De Montfort University (DMU) http://Dmu.ac.uk and Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT) http://www.leicspart.nhs.uk/ are working together to provide speech and language services to the local community as one of the many fantastic projects supported by #DMUlocal http://www.dmu.ac.uk/dmulocal/dmu-local.aspx. The DMU Speech and Language Centre offers unique clinical placements to a skilled workforce of students. As well as working to support the local community, the DMU students will benefit from a community based, hands-on learning experience. The centre is a key element in developing innovative placements and increased placement capacity for DMU Speech and Language Therapy students, as well as potential future volunteering opportunities for students from a range of courses. This exciting work is based in the Leicester Centre for Integrated Living (LCIL), Andrewes Street, Leicester LE3 5PA http://www.lcil.org.uk/.
DMU students will work with the local NHS Trust to provide services to both children and adults with a diverse range of communication needs. Alongside the many other key features of the DMU Human Communication Speech and Language Therapy course, the DMU Speech and Language Centre is another attractive element to future applicants.
A number of children that have been referred for speech and language therapy have already benefitted from attending initial appointments run by DMU students, where families, schools and nurseries have received advice and strategies to continue to develop their child’s communication skills. Plans are underway to offer a group to support the communication and wellbeing of people with young onset dementia and their families.
The DMU Speech and Language Centre has begun to make links with local nurseries, schools and nursing homes as well as charitable organisations to plan the exciting next stage of the project. The centre is community based and we are keen to invite families to benefit from our setting as well as taking services out to the local community.
We look forward to keeping you all updated. Follow us on twitter @DMUSALTcentre