ActivePsychology & BehaviourPregnancy, Children & Inherited Conditions
Understanding the changing needs of autistic children in speech and language therapy services: exploring child’s priorities and preferences alongside current practice
Autistic children are rarely asked what they want from speech and language therapy, and this study will change that by interviewing them directly. This matters because speech and language therapy is a standard part of post-diagnosis care for autistic children, yet services are under growing strain. Changes to diagnostic criteria mean more autistic children without intellectual disability—including girls with non-traditional presentations—are entering services that lack suitable interventions. At the same time, autistic adults have raised concerns that traditional approaches encourage masking, which harms mental health. Clinicians have little evidence to guide them toward autism-affirming alternatives. The study fills a gap: no one has systematically consulted autistic children themselves about their priorities and preferences. If successful, the research will give clinicians and service commissioners a clear picture of what children actually want from therapy, alongside an assessment of where current practice falls short. This could reshape how speech and language therapy is delivered, making it more responsive to children’s needs and less reliant on approaches that autistic adults have criticised. The findings may also transfer to other clinical disciplines working with autistic children.
View original technical description
Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) is a requirement of post-diagnostic provision for autistic children. Communication support is also strongly desired by parents and autistic individuals, partly because of its implications for social and emotional outcomes. However, shifts in demands are putting pressure on existing services. Changes to diagnostic criteria mean autistic children without intellectual disability and those with non-traditional presentation (e.g., girls) are increasing in number, without the requisite interventions available. Simultaneously, autistic adults are questioning the validity of traditional approaches, following concerns these encourage masking of autistic features and associated mental ill-health. With little evidence available on the effectiveness of autism-affirming alternatives, clinicians find themselves in a professional dilemma While services are in this state of flux, it is the opportune moment to undertake essential child consultation, which is currently lacking in the field. This research ensures the needs and preferences of children are at the centre of all future decision-making. Aims: this study will provide rich detail on the views of autistic children, and by using inclusive practices provide novel insight into the priorities and preferences of a wide range of communicators (including those with significant language and communication differences). It will contextualise this against current practice, identifying gaps between preferred and actual practice, and by consulting SLTs, define existing issues and highlight areas of good practice. Research questions: What are the views of verbally-able autistic children on priority targets, preferred approaches and integration of autism-affirming methods when receiving SLT support? How are a wide range of SLTs currently responding to the changing needs of their clinical caseload and what are their concerns? What are the views of autistic children with significant language and communication differences, regarding what they find easy/difficult and what they want support with, how they want to work with SLTs. Methods: Phase 1 (April-Dec 25) will elicit the views of verbally-able autistic children (N=12) using minimally adapted interviews. Phase 2 (April-Dec 25) will explore SLT s current practices (N=40) across various locations and clinical settings, using an online national survey. Themes identified will be explored in greater detail during SLT interviews (N=12). Findings will inform materials and protocols for Phase 3 (Nov 25-Sep 26), enabling autistic children with a range of significant language and communicative differences (N=25) to engage in multi-modal (visually-augmented) interviews. Qualitative data will be analysed thematically. Numeric data will generate descriptive statistics (reporting categorical, frequency and percentages). PPIE: This study prioritises the views of autistic children in service-development; responds to concerns first raised by autistic adults; represents autistic individuals, SLTs and parents of autistic children in its co-investigator team; integrates public collaborators into project design and analysis. Dissemination: Results from each phase will be submitted for peer-reviewed publication (Aug 26/Mar 27). Talks and finding summaries will be delivered to participants, the autism community, researchers, SLT clinicians and policy-makers at the end of each study phase (Dec 25/Oct 26). Clinician-facing visual materials will be made open-access (Mar 27). We anticipate benefits for autistic children, SLTs/service developers, commissioners and researchers. As well as transferable implications for other clinical disciplines.
Plain English summaries and category classifications on this site are generated by AI and may not perfectly reflect the original research.
Is something wrong? Let us know