tykeTALK ANNUAL REPORT 20042005

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tykeTALK ANNUAL REPORT 2004-2005
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Thank you to the tykeTALK Speech and Language
Pathologists (SLP), Communicative Disorder
Assistants (CDA), Therapy Assistants and
Administrative Assistants (AA) for their
expertise and dedicated service in 2004-2005
Melissa McDonald, CDA, H.A. Leeper Speech and
Hearing Clinic UWO Alison McVittie, SLP, Thames
Valley Childrens Centre Melanie Mohr, CDA, H. A.
Leeper Speech and Hearing Clinic, UWO Gillian
Newkirk, SLP, Thames Valley Childrens
Centre Carolyn Nicholson, SLP, Thames Valley
Childrens Centre Becky Orenczuk, SLP, H.A.
Leeper Speech and Hearing Clinic UWO Jennifer
Paul, SLP, Ontario Early Years Centre Elgin,
Middlesex, London Bev Preston, SLP, Ontario
Early Years Centre Elgin, Middlesex,
London Kristine Rendell, Therapy Assistant,
Thames Valley Childrens Centre Stephanie Ryan,
SLP, Conseil Scolaire de District des École
Catholiques du Sud Ouest Kathryn Samways, SLP,
Woodstock General Hospital Jennifer Schidowka,
SLP, H.A. Leeper Speech and Hearing Clinic
UWO Sonya Schwartzentruber, SLP, Woodstock
General Hospital Dawn Shivratton, AA, Thames
Valley Childrens Centre Tracy Simonar, SLP,
Thames Valley Childrens Centre Rose Sinclair,
SLP, Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital Bonnie
Skiffington, SLP, Thames Valley Childrens
Centre Kim Spylo, SLP, H.A. Leeper Speech and
Hearing Clinic UWO Jennifer Steeper, SLP, Thames
Valley Childrens Centre Kristin Strauss, SLP,
Child and Parent Resource Institute Michelle
Truppé, SLP, Thames Valley Childrens Centre Sue
Vaclavek, AA, H. A. Leeper Speech and Hearing
Clinic UWO Christine Van Gaal, SLP, Woodstock
General Hospital Katie Van Horne, SLP, Thames
Valley Childrens Centre Karla Washington, SLP,
H. A. Leeper Speech and Hearing Clinic UWO
Deb Almost, SLP, Woodstock General
Hospital Kristina Antonsen, CDA, Strathroy
Middlesex General Hospital Annie Blydorp, SLP,
Child and Parent Resource Institute Jean Braun,
SLP, Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital Violet
Brooks, SLP, Thames Valley Childrens Centre Anne
Carruthers, SLP, Ontario Early Years Centre
Elgin, Middlesex, London Lynne Cater, Therapy
Assistant, Thames Valley Childrens
Centre Kristina Craven, SLP, Thames Valley
Childrens Centre Tammy Devlugt, AA, Ontario
Early Years Centre Elgin, Middlesex,
London Sandra Driedger, AA, Woodstock General
Hospital Dianne Duff, AA, Thames Valley
Childrens Centre Anne Dworschak-Stokan, SLP,
Thames Valley Childrens Centre Allyson Dykstra,
SLP, Thames Valley Childrens Centre Carol Ford,
Therapy Assistant, Thames Valley Childrens
Centre Joan Gardner, SLP, Child and Parent
Resource Institute Margaret Gartrell, SLP,
Woodstock General Hospital Joanne Girvan, Service
Coordinator, Thames Valley Childrens Centre Barb
Hodges, SLP, Strathroy Middlesex General
Hospital Lynn Ireland, Therapy Assistant, Thames
Valley Childrens Centre Jennifer Johnston,
CDA,/Therapy Assistant, Thames Valley Childrens
Centre Jackie Klijn, SLP, Thames Valley
Childrens Centre Christine Law, SLP, Thames
Valley Childrens Centre Jacqueline Lawrence,
SLP, Child and Parent Resource Institute Tracy
Lomas, SLP, Ontario Early Years Centre Elgin,
Middlesex, London Trish Major, SLP, Ontario Early
Years Centre Elgin, Middlesex, London Deborah
Maund, SLP, Thames Valley Childrens Centre
tykeTALK Staff Debbie Shugar, System Facilitator
Diane Bélanger, Intake Coordinator Judy
Ball, Health Promoter Shirley
VanderPloeg, Administrative Assistant Gail
Sheehan, Administrative Assistant
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I feel that tykeTALK services have given my son
and I a wonderful way to finally communicate to
each other. Thank you!
FAMILY FEEDBACK Working together with families
has been a focus for tykeTALK since its
inception. Our Mission statement talks about
collaboration with families. In our Beliefs, we
state that each child and family are unique and
that families know their children best and are
critical to the growth and development of their
childs communication skills. Our Guiding
Principles refer to services that are family
centered and accessible. In April 2004 we
surveyed our families to see how they were
perceiving our services. We heard back from over
600 families and on virtually every indicator,
survey respondents gave the tykeTALK service very
favourable ratings. More specifically
I always tell people that tykeTALK has opened
doors for my daughter. Doors to happiness,
friendship and communication.

