Development of a toolkit to facilitate shared conversations about engagement in an early speech-language pathology intervention service

Purpose Genuine engagement in paediatric speech-language pathology is co-constructed by families and speech-language pathologists over time. However, research about how speech-language pathologists work with families to understand and respond to their needs is limited. This project aimed to design a toolkit to facilitate shared conversations about engagement in an early intervention service for children (0–8 years).Method In Phase 1, focus groups with speech-language pathologists (n = 20) explored key aspects of engagement and generated ideas for tools. In Phase 2, an online survey with these clinicians explored the format of two tools: 1) A template for ‘getting to know a family’, and 2) a ‘living document’ to record goals and have conversations about working together. In Phase 3, separate focus groups were conducted with clinicians (n = 20) and parents (n = 9) to design and refine the tools.Result Reflexive thematic analysis of Phase 1 data resulted in two overarching themes: 1) Engaging with families at the start; and 2) Reflecting with families throughout their journey. Content analysis of Phase 2 survey responses informed draft tools. Phase 3 findings informed the final tools.Conclusion This project identified opportunities to support engagement and developed a toolkit to facilitate conversations between families and speech-language pathologists in early intervention.