Children who may have difficulty:
Some children have additional needs or neurodevelopmental differences e.g. Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), Autism, Trisomy 21 (Down's Syndrome), Cerebral Palsy. Some children have associated breathing and sleep issues.
Therapy typically starts 1 - 2 weeks after your initial consultation.
https://www.vervechildinteraction.org/4 sessions of VERVE works beautifully for ALL families who are facing speech, language, and communication challenges.
"We really can’t recommend both Gillian and VERVE highly enough It has been such a positive experience for us; improving his communication by focusing on what he can do."
“We have learnt so much which has enabled us to help our son… She is incredibly supportive and is clearly very experienced. We could not recommend her service enough.” -
“We’ve gone through 4 weekly sessions and have already seen a massive improvement”"
Many parents like to then have a follow-up session every 4-6 weeks so we can review, celebrate and build on your child’s progress. You decide how much support you need.
Traditional assessment and therapy, based on a medical model, is no longer in my 'tool box' as it does not align with my clinical experience or my understanding of how a child's skills develop. Parents who have previously tried more traditional therapy often tell me they find VERVE far more effective, enjoyable and rewarding. See testimonials and Google ReviewsSessions take place via home visits or video calls (for parents) telehealth. Some local parents choose a combination of home visits and telehealth sessions as there are benefits to both. Parents who want to work with me but are out of area have all their sessions via video call.
"Our regular telehealth sessions via Zoom with Gillian have been invaluable. We are seeing quicker results than we thought possible even with direct therapy!"
“The fact we haven’t met Gillian in person has not taken away from the wonderful progress our son has made...having sessions via video call has given us extra flexibility. It has been such a beneficial and positive experience for our family...”
Through shifting my clinical practice to a fully interactive, parent led approach (VERVE) I have recognised some of the limitations of traditional target setting. Targets tend to be based on how your child performed on a test. Parents do their best to help their child meet these targets too, but often tell me that ‘trying to get them to do their Speech Therapy' is challenging. Their child does not find it engaging. I also notice that these targets often don’t really address the things that parents are worried about – confidence, social interaction, using words to communicate in real life situations and (especially for older children) independence.
The joy of VERVE is that the child often surprises us by surpassing our expectations. This is because we are creating the conditions which unlock their full potential, not setting limits on them through prescriptive attainment targets.
For many families VERVE is enough to give parents confidence to support their child. When it is helpful to the child or family I work with others too. This can include Early Years staff, Class Teachers, Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo), Teaching Assistants (TA) and NHS Speech & Language Therapists. Creating a Communication Passport together is a great way to share our knowledge of what each child requires from us.
I provide VERVE training for staff in Early Years settings (day-care or nursery) and schools.
"Gillian has been a fabulous help to our setting with a child requiring support with SEND. Gillian has shared her knowledge of SaLT and VERVE which has positively impacted the outcomes for the child we are supporting. We have found VERVE very interesting and very useful. - Nursery Manager.
I work in accordance with the ‘best practice guidance’ from the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists to challenge and reject the myth that children should only receive therapy in the language in which they are going to be Educated (the language used in school). I help parents understand the risks of abandoning their home language (including rapid loss of home language skills, or understanding, but not speaking, their home language). You will be working directly with your child every day, with my guidance and support, and you can do this in your home language. Ultimately, the choice of which languages to speak with your child will be yours.
Parent feedback on this site and in my Google Reviews is from parents whose children have a range of communication needs, including those associated with Special Educational Needs (SEN), Autism and Trisomy 21 (Down's Syndrome).
“VERVE is a great way to interact with your child because you can do it all the time, it becomes second nature. Its really great to know that G is leading the session and wants to communicate with me rather than me pushing it onto him. It’s so rewarding when he is clearly enjoying interacting.” - Mum of a child with autism.
"Yes, I would recommend VERVE to other parents as this has made me listen more and given F the ability to talk and communicate effectively without me talking for her, she has definitely become more confident and the clarity of words and sounds has improved greatly." - Mum of a child with Down Syndrome.
Where needed, we can also use visual approaches such as Makaton, picture symbols and Objects of Reference to support your child's communication.
I am always happy to listen and be aware of other challenges you are facing. I can signpost you to other professionals who can help too. I regularly signpost parents to additional sources of information to complement our work together.
For children on my caseload, I can support their parents with the EHCP process and am happy to contribute a report if this will be helpful. I do not offer an 'assessment and report service', as a one off piece of work, for children who are not already on my caseload.
Get the help and support you need.
Full details of services available, terms & conditions and fees can be provided via email with no obligation. See Services & Fees for a guide to costs.
This website has been designed to provide everything you need to know about me and what I offer. You can read parent feedback here or see my Google Reviews.
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