 children enter the education
  system without sufficient speech and language
  skills to learn to read and write.

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What are the risks for children with speech and
language difficulties?

• Poor literacy skills
• Low self esteem
• Mental health problems
• Antisocial behaviour which can lead to truancy
  and exclusion from school.
• Difficulties with social relationships

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More facts and figures

• 11 of educational tribunals relate to children
  with SLCN
• Over 60 of offenders have significant
  communication disability
• Over a third of young offenders have speaking and
  listening skills below level 1 of the National
  Curriculum, a 5 year old level.

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Political Context

• Cost to the nation of rising numbers of children
  in custody.
• Key driver Early identification and intervention
• Tackling health and educational inequalities
• Economic drivers making services more efficient
  / value for money
• Producing best outcomes for society and
  vulnerable children
• Shared political responsibility - triad of
  government departments MoJ, DH and DCSF
• General cross party interest in topic

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Key government policy developments

• Intermediary scheme
• Offender Health Strategy
• Youth Crime Action Plan
• Youth Action Taskforce
• CAMHS review
• The Rose review

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The National Policy context

• The Every Child Matters programme (2003 onwards)
• Every Child Matters Framework for Inspection of
  Children Services (2005)
• Children Act (2004)
• Every Child Matters in the Health Service (2006)
  
• The Inclusion Development Programme (2008-2011)
• Healthy lives, brighter futures the strategy for
  children and young people's health (2009

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Continued.

• Bercow review December 2008
• Better communication. A government action plan to
  improve services for children and young people
  with SLC December 2008
• Bradley review of mental health March 2009
• Locked Up Potential, a report on prison reform
  published by the Centre for Social Research
  March 2009
• Justice and coroners bill April 2009
• DH offender health and social care strategy

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Bercow Report - Key messages

• Lack of diagnosis for SLCD
• Reasonable early years SLT services but postcode
  lottery after that
• Even where children receive adequate SLT in
  primary school, paucity of services in senior
  schools
• Lack of services for children leaving special
  schools
• Vulnerable children (care system and CJS) have
  almost no access to SLT services

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Campaign aimsFor government and key
organisations to recognise

• Over 60 of offenders have a significant
  communication disability which prevents them from
  benefitting from language based interventions and
  increases their chances of re-offending.
• The need to develop a section within the ASSET
  health screen which identifies people with
  communication disability.
• The unique role played by SLTs in addressing
  their needs, especially our role in regime change
  and in the training of other staff.

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What will success look like? The campaign
will have succeeded when

• Government policy and other publications include
  reference to the need for provision of adequate
  and appropriate speech and language therapy for
  both young and adult offenders.
• Communication section becomes part of the ASSET
  initial assessment for children.
• There is evidence of an increase in jobs created
  for SLTs working across the criminal justice
  system with vulnerable young people who are at
  risk of offending or young offenders.

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Continued.

• Most of the recommendations of the RCSLT model of
  service delivery are adopted by the government.
• Training for SLTs working with offenders is
  successfully piloted, in co-operation with other
  stakeholders, and accredited
• Training for staff working with offenders is
  successfully piloted, in co-operation with other
  stakeholders, and accredited.

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Achievements so far

• High profile given to SLT and communication
  disability in current policy and publications
• Work is progressing in ASSET revision
• RCSLT is seen as the leaders and experts in the
  field.
• The intermediary scheme is being extended to
  include defendants.
• Established a coalition of national stake holder
  organisations to drive forward the justice for
  children campaign

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More achievements

• The association of youth offending team managers
  appoints a speech language and communication
  national lead
• DCSF provides funding to the communication trust
  to develop and deliver communication training for
  staff.
• RCSLT directly working with YJB to revise the
  ASSET
• SLTs are increasingly being employed to work with
  YOTS and within the secure estate.

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Strike while the iron is hot

• National political awareness of the problem and
  both a political and economic imperative to
  address it
• Policy context favourable, funding available.
• Cross party sign-up
• Evidence is growing of the value of SLT services
  in improving outcomes for vulnerable children
  with communication disability.
• Potential for SLT service development within
  adult secure estate.

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• Many thanks for inviting me to contribute towards
  this keynote event today
• Jane Mackenzie, England Country Policy Officer,
  RCSLT
• Email jane.mackenzie_at_rcslt.org
• Tel [phone]
• Web www.rcslt.org