Speech pathology student experiences and perceptions of working with parents in a Hanen It Takes Two to Talk family-centred clinical placement

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe importance of involving parents in family-centred speech-language pathology (SLP) services for children with communication difficulties is well recognized. Given this, it is imperative that SLP students gain skills in working with parents during their professional education. Yet there is a sparsity of research relating to family-centred clinical education for SLP students. This study aimed to explore SLP student experiences and perceptions of working with parents of young children with language delay within a Hanen It Takes Two to Talk® (ITTT) family-centred pre-professional clinical placement and their preparedness for this work. Participants were 14 SLP students who completed a 12-week placement in a Hanen ITTT program. The students participated in qualitative focus group interviews before and after their placement. The interviews explored students’ experiences and perceptions of working with parents in a family-centred programme and their perceived preparedness for working with parents. Thematic analysis identified 167 codes that were condensed into three themes: (1) changes in SLP student concerns about working with parents; (2) changes in how SLP students work with parents in family-centered care (FCC); and (3) helps and hindrances for working with parents in a FCC service. These findings highlight the importance and potential benefits of providing SLP students with clinical experiences that specifically focus on working with parents in a family-centered way.