Speech, language, and communication needs are the most common childhood disability with prevalence rates of 7-10% reported for preschool children rising to as high as 50% of all children in areas of social disadvantage. Children with poor vocabulary are twice as likely to be unemployed as adults. Speech and language therapy can be effective in supporting children to achieve their potential. However, multiple challenges make accessing services difficult. Understanding how parents and speech and language therapists view current service delivery is a first step to addressing these challenges.
This project’s objective was to identify the challenges and opportunities for improving speech and language therapy services for children with disabilities. Employing a Design Thinking methodology, a comprehensive stakeholder process engaged a total of 140 participants, including parents, speech and language therapists, health service managers, and other related professionals. Through this collaborative effort, 240 challenges were identified. Content analysis was used to synthesise these challenges and formulate a list of Needs Statements. Subsequently, a prioritisation process involving 20% of the participants was conducted to identify the most critical needs.
Many challenges were identified, including lengthy waiting lists, insufficient quantity of therapy sessions, and challenges with communication. Through the prioritisation process, enhancing communication between families and therapists outside the clinic setting was identified as a high priority that could be supported through technology. Using AI to generate visualisations highlighting deep insights into home practices, we will create a transparent ecosystem between care members and therapists to monitor the child’s progress during intervention.
Recent Comments