Congratulations Belinda - CSU HDR prize

Congratulations Belinda who was voted Best Presentation in the School of Education Panel, by the HDR Colloquium Fellows ($200 prize!) https://www.thestreamingguys.com.au/production/hdr-2023/

Two PhD students in the final stages of writing

This has been a big year for my PhD students. Belinda Downey and Marie Ireland both submitted their PhDs and have received their excellent examinations. Now Kate Margetson and Anneik Van Doornik are finishing their PhDs. Today I had excellent meetings with both of them, Kate in Sydney and Anniek in The Netherlands. We were discussing how to write the final chapters of their PhDs. I am impressed with the amount of work that each has undertaken, but more importantly the new knowledge that they have generated to make a difference in children's lives. 

Anniek Van Doornik

The important role of research support staff

This morning I have had the opportunity to meet with a number research support staff (current and past). The importance of their roles cannot be overstated. THANK YOU for all of the work that goes on in the background to ensure that high quality research is undertaken. 

Evelyn Sowter worked in our research team a few years ago.
It was lovely to meet with her this morning. Thanks Evelyn!

Collaborative conversations

I am excited to be having conversations with Dr Lisa Furlong about future collaborations. I value her research, and have often quoted it. I also value her contribution to the research community as the guest editor of the conference special issue of the International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and her role as chair of the scientific committee for the 2024 Speech Pathology Australia National Conference.

Congratulations Sarah Bartlett

Congratulations Sarah Bartlett on the submission of your thesis for the Graduate Certificate in Arts and Social Science (Research). Sarah's thesis was titled "Caregivers’ insights into supporting their late talkers using Target Word™ Hanen® Parent Program". We had a happy online submission party to celebrate the occasion:

Here is the abstract: 

Background: Children who are late talkers benefit from interventions such as Target Word™ Hanen Program® for Parents. Understanding caregivers’ experiences can assist speech language pathologists (SLPs) to promote caregivers’ active engagement to positively impact child outcomes from interventions. 

Aim: To explore caregivers’ experiences and engagement during the 16-week Target Word™ intervention. 

Method: Qualitative Interpretative Description (ID) methodology was used to understand the experience of five caregivers who had recently completed Target Word™. Caregivers attended a focus group to share their perspectives. Transcripts of these focus groups were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. 

Results: Two themes were identified. Firstly, that caregivers described explicit roles for SLPs to support their engagement over time: in the beginning (clarify expectations), middle (enable caregiver to link changes in their behaviour to positive child outcomes) and final (empowered caregivers) phases of the intervention. Secondly, that caregiver engagement in learning is individual, influenced by (a) individual needs and expectations, (b) active engagement during key learning moments, (c) influence of the broader environment. 

Conclusion: Caregivers participating in Target Word™ experienced unique engagement journeys over the course of the program. SLPs can explicitly facilitate engagement at each phase of Target Word™ to promote active engagement for learning and ultimately caregiver empowerment to support their children’s language growth.

Professorial Promotions Committee

I have had the honour of serving on the CSU Professorial Promotions Committee over the past two days. What a privilege to read 50+ pages of information about each of the applicants across the university. It has been a rigorous process and I congratulate all of my colleagues on their excellent work.

FOSH Internal Grant Writing Workshops

This morning I presented a session at the Faculty of Science and Health Internal Grant Writing Workshop on writing a research CV. It was great to be part of their final session. Thanks Emmaline Lear and Julian Grant who coordinated the session.

IALP representative from The Philippines to 7th session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific

Today I met with Dr Ferdiliza Garcia, who was also a representative of the International Association of Communication Sciences and Disorders (IALP) at the seventy-fourth session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for the Western Pacific (#RCM74), https://www.who.int/westernpacific/about/governance/regional-committee/session-74. She was able to attend on Monday, and I attended on Tuesday - Friday. We were able to share our experiences, our passiion for advocacy and supporting people with communication disability, and she may be able to co-author a chapter in one of my new books.

Eligibility determinations for speech and language services in United States public schools: Experiences and tensions

Congratulations to Marie Ireland who has had an exciting week. First she learned the excellent result of her PhD by Prior Publication. Second, she learned that the following manuscript based on a chapter in her PhD has been accepted for publication: 

Ireland, M., McLeod, S, & Verdon, S. (2023, in press). Eligibility determinations for speech and language services in United States public schools: Experiences and tensions. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools. 

