Maximising the impact of speech and language therapy for children with speech sound disorder
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN66763072 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN66763072 |
| IRAS number | 313900 |
| Secondary identifying numbers | IRAS 313900, CPMS 52574 |
- Submission date
- 30/03/2022
- Registration date
- 13/06/2022
- Last edited
- 10/03/2025
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Other
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
Every year over 70,000 children with speech sound disorders receive different types of speech and language therapy. We don’t know which is most effective. We want to collect information which will help us work out which type works best. This study will enable us to agree what information we should collect.
Many children have difficulties learning to speak and some of these have a speech sound disorder. These children can be difficult to understand or sound different to their friends. If their problems persist, they are less likely to do well in school and may struggle to make friends or get jobs in adulthood.
Who can participate?
This study is open to qualified speech and language therapists working with specialist experience of working with children with speech sound disorder (SSD) in NHS services.
What does the study involve?
We will use information from previous research to work out what information would be helpful to collect. We will run workshops with speech and language therapists and also with young people and parents of children with speech sound disorders to find out what information they think we should collect. A panel of experts will help us to establish a process for collecting information from NHS services. This will mean that information can be compared across NHS services. We will be able to list the different types of therapy and record the amount of progress children make. We will use this information to determine which types are most effective.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Taking part in this research will help this study to achieve its aim of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of NHS SLT services for children with SSD, and their families.
Your participation in this research can be recorded as a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activity.
During the conversations with other professionals in the workshop different opinions may be shared, which could make some participants feel uncomfortable. Members of the study team are trained in conflict management and will be able to support the discussions in a way that means everyone can share their views and have open, positive and constructive discussions.
Taking part in this workshop will mean you need to take around 6 hours out of work. This time is compensated to your clinical service by the study. We can also provide funding towards childcare to support you to take part in the workshops.
Where is the study run from?
Bristol Speech and Language Therapy Unit (BSLTRU) (UK)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
March 2022 to August 2023
Who is funding the study?
This study is part of a larger project funded by a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) study (ref NIHR202766) (UK)
Who is the main contact?
Senior Research Associate Dr Sam Burr, sam.burr@nbt.nhs.uk
Contact information
Scientific
Bristol Speech and Language Therapy Research Unit (BSLTRU)
Pines and Steps
Southmead Hospital
Bristol
BS10 5NB
United Kingdom
 ORCID ID |
0000-0002-4177-2459 |
|---|---|
| Phone | +44 117 41 43951 |
| sam.burr@nbt.nhs.uk |
Study information
| Study design | Multicentre qualitative study |
|---|---|
| Primary study design | Other |
| Secondary study design | |
| Study setting(s) | Other |
| Study type | Other |
| Participant information sheet | Not available in web format, please use contact details to request a participant information sheet. |
| Scientific title | MISLToe_SSD: Maximising the Impact of Speech and Language Therapy services for children with Speech Sound Disorder |
| Study acronym | MISLToe_SSD |
| Study objectives | 76,000 children with Speech Sound Disorder (SSD) are referred to speech and language therapy (SLT) in the UK every year. Untreated, SSD leads to poor outcomes in education, employment, and mental health. SLT intervention in the UK is delivered via care pathways and these are often resource rather than evidence-driven and there is significant national variation. There is a pressing need to identify which care pathways are most effective and efficient within NHS service constraints to improve outcomes and maximise cost-effectiveness. Before we can determine which care pathways are most effective and efficient, we must establish a Core Outcomes Set (COS) and minimum dataset. The objectives of this develop work are therefore to: 1. Develop a protocol for collection of a COS and minimum dataset for children with SSD; 2. Agree a standard diagnostic process for identifying subtypes of SSD; 3. Determine the range and specification of interventions for SSD in UK NHS SLT services; 4. Identify the process for future health economic analysis. |
| Ethics approval(s) | This study does not require ethics approval because it involves solely NHS staff as participants. |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Participants will be qualified professional speech and language therapists with specialist knowledge of working with children with speech sound disorders (SSD). They will take part in a virtual workshop to discuss and agree a standard process for assessing and diagnosing speech sound disorder in children. They will agree a list of interventions for SSD and which ones should be used to treat the different sub-types of SSD. Participants will also be invited to complete an online survey and online card sorting activity to agree labels and descriptions for each of the interventions. A further participant activity will involve a modified Delphi study during which a panel of expert SLTs and academics will agree the diagnostic process, interventions and outcomes to form a Core Outcome Set for SSD. |
| Intervention | Umbrella review of current literature to inform content for the COS and minimum dataset. Participatory workshop with parents and SLTs to agree the diagnostic process for SSD. Expert panel of SLTs and parents to agree a final COS and minimum dataset. |
| Intervention type | Other |
| Primary outcome measure | A comprehensive list of speech sound assessments and interventions, used with children between x and Y, at any point in their treatment pathway. This will be elicited through discussion with the focus group members, and supplemented through a list compiled by the research team through a prior umbrella review. These outcomes and assessments will then be reviewed using a nominal-group/Delphi technique to understand which of the assessments and interventions are most commonly used in practice. |
| Secondary outcome measures | There are no secondary outcome measures |
| Overall study start date | 01/03/2022 |
| Completion date | 28/02/2024 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Health professional |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Sex | Both |
| Target number of participants | 5 |
| Total final enrolment | 6 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Any gender, age, ethnicity or socio economic grouping. 2. Any qualified SLT 3. HCPC/RCSLT registered 4. Specialism or special interest in working with children with SSD |
| Key exclusion criteria | Unqualified or unregistered SLTs (HCPC/RCSLT). SLT with no experience of working with children with SSD. |
| Date of first enrolment | 01/06/2022 |
| Date of final enrolment | 01/10/2022 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- England
- Scotland
- United Kingdom
Study participating centres
Albion Road Resource Centre
North Shields
NE29 0HG
United Kingdom
Highpoint Venue
Bursledon Road
Southampton
SO19 8BR
United Kingdom
Scartho Road
Grimsby
DN33 2BA
United Kingdom
Bristol
BS15 9TR
United Kingdom
2-4 Waterloo Place
Edinburgh
EH1 3EG
United Kingdom
Sponsor information
Hospital/treatment centre
Research and Innovation
Southmead Hospital
Bristol
BS10 5NB
England
United Kingdom
| Phone | +44 1174149330 |
|---|---|
| researchsponsor@nbt.nhs.uk | |
| Website | http://www.nbt.nhs.uk/ |
"ROR" |
https://ror.org/036x6gt55 |
Funders
Funder type
Government
Government organisation / National government
- Alternative name(s)
- National Institute for Health Research, NIHR Research, NIHRresearch, NIHR - National Institute for Health Research, NIHR (The National Institute for Health and Care Research), NIHR
- Location
- United Kingdom
Results and Publications
| Intention to publish date | 28/08/2024 |
|---|---|
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | No |
| IPD sharing plan summary | Not expected to be made available |
| Publication and dissemination plan | We will report the results of our research at two conferences for speech and language therapists (one national and one international) and in academic journals. We will ask our PPI partners to help with dissemination via social media. |
| IPD sharing plan | The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are not expected to be made available due to participant confidentiality. |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results article | 29/04/2024 | 10/03/2025 | Yes | No |
Editorial Notes
10/03/2025: Publication reference added.
21/02/2024: The contact confirmed the record is up to date.
09/08/2023: The following changes were made to the trial record:
1. The overall end date was changed from 28/08/2023 to 28/02/2024.
2. The total final enrolment was added.
18/10/2022: The total final enrolment was added.
04/07/2022: Internal review.
03/05/2022: Trial's existence confirmed by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) (UK).
