Release Communication Ltd.

Ireland’s 1st Emerging Best Practice in Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapy

What is Release?

• Award winning, not-for-profit social enterprise• Continuous, weekly group speech and language

therapy program 100% inclusive of parental involvement• Achieves better performance, • better efficiency, • less expense,• greater inclusion of family/Caregivers and • greater outcomes than traditional methods.

How does Release Work?

• Release At-Home Assessment• Release Care Contract• Release Assessment and Report• Release Class Grouping• GROW• Release Homework

Evidence Based Research

• In conjunction with The George Washington University, Release worked with 69 children aged 0 – 5 over a 20-week period in 2008

• Release also tested parents stress levels pre and post the 20 week session

• The Release program is Ireland’s first emerging best practice in early intervention speech and language therapy.• Accepted to present at ASHA 2009• GWU on record committing to longitudinal research

Research ResultsPresented at ASHA 2009

• Release results are far greater than the National Early Intervention Longitudinal Study 1997 – 2007 (NEILS) report suggests are US national averages.

• Release has additional benefit of significant reduction in parent stress levels.

• In only 5 months:– Average communication increased in excess of 11 ½ months– 96% of children increased their communication ability at least one severity level– 9% of children increased three severity levels

• Parental stress levels decreased significantly

Benefits for Children and Parents

National Early Intervention Longitudinal Study 1997 – 2007 (NEILS)

How Release can end Waiting Lists in Ireland at

No Additional CostHSE Release

2007 Based on HSE’s Numbers this could have been the Outcome

SLT’s 735

Total Needing Speech 57,476

Total Potential of Release programme with no additional staff

55,125

Standard Release Caseload of 75 per SLT

Average speech and language therapy time per Year

40 hours + 3 hours of homework weekly

Total on Waiting Lists 2,351

2007 As per December 2008 FOI Information

SLT’s 735

Total Needing Speech 57,476

Total worked with by HSE

17,604

Average speech and language therapy time per Year

6 -12 hours

Total on Waiting Lists 40,331

• ASHA 2000 Schools Survey– Over 50% of Service Providers

report shortage of SLP’s results:• included increased caseload

(80%), decreased opportunities for individual services (62%), and decreased quality of service (58%).

– SLP’s greatest challenges• burdensome paperwork (88%);• lack of time for planning,

collaboration, and meeting with teachers (81%); and

• large caseload (60%).

Benefits for SLPs and Service Providers

• Release Program– One SLP can work with 75 children,

one hour per week• Better management of caseload,

decreased need for individual services and increased quality of service.

– Release’s programme answers SLP’s greatest challenges• Significant reduction in paperwork;• Pre-planning designed for each type

of class;• collaboration and meeting with

parents is core to the programme;• 75 weekly caseload is attainable.

• Parent empowerment– Parents learn how to bring on their child’s

communication skills –• parents increase motivation with child achievement

– Weekly, continuous access to a professional– Meet and network with other families who are

dealing with same disability and skills levels– Non-judgemental setting for families

Benefits forParents