Your Child's Hospital Journey

Training

We offer a range of training opportunities to parents and staff across York, Scarborough, Whitby, and the Ryedale area.

These evidence-based sessions have been developed by specialist speech and language therapists with a wealth of experience and knowledge across a range of clinical areas, aiming to balance the theory behind our approaches with practical support strategies.

Upcoming sessions

Stammering workshop (for parents)

Multiple dates available through 2024 (you only need to attend one session):

Tuesday 14 May 9.30 am to 11 am
Tuesday 16 July, 9.30 am to 11 am
Tuesday 17 September, 9.30 am to 11 am
Tuesday 12 November, 9.30 am to 11 am

This online training session is suitable for parents and carers of children who stammer, living in York, Selby, Scarborough, Whitby, and Ryedale. It gives a brief overview of what stammering is and how you can support your child to be a confident communicator with a stammer.

To book a place, email laura.cookson2@nhs.net.

Stammering workshop (for setting staff and childcare providers)

Multiple dates available through 2024 (you only need to attend one session):

Tuesday 1 October, 3.45 pm to 5.15 pm

This online workshop is suitable for all setting staff and childcare providers in York, Selby, Scarborough, Whitby, and Ryedale. It gives a brief overview of what stammering is and how you can support a child in your setting to communicate confidently with a stammer.

To book a place, email laura.cookson2@nhs.net.

Speech sound development workshop

Friday 7 June 2024, 3.45-5.15pm

This online course is suitable for professionals who work with children with speech sound difficulties and parents of children with speech sound difficulties. You'll learn how speech sounds are made/develop and get advice and strategies to consider.

When should I refer a child?
How do speech sounds develop?
What can I do to support a child with speech sound difficulties?
How are speech sounds made?
What types of speech sound difficulties do children experience?

For more information and to book a place, email yhs-tr.childrenstherapytraining@nhs.net.

Supporting children who are picky eaters or avoidant/restrictive

Tuesday 2 July 2024, 1pm to 2.30pm

This online training session discusses the difference between picky eating and avoidant/restrictive eating, how to identify children with these difficulties, and provides ideas of strategies that will help. It will help answer some of the following questions:

How do I know who is picky and who is restrictive?
What will help at mealtimes?
Where can I go for further support?
What is ARFID?
How is a diagnosis of ARFID made and what are the challenges?
What strategies will help with sensory sensitivities?

The free session is available for parents and professionals across York, Selby, Scarborough, Whitby, and Ryedale.

For more information and to book a place, please email yhs-tr.childrenstherapytraining@nhs.net before 25 June.

Supporting secondary-aged children with selective mutism

Tuesday 2 July, 3.30pm to 4.30pm

This e-learning session explains what selective mutism is, what causes it, how to create a ‘selective mutism friendly environment’, and how to help children with selective mutism in your school/setting. It will help answer some of the following questions:

What is selective mutism?
How can I identify if a child in my setting or class has selective mutism?
What helpful information is available online and how do I find it?
Why do children become anxious about speaking in certain situations?
When should I refer a child?
What can I do to help a child with selective mutism?

The free training session is suitable for professionals who work in a secondary setting with children who are reluctant to speak or have selective mutism, across York, Selby, Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale.

For more information and to book a place, please email yhs-tr.childrenstherapytraining@nhs.net.

Supporting children to eat and drink safely

Thursday 26 September, 3.15pm to 4.45pm

This online training session explains what 'normal swallowing' is, considers what can go wrong, and provides suggestions for how you can support children to eat and drink safely.

What can I do to be more confident the child is eating safely?
What types/textures of food are safe for children?
Who can I ask about feeding difficulties, and what guidelines should I be following?
What is a normal swallow?
What can go wrong with swallowing?
How do I know something has gone wrong when a child is eating?

This free training session is suitable for parents and professionals across York, Selby, Scarborough, Whitby, and Ryedale.

For more information and to book a place, email yhs-tr.childrenstherapytraining@nhs.net.

Supporting children with early communication skills

This online training session explores the evidence-base around supporting children who are at an early stage of communication development and considers how early communication skills can be practically supported within the EYFS framework. It will help answer some of the following questions:

What is communication?
How does typical speech, language and communication develop?
What strategies can I use when playing with a child to support their language development?
What helps children make sense of spoken language?
When should I seek support for a child?
How does supporting language development link with the EYFS framework?

This free training session is suitable for professionals who work in a primary or early years setting with children who are at an early stage of language development, across York, Selby, Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale.