Autistic children's priorities in Speech & language therapy services
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding the changing needs of autistic children in speech and language therapy services: exploring child’s priorities and preferences alongside current practice
IRAS ID
339974
Contact name
Alexandra Sturrock
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
339974, IRAS number; 47159, ISRCTN registration number
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
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. Also, by consulting SLTs, it will define existing issues and highlight areas of good practice.
Research questions:
1. What are the views of verbally-able autistic children on priority targets, preferred approaches and integration of autism-affirming methods when receiving SLT support?
2. How are a wide range of SLTs currently responding to the changing needs of their clinical caseload and what are their concerns?
3. 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 will elicit the views of verbally-able autistic children (N=12) using minimally adapted interviews.
• Phase 2 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 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. 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. Clinician-facing visual materials will be made open-access.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/NW/0370
Date of REC Opinion
3 Feb 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion