The Speech Grove Speech Therapy Service

The Speech Grove Speech Therapy Service Carolyn's 'Connection Kickstart' programme for parents of young children aged 2-5 years to support communication development.

DM for details on how to book your free 45 minute Zoom call to see how we can help your child. Ireland: CORU Registration SL 015115

One of the round table discussions at the recent IASLT conference in Portlaoise focused on “Advancing the Profession. Ar...
05/06/2026

One of the round table discussions at the recent IASLT conference in Portlaoise focused on “Advancing the Profession. Articulating the Value and Impact of the SLT.”

It really got me thinking because so much of speech and language therapy work happens behind the scenes and in the moment. The visible part is often only a small piece of it, and many are not aware of the scope of what we do.

There is constant problem-solving, adapting, researching, creating resources, personalising, supporting families, collaborating with others, responding to changing needs, and trying to make communication more accessible and meaningful within everyday life.

A lot of the work also involves helping people navigate situations where they may not always feel fully understood or fully heard.

It made me reflect on how difficult our profession can sometimes be to explain on the outside, because the work is so human, relational, and responsive by nature.

Highlights from the IASLT conference included some brilliant conversations, reconnecting with colleagues… and discoverin...
04/06/2026

Highlights from the IASLT conference included some brilliant conversations, reconnecting with colleagues… and discovering that the ‘House Geek Salad’ may actually have been designed specifically for speech and language therapists.

01/06/2026

Some moments from this year’s IASLT conference in Portlaoise. It was wonderful to reconnect with colleagues, hear about new developments across the profession, and spend time reflecting on how communication support continues to evolve.

Really pleased to have presented a virtual poster at this year’s IASLT conference in Portlaoise.My poster focused on the...
31/05/2026

Really pleased to have presented a virtual poster at this year’s IASLT conference in Portlaoise.

My poster focused on the Connection Kickstart™ programme and the use of video-guided parent coaching to support early communication through reflection, interaction, and practical everyday strategies.

One of the areas I am particularly passionate about is helping parents feel more confident in recognising, responding to, and supporting their child’s communication in ways that feel natural, meaningful, and manageable within daily life.

It was lovely to have the opportunity to contribute to the wider professional conversations taking place across the conference this year.

27/05/2026

Halfway through the IASLT conference in Portlaoise, I found myself reflecting on how much our understanding of communication and support has evolved since I first started practising over 30 years ago.

There was a huge focus throughout the day on co-production, inclusion, accessibility, and ensuring that the people we support, along with their families, are genuinely involved in shaping decisions around care and communication.

One of the strongest messages I took away was the importance of listening carefully to how each individual communicates, helping others to recognise that communication can take many different forms, and making space for people to express themselves in ways that work for them.

It was also incredibly encouraging to see the level of innovation happening across the profession while still keeping the human side of care firmly at the centre.

These were some of my thoughts midway through the first day.

25/05/2026

Big eye-opening moment: It's not always about learning what to do differently, it’s learning what to notice.

I was with a family recently and this mum was doing an amazing job. She was motivated, engaged, trying her best, and genuinely connecting with her child.

What she hadn’t realised was that her child was already trying to communicate with her during the interaction. Her little one was attempting to copy words and respond straight after her mum spoke, but the moments were being missed in real time because attention was naturally focused on the activity itself. And what I find is that this is incredibly common. When we’re interacting, we can’t pay attention to everything at once.

Part of what we do in Connection Kickstart™ is helping parents tune into those subtle communication attempts so they begin to notice the little moments that can so easily pass us by.

Search Connection Kickstart to schedule your free consultation now ✨

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Why Slowing Down Helps Language Grow: I met a mum this week whose natural pace in life was quick: she spoke fast, moved ...
24/05/2026

Why Slowing Down Helps Language Grow:
I met a mum this week whose natural pace in life was quick: she spoke fast, moved fast, thought fast. She already knew that about herself, but hadn’t realised how much that tempo was shaping her little one’s language journey.

When we rush, we don’t just move through play faster. We shrink the space where connection and learning happen. Children need time to hear the words, notice what’s happening, and link meaning to real-life moments.

They also need time to process the rhythm and sounds of our speech before they can even think about using them.

When we slow down, those little golden moments suddenly appear. Our child has time to connect, respond, and join in... often in ways that surprise us.

If you’d like personalised support with your child’s communication, I offer a free parent consultation through Connection Kickstart™.

Book in here: 👉 https://connectionkickstart.com/

One Simple Way to Help Language Grow.I met a mum this week whose natural pace in life was quick: she spoke fast, moved f...
24/05/2026

One Simple Way to Help Language Grow.
I met a mum this week whose natural pace in life was quick: she spoke fast, moved fast, thought fast. She already knew that about herself, but hadn’t realised how much that tempo was shaping her little one’s language journey.

When we rush, we don’t just move through play faster. We shrink the space where connection and learning happen. Children need time to hear the words, notice what’s happening, and link meaning to real-life moments. They also need time to process the rhythm and sounds of our speech before they can even think about using them.

When we slow down, those little golden moments suddenly appear. Our child has time to connect, respond, and join in... often in ways that surprise us.

If you’d like personalised support with your child’s communication, I offer a free parent consultation through Connection Kickstart™.

👉 Search Connection Kickstart to schedule your consultation now.

Meaningfulspeech is a wonderful resource for gestalt language processors. If your child repeats what you say, if their s...
24/05/2026

Meaningfulspeech is a wonderful resource for gestalt language processors. If your child repeats what you say, if their speech seems scripted or much of what they say seems lifted from favourite media clips, this site offers a lot to help you support your child 🩵

20/05/2026

Communication grows through everyday moments: little bits throughout the day that build connection, interaction, and opportunities to communicate. In my free webinar, I share 3 simple strategies parents can start using straight away. Search 'Connection Kickstart' or link in bio 👆 /

Address

Sandyford
D18

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 1pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

+353894034184

Website

https://www.youtube.com/@ConnectionKickstart, https://www.instagram.com/connectionkick

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