Here is the abstract: 

Purpose: To examine school speech-language pathologists’ (SLPs) experiences regarding students’ eligibility for services in public schools within the United States. 

Method: Fifteen school SLPs participated in online focus groups to examine the complex nature of SLPs’ participation within decision-making teams and describe practice experiences in U.S. schools. SLPs worked in 1-10+ schools serving students from pre-K through 12th grade. Data were analyzed using Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) (Engeström, 2015). 

Results: School SLPs’ practice is impacted by rules, community, and division of labor in schools. Participants discussed: culture of the work setting; interaction between team members; desire to assist families and children; knowledge of regulations; evaluation practices; and the impact of poverty, cultural and linguistic differences. Nine major tensions were identified: SLPs’ concerns regarding outcomes of eligibility decision-making; documentation of educational impact; need for greater SLP empowerment and advocacy; complexities of students learning English as an additional language; overuse of the diagnosis of speech-language impairment (SLI) for students who do not qualify; administrators’ adherence to rules; parents’ involvement in decision making; disagreement between team members; and concerns about evaluation data for decision making. 

Conclusion: Within the schools, the CHAT framework was useful to identify tensions and opportunities for change at the individual and institutional level impacting team decision-making for eligibility, SLPs provision of services, and student outcomes. Acknowledgment of tensions and opportunities for change regarding students’ eligibility for services may guide public policy, pre-service training, and individual, local and national advocacy.

Philippines

This is my first visit to the Philippines, although I have visited virtually a number of times. It is wonderful to be here learning from the Filipino people and seeing this beautiful country. Salamat.

Manila skyline and parks

Manila sunset

Kulintang: a traditional Filipino instrument typically with eight bronze gongs

Manila traffic

University students' results on posters

San Augustin

Pasig River

Fort Santiago

World Health Organization: Communication for Health (C4H) 2024-2026

This week at the 74th meeting of the WHO Regional Committee Meeting (RCM74) for the Western Pacific, States Parties discussed and voted on the Draft Regional Action Framework Communication for Health (C4H). C4H was established in 2019 as a technical programme supporting Member States in the Region. 

WHO (2023) Regional Action Framework on Communication for Health: A vision for using communication to improve public health in the Western Pacific Region (WPR/RC74/7 page 7 ANNEX) https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/wpro---documents/regional-committee/session-74/wpr-rc74-agenda-13-communication-for-health-annex.pdf?sfvrsn=47febfd6_1

C4H was introduced by Ms Olivia Lawe-Davies, Communications Manager and acting Executive Officer, Regional Director’s Office, WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific. 

"C4H refers to a set of principles and practices that help to ensure communications are designed to inform and change attitudes and behaviours in ways that can support the achievement of defined public health outcomes at the individual, community and societal levels." (WHO, 2023, p. 6) 

Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Acting Regional Director for the Western Pacific stated in April 2023 “C4H recognizes that health communication can play a vital role alongside other public health interventions to extend lives and improve public health outcomes at individual, community and societal levels.” (WHO, 2023, p. 7). 

"C4H is based on six principles: informed by data and theory; measurable; planned; audience- and peoplecentred; collaborative; and targeted. Application of the C4H approach requires a series of steps to first understand, then plan, develop, test and implement a communication programme or campaign, before evaluating and identifying lessons." WPR/RC74/7 page 11

The following C4H video was played: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdamEZj9I_w&list=PLA7dYQkD0Btrdj8ajTfUJYJ3xW0vrqWD1&index=1

During this week I have had conversations with many people to discuss C4H, the health workforce, the importance of communication for all, and how speech-language pathologists and other communication professionals can support WHO's committment to C4H for ALL including:

• Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, the incoming WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific

Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, incoming Regional Director

• Ms Anna Biernat, Communications Officer, WHO Western Pacific Regional Office, Philippines and other members of her office who created the C4H initiative
  

• 

  Sharynne McLeod with Eloise Adsett and Anna Biernat, Communications Officer, WHO

  
  
• Dr Angela Pratt, WHO Representative Office, Viet Nam
• Ms Janet Camacho, Deputy Director of Operations and Programs, Pacific Island Health Officers Association, Hawai'i along with colleagues from Guam, Mariana Islands and Palau
• Dr Revite Kirition, Director General of Health, Kiribati
• Ms Carrie Laurenson and Ms Eseese Sina Georgina Fa-aiuga, Samoa
• Hon Ratu Atonio Rabici Lalabalavu, Minister for Health and Medical Services, Fiji
  
• Dr Miranda Smith, Senior Global Health Officer, Office of Asia and the Pacific, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, USA
• Ms Ines Ferrer, Scientific Mission Officer, Ambassade De France aux Philippines et en Micronesie
  
• Mr Blair Exell, Deputy Secretary, Health Strategy, First Nations and Sport, Department of Health and Aged Care, Australian Government
  
• Ms Fleur Davies, Assistant Secretary, Multilateral Health Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Government
• Mr Andreas Anargyros, Assistant Director, International Strategic Branch, Department of Health and Aged Care
  

• 

  Discussing C4H with colleagues from Hawai'i, Mariana Islands and Guam

  
  

  

  Ms Carrie Laurenson and Ms Eseese Sina Georgina Fa-aiuga, Samoa
  

  
  

  

  Dr Jackie Leung Ching-kan, Hong Kong China
  

  
  

  

  Dr Revite Kirition, Director General of Health, Kiribati

  
  

  

  Dr Angela Pratt, WHO Representative Office, Viet Nam

  
  

  

  Ms Fleur Davies, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade,
  Australian Government

Member States who provided interventions were: Vanuatu, Fiji, Mongolia, Cook Islands, Samoa, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Australia, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, Philippines, Brunei Darusalam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, USA, China, Hong Kong China, US Territories, Japan, Papula New Guinea, Palau, Kitibati, Korea and two Non State Actors. 

In my submitted intervention on behalf of the International Association of Communication Sciences and Disorders (IALP), I commend the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific for the C4H initiative and the Disability-inclusive health services toolkit: A resource for health facilities in the Western Pacific Region https://www.who.int/westernpacific/publications-detail/9789290618928. I commended WHO for including communication disability, "People Who Have Trouble Speaking" (p. 67) AND "People With Hearing Impairment" (p. 64) in the section on "Practical strategies for communicating inclusive health information" and also offered recommendations for expanding understanding about communication disability and strategies for communicating inclusive health information based on the following work we have undertaken. The intervention profiles the work published in our two special issues of the International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology addressing the United Nations' agendas: 

• Communication is a Human Right – 2018 - vol 20(1) - https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/iasl20/20/1
• Communication, Swallowing and the Sustainable Development Goals – 2023 vol 25(1) - https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/iasl20/25/1 

and new book published by IALP, in which many of our team are authors: 

• Levey, S. & Enderby, P. (Eds.). (2023). The unserved: Addressing the needs of those with communication disorders. J&R Press. https://ialpasoc.info/publication/
  

I also shared the work of our Early Childhood Interdisciplinary Research Group to listen to children:

• Submission to the United Nations’ HR75 Youth Declaration https://earlychildhoodresearch.csu.domains/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Submission-to-the-United-Nations-HR75-Youth-Declaration-1.pdf

Here is information about the development of C4H

WHO (2023) C4H Meeting report (April 2023): https://www.who.int/publications-detail-redirect/RS-2023-GE-05-PHL-hybrid

World Health Organization Western Pacific Office

I am visiting the WHO Western Pacific Office in Manila, Philippines this week. https://www.who.int/westernpacific. Here are some photos of this important location.

Each day during the week-long Regional Committee Meeting there was a Movement Break, where everyone followed the dance moves of the WPRO dance team!

Daily dance moves at WHO's WPRO (Western Pacific Regional Office) in Manila

Dinner at the 74th session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific in Manila, Philippines

Attending the 74th session of the World Health Organization Regional Committee for the Western Pacific (#RCM74) in Manila, Philippines has been such a fantastic time of learning, networking and fun https://www.who.int/westernpacific/about/governance/regional-committee/session-74.

There was a focus on celebrating the health workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic during the dinner.

WHO Dinner at The Manila Hotel

Meeting Mr Blaire Exell, Deputy Secretary
Health Strategy, First Nations and Sport, Australian Government

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (WHO Director-General)

The Scrub Choir (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR-JXFbHMPU)
One of the many items during the WHO Dinner

Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab (Acting Regional Director) with Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (WHO Director-General)

IALP representative at the 74th session of the World Health Organization Regional Committee for the Western Pacific

I am honoured to represent the International Association of Communication Sciences and Disorders (IALP) at the seventy-fourth session of the World Health Organization Regional Committee for the Western Pacific (#RCM74), 16 to 20 October 2023 in Manila, Philippines https://www.who.int/westernpacific/about/governance/regional-committee/session-74. 

