P15 Parent perspectives on interactions with speech and language therapists: what facilitates engagement

Background Speech and Language Therapists (SALTs) work closely with parents to engage them in making decisions about therapy, carrying out therapy at home and adapting the way they communicate with their child. The more parents engage in Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) the better the outcomes are for their child. Parent engagement is achieved through the parent-SALT interaction however very little research has investigated this. Research to date focuses on young children receiving early-intervention. Aims This study explores from the parent perspective how the parent-SALT interaction facilitates parent engagement in SLT for children with long term speech, language and communication needs (SLCN). Methods The qualitative design adopted an appreciative inquiry approach to guide sampling and interview questions. Parents engaged with SLT services across Cornwall were purposively selected from a range of socio-economic backgrounds. Semi-structured interviews were completed with eleven parents (nine mothers; two fathers) in parents’ homes. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Results Two themes were developed from analysis. ‘Quality of communication’ describes how parents develop confidence in the SALT and open communication. ‘Shared responsibility’ describes how parents felt supported by and jointly responsible with the SALT in helping their child. Elements of the interaction that may help SALTs engage parents more fully are: sharing expertise freely, communicating information clearly, demonstrating understanding of the parents’ perspective, treating the parent as an equal, encouraging open dialogue, supporting parents, showing genuine interest in the child and providing personalised and achievable therapy advice. Conclusion and implications for clinical practice This study has increased understanding of how SALTs can work with parents to optimise engagement. SALTs can consider elements of the parent-SALT interaction that they may need to demonstrate more fully to engage parents with therapy. Future studies could measure and evaluate these elements.