1
2
3
Beginnings
Release Speech Therapy began while Director, Tara Cunningham
was working as a Fundraiser for Down Syndrome Ireland.
As
she travelled around the country, she heard from countless
parents of their relentless struggle to gain access to Speech
and Language Therapy for their child.
While driving down
to Cork, Tara was in tears after a particularly challenging
parents meeting.
She asked her now husband, "Why doesn't
somebody DO something to help these people?" Luckily, Mark
is an extremely supportive, wonderful man and asked her straight
back, "Why don't you do something?" Armed with determination
to come up with a solution, the idea of Release Speech Therapy
was born.
|
|
Release Communication Intervention
After nearly two years of research and planning by
Managing Director Tara Cunningham, Release Communication
Intervention opened its doors in January 2005.
Since
then, it has grown into an internationally-recognised
provider of speech and language therapy, delivering
4,200 instructional hours to over 500 students. Release’s
staff have experience in working with those affected
by autism, Asperger Syndrome, Down Syndrome, stammer,
cerebral palsy, pervasive development disorder (PDD),
delayed speech, and articulation difficulty. Its services
engage both children and their caregivers (e.g. parents,
other family members, teachers, special needs assistants),
who learn effective techniques and skills that enable
them to facilitate their child’s progress outside
of the therapy sessions.
Survey Findings
- Surveying participants’ caregivers,
Release has measured success of their programmes,
finding:
- 100% of caregivers engaged
in the therapy programme are ‘extremely satisfied’ with their child’s
progress and would recommend the programme to a friend
- Over 85% felt that the therapist spent adequate
one-on-one time with their child
- Over 90% thought the therapist’s intervention
was appropriate for their child’s cognitive
skills
- Over 75% reported that they had found time to work
with their child on a daily basis
- 100% found the programme ‘extremely helpful’ for
their child and for themselves
- Release’s impact is
evidenced by breakthroughs with children previously
written off by traditional therapies (e.g. 15 non-verbal
children speaking, 15 children transitioning to mainstream
education)
Success
- This satisfaction has led to great word-of-mouth advertising
for Release, allowing the organisation to secure new
clients through peer-to-peer referrals.
- Following on Release’s
success with caregivers, the organisation was chosen
to conduct speech and language assessments for Irish
Autism Action, which will involve speech and language
assessments of over 185 children adults annually.
- Further, Release’s
success to date has earned them the opportunity of
presenting their speech and language intervention
as best practice to the American Speech-Language and
Hearing Association (ASHA) conference in 2009-10.
- To prepare for this prestigious event, Release is currently
teaming up with leading experts from George Washington
University and New York University to conduct a qualitative
evaluation of the programme.
| How The Ireland
Funds helped |
| The
American Ireland Fund has given
$15,000 in support of Release Communication Intervention
Speech Therapy. |
| The Impact
of your investment |
The research for the ASHA
conference is likely to position Release as a
global leader in the provision of speech and language
therapies for children with communication disabilities,
such as those with autism, Down syndrome, or Pervasive
Developmental Disorder (PPD). A thorough review
of the programme will help Release determine whether
the model that has been so successful in Ireland
can be replicated to progress speech and language
therapy around the world.
Release is currently seeking support
to cover the cost of completing this ground-breaking
research, which will cost approximately €100,000. |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
In Brief
Release has a proven holistic approach to Communication Intervention,
incorporating Speech and Language Therapy with Occupational Exercises,
Early Intervention, and Oral Motor Therapy to make significant strides
helping children combat communication difficulties.
Release Communication Intervention teaches caregivers, teachers,
special needs assistants and children techniques from speech and
language therapy and occupational exercises, to early intervention
and oral motor therapy.
Since opening our doors in January 2005, Release has worked with
over 430 children of varying communication difficulties totalling
over 5000 hours of communication therapy.
Mission
To release life's potential
of children with learning disabilities
through empowering their parents
with practical knowledge
at a low cost |
|
DONATE
NOW