• 92 of families reported positive changes in
  their childs speech and language abilities as a
  result of the services they received from
  tykeTALK.
• Over two thirds of families indicated that
  services were provided at convenient times and
  locations.
• More than 3/4 of families agreed that it was easy
  to find out about tykeTALK and to make contact
  with us.
• More than 80 of families indicated that during
  the assessment their concerns were listened to
  carefully, they were given suggestions of things
  to do to help their child, the Speech and
  Language Pathologist helped them to understand
  their childs speech and language needs and they
  understood what to expect over the next several
  months.
• A substantial majority of families agreed that
  all of the different interventions (e.g.
  individual therapy, group therapy, home program)
  had a positive impact on their childs speech and
  language skills, were very to completely
  satisfied with the services that they received,
  felt that almost all or most of their needs were
  met and would recommend tykeTALK to others in
  need of such services.
• tykeTALK services were delivered in a manner
  consistent with the principles of family centred
  service and families felt appropriately and
  meaningfully involved in their childs treatment.

The tykeTALK system is very valuable because it
allows parents to access help which is important
for children but it is important for parents so
that they can learn how to communicate with and
help their children.
Revenues 1,104,775 - 100 funded by the
Ministry of Children and Youth Services EXPENSES
13.6 Administration
1.9 Operating Costs
2.5 Health Promotion
Several recommendations evolved from the survey
and we will be looking at these more closely over
the next several months to determine possible
changes to further enhance the quality of our
services. In the meantime we celebrate the
successes of our families and our partnerships
with them. tykeTALK System Facilitator
82 Direct Service Delivery SLPs/Support
Personnel
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IN SUPPORT OF FAMILIES - 2004-2005 TOGETHER WE
CAN ACHIEVE OUR VISION...

• Were committed to continual improvement
• Over 600 families gave us feedback on our Family
  Survey.
• Results from the Family Survey were analyzed and
  discussed with our service providers and
  recommendations for enhancement were made.
• Strategic Priorities for the year were selected.

• We enhanced communication development
• 3103 children had their first assessment and/or
  participated in intervention - up 9 from last
  year.
• 29 of the children we saw this year were
  discharged with speech and language skills within
  normal limits.
• 92 of families reported positive changes in
  their childs speech and language abilities as a
  result of the services they received from
  tykeTALK.
• 80 of families reported that they were able to
  understand their child better since receiving
  tykeTALK services.
• 46 of children were transitioned to school for
  continued services.