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the World Health Organization. "The Regional Committee for the Western Pacific is home to over 1.9 billon people acrosss 37 countries and areas. The Region includes some of the world's largest and smallest countries - China with more than 1.4 billon people and Niue with fewer than 2000 - some with young populations and others that are ageing rapidly. The region is extremely diverse and includes countries at different stages of development with different health system capacities" (WHO, 2019).

RCM74 agenda items include: 

• 10. Investing in health and universal health coverage
• 11. Health security 
• 12. Health innovation 
• 13. Communication for health 
• 14. Health workforce 
• 15. Progress reports on technical programmes 
• 15.1 Thematic priority: Health security, including COVID-19 and antimicrobial resistance 
• 15.2 Thematic priority: Noncommunicable diseases and ageing 
• 15.3 Thematic priority: Climate change, the environment and health 
• 15.4 Thematic priority: Reaching the unreached 
• 15.5 Cross-cutting progress report: Advancing the For the Future vision 

Here is the #RCM74 YouTube channel with videos of the proceedings: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA7dYQkD0Btrdj8ajTfUJYJ3xW0vrqWD1

 I have submitted two interventions on behalf of IALP addressing:

• 13. Communiation for Health (C4H): https://www.who.int/westernpacific/news-room/multimedia/overview/item/communicating-for-health-impact#
• 14. Shaping a health workforce for the future
  

In my interventions on behalf of the IALP, I commend the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific for the C4H initiative and the Disability-inclusive health services toolkit: A resource for health facilities in the Western Pacific Region https://www.who.int/westernpacific/publications-detail/9789290618928. I commended WHO for including communication disability, "People Who Have Trouble Speaking" (p. 67) AND "People With Hearing Impairment" (p. 64) in the section on "Practical strategies for communicating inclusive health information" and also offered recommendations for expanding understanding about communication disability and strategies for communicating inclusive health information based on the following work we have undertaken:The interventions profile the work published in our two special issues of the International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology addressing the United Nations' agendas: 

• Communication is a Human Right – 2018 - vol 20(1) - https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/iasl20/20/1
• Communication, Swallowing and the Sustainable Development Goals – 2023 vol 25(1) - https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/iasl20/25/1 

I am also profiling the new book published by IALP, in which many of our team are authors: 

• Levey, S. & Enderby, P. (Eds.). (2023). The unserved: Addressing the needs of those with communication disorders. J&R Press. https://ialpasoc.info/publication/

Dr Ferdiliza Garcia is also representing IALP from the Philippines and I look forward to meeting with her.

Congratulations to Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, proposed by Tonga, who has been nominated as the next @WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific for the next 5 years.

 I met Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, the new WHO Regional Director and discussed Tonga and the role of speech-language pathologists throughout the Western Pacific

Congratulations Dr Belinda Downey

While at the Early Childhood Interdisciplinary Research Group Retreat, Belinda Downey learned the news of her successful PhD outcome. She has been approved for graduation - after receiving outstanding examiners' reports. Congratulations Belinda from your very proud PhD supervisory team. 

Belinda with her supervisors A/Prof Will Letts,
Dr Leanne Gibbs and Prof Sharynne McLeod

 

Belinda Downey's PhD is now available online. It is titled: Staying in Early Childhood: Struggle, Hope and Connection. Here is the link: https://researchoutput.csu.edu.au/en/publications/staying-in-early-childhood-struggle-hope-and-connection

Congratulations Belinda.

Belinda also will co-chair the Early Childhood Voices 2024 conference with me - so there was another reason to celebrate.

Dr Belinda Downey, Dr Carolyn Gregoric, Prof Sharynne McLeod

ECIR Research Retreat in Bathurst and online (9-11 October, 2023)

Our ECIR research retreat was a wonderful time of building bonds, collaborative conversations and robust interdisciplinary discussions. Members travelled to Bathurst + joined online. What a wonderful time together celebrating our achievements, learning together, planning our grant writing and ECV2024 for 2024. Thank you to Dr Carolyn Gregoric for her amazing organisational skills, Holly McAlister and Belinda Freizer for making us think about how to listen to children, to the Research Office (Dr Emmaline Lear, Dr Lisa Limbrick, Dr Dale) for your excellent workshops and FOAE Admin team for joining us to begin planing ECV2024.