Talking Mats is a picture based communication tool which supports people to share their thoughts and think about a topic in a concrete, structured, way. The mat provides a space to place the pictures and move them around in relation to a scale and each other. It was designed by speech and language therapists and has a strong evidence base. It gives the person more control in an interaction, and time and space to think. People report they feel listened to and valued. It is a useful support for:
- Getting to know people and having a conversation
- Finding what peoples interests and views are
- Finding out things they think they can manage or need help with
- Support decision making, and identifying decisions the person is able to and not able to make
- Goal setting
It is important to look for ways in which children with complex healthcare needs are able to have their voices and wishes heard especially in relation to any decisions that affect them directly.
CEN NMCN has worked closely with Talking Mats to find out the views of young people with complex needs and their parents about what matters to them at time of transition in health services from children to adult health care. We produced a specific symbol set for this project (here) and produced the following report (here)
Your local Speech and Language Therapy Team will be able to identify options for using Augmentative and Alternative Communication resources that may be suitable for your child.
More information about Talking Mats is available at www.talkingmats.com