• We increased accessibility to service
• Parents made 59 of referrals!
• We received 988 new referrals this year.
• Families waited an average of 7 weeks for
  assessment and 16 weeks for first intervention
  from the time of referral.
• Families and children received services at 108
  different locations in the community.
• 3373 preschool children in Thames Valley have
  received our service.
• The average age of referral was 32 months.
• 29 of children referred were under 24 months of
  age.

All preschool children will achieve communication
skills to their full potential, laying the
foundation for lifelong success.

• We increased public awareness and understanding
• Our website www.tykeTALK.com averaged over 700
  visits per month.
• We were at parenting and other fairs across the
  region.
• We placed numerous ads in community papers and on
  television.
• 444 families participated in information
  sessions.
• 16 information sessions were presented to
  community professionals.

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tykeTALK wishes to thank all our partners for
their support and contributions!
Lead Agency
Service Provider Agencies H. A. Leeper Speech and
Hearing Clinic UWO Ontario Early Years Centre
Elgin, Middlesex, London Strathroy Middlesex
General Hospital Thames Valley Childrens
Centre Woodstock General Hospital Community
Partners A Child First, Oxford All Kids Belong,
London/Middlesex Association for Community
Living, Dutton Child Care Centres - Thames Valley
Region Child and Parent Resource
Institute Childreach Early Childhood Education
Resource Centre Conseil Scolaire de District des
Écoles Catholiques du Sud Ouest Conseil Scolaire
de District du Centre Sud-Ouest Elgin-St. Thomas
Health Unit Livingston Centre, Tillsonburg London
Childrens Connection London District Catholic
School Board Merrymount Childrens
Centre Northwest Middlesex Multi Service Centre,
Parkhill Ontario Early Years Centre Elgin,
Middlesex, London Ontario Early Years Centre
Lambton Kent Middlesex - Strathroy
Satellite Ontario Early Years Centre London
Fanshawe Ontario Early Years Centre London North
Centre Ontario Early Years Centre London
West Ontario Early Years Centre Oxford Oxford
Community Child Care Oxford County Board of
Health Quest Centre, Glencoe Speech and Language
Pathologist Private Practitioners Speech
Foundation of Ontario St. James Anglican Church,
Ingersoll Straffordville Public Library,
Straffordville Strathroy and Area Senior
Centre Thames Valley District Health
Council Thames Valley District School
Board University of Western Ontario Village
Co-operative Preschool, Lambeth West Elgin
Community Parent and Child Resource Centre, Rodney
Alliance Steering Committee Sharon Buccione,
(Chair), Community Representative Deb Almost,
Woodstock General Hospital Irene Buckland Foster,
Middlesex London Health Unit Manuella Giuliano,
Thames Valley District Health Council Sylvia
Hazenberg, Parent Representative Michelle
Hurtubise, Intercommunity Health Care Adrienne
Jonckheere, Community Representative Jacqueline
Lawrence, Child and Parent Resource Institute
Stephanie Loomer, Thames Valley District Health
Council Susan MacIsaac, Oxford County Board of
Health Rosine Salazer, Thames Valley District
School Board Rose Sinclair, Strathroy Middlesex
General Hospital Annette St. Pierre, London
District Catholic School Board Maryann Tucker,
Thames Valley Childrens Centre Lois Warden,
Elgin Association for Community Living Genese
Warr-Leeper, University of Western Ontario
tykeTALK
Services Liaison Sub Committee JoAnn Dunn
(Chair), Merrymount Children Centre Kristina
Antonsen, Strathroy Middlesex General
Hospital Jenny Campbell, Parent
Representative Tracy Lomas, OEYC Elgin,
Middlesex, London Beth Mencel, Thames Valley
District School Board Patti Prentice, Ontario
Early Years Centre London West Sonya
Schwartzentruber, Woodstock General Hospital Kim
Spylo, University of Western Ontario Kristin
Strauss, Child and Parent Resource
Institute Colleen Sullivan, London District
Catholic School Board Michelle Truppé, Thames
Valley Childrens Centre