Children’s speech and language therapy programme
More Than Words® — The Hanen Program®
Our expert child speech and language therapists are offering a virtual programme designed to support parents/ carers of a child under five years of age who are on the autism spectrum or have social communication difficulties.
As a licensed provider of the More Than Words® programme, we teach parents research-based strategies that they can use in everyday life to support their child’s social communication and play skills.
If you have a young child with autism or social communication difficulties, we want to help make communication easier for your child so they can connect with others (and make friends).
One of the greatest benefits of the More Than Words programme is the opportunity to connect with other parents and share your experience, gain insight and support from each other. The strategies you learn will become an integral part of the way you interact with your child and focuses on your day-to-day life with your child. You’ll discover how to take everyday activities like meal time, story time and bath time and use them to help your child improve their communication and social skills.
What are social communication difficulties?
Children with social communication difficulties (or disorder) have difficulty using words and or gestures in situations such as greetings, sharing what they know with others, knowing when something is implied but not clearly stated and telling a story. This makes it difficult to talk to people. Children with social communication difficulties may or may not have a diagnosis of autism.
What is autism?
Autism (sometimes known as autism spectrum disorder) is a lifelong condition affecting how children (and adults) communicate and interact with the world around them. This is demonstrated by a persistent difficulty with social communication and interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviours or interests. Autism is a spectrum condition which means that while all children with autism will have similar areas of difficulty, it will affect them all differently.
How the programme works
The More Than Words programme was developed by The Hanen Centre and expert speech-language specialists in autism and social communication difficulties and is grounded in extensive research. It is evidence-based and has been shown in multiple studies to improve the social communication skills of children on the autism spectrum.
Our early years speech and language therapy team has specialist skills in working with pre-school children and are specifically Hanen-trained with extensive experience of delivering the programme. Our certified therapist will lead the programme and guide your every step of the way.
The programme has a mix of group and individual therapy.
- Pre-programme orientation – this is a 90 minute group session to provide an overview of the programme.
- Following completion of the orientation we will complete an individual pre-programme consultation virtually (60-90mins) to progress you and your family to the full programme. This session includes a review of your child’s social communication, interaction and play using specific More Than Words® assessment checklists and video reviews.
- Small group therapy sessions over eight weeks (3 hours).
- Three individual sessions during which you and the speech and language therapist will watch and reflect on videoed interactions*. This allows you to see how you are supporting your child and what you can modify to support even more (60 mins).
- Post-programme summary report.
*Parents of children taking part in the programme will need access to a laptop/desktop to view video reviews and interactions as these are not accessible on mobile.
During the programme you will learn:
- how your child communicates right now and what the next steps are
- how your child learns best and how to take advantage of these preferences
- how to engage your child in enjoyable interactions during everyday activities
- how to make interactions with your child last longer, increasing learning opportunities
- how to talk so that your child understands you
- strategies for developing your child’s play skills
- strategies that help your child make friends.
Paediatric speech and language programme pricelist
The course runs over 12 weeks on Saturday mornings (10am – 1pm) starting in the New Year, date to be confirmed. As part of the course you will need to purchase additional resources not included in the price*.
More Than Words programme
£3,040
12 week online speech and language programme.
*Additional resources
As part of the course, you will need to buy the ‘More Than Words from Hanen’ guide (second edition). Books can be purchased from the following suppliers:
Kindle e-book
The programme is not currently available through private medical insurers and is only available if you wish to self-pay for the course.
Refund and cancellations
If you are not able to start the course and have given minimum two weeks’ notice, we will issue a full refund. However, an admin fee of £180 will be charged.
If you start the programme and are not able to continue with the programme, you may be eligible for a refund.
- Full refund if you do not have any treatment intervention (minus admin fee of £180).
- 40% refund if you do not proceed after four sessions.
- 20% refund if you do not proceed after six sessions.
Meet the team
Maggie Richards
MSc BSc Speech & Language Therapy, MRCSLT, HCPC reg
Maggie is a highly specialist speech and language therapist. She has clinical experience treating a range of communication presentations both in the NHS and in private practice and specialises in working with children in the early years.
Maggie is passionate about working holistically with children and their families and ensures therapy is tailored to the child’s individual needs and interests.
Megan Winters
BSc Speech and Language Therapy, MRCSLT, HCPC reg
Megan is a highly specialist speech and language therapist. She has worked in the NHS for 15 years, working across community clinics, nurseries, children’s centres and mainstream schools.
Megan has been awarded a Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) Giving Voice Award and was chosen as one of Evelina London’s 150 stars to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Evelina London.
Teba Pozo Recio
BA MA MSc Speech & Language Therapy, MRCSLT, HCPC reg
Teba is a specialist speech and language therapist, she has 17 years experience working in NHS trusts and in private practice with children and young people.
Her expertise ranges from communication difficulties associated with learning difficulties, brain injury as well as developmental language disorder, and speech sound disorders. Teba also works as part of a diagnostic multi-disciplinary team carrying out autism assessments.
Contact us
If you’d like to find out more about the More than Words programme or to book a place please contact our team on:
Tel: 020 7188 9687