Friday Announcements – 4 July 2025
1. New Liberator AAC Consultant for Ireland
2. Spotlight on Scale Hotspots in Scene & Heard Pro
3. Free Webinar: Diary of a Makaton User
4. Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) Survey
5. The Blockly Project – Testers Needed
6. Paediatric Occupational Therapist Vacancy – AAC West
7. AAC Technician Vacancy – Ace Centre
News from Communication Matters
8. CM2025 International AAC Conference – Register Now – 1 Week To Early Bird Deadline!
9. CM2025 Great Book Draw
10. Call for Nominations for Trustees
11. About Friday Announcements
1. New Liberator AAC Consultant for Ireland
From Emily Gabrielle, Liberator Ltd:
We are excited to introduce our new AAC Regional Consultant Amy Smyth! An experienced speech and language therapist, Amy will be supporting clients across Ireland.
Amy will shortly be available to support with assessment, loans or general support or training for a Liberator device.
To connect with Amy, visit our website and book your appointment today.
2. Spotlight on Scale Hotspots in Scene & Heard Pro
From Annie Galvin, Therapy Box Ltd:
Scale Hotspots are a great way to help user’s express things that fall along a range – like pain, feelings, or preferences. Whether it’s rating pain from 1 to 10, showing how someone feels today, or choosing how much they liked an activity, Scale Hotspots offer a simple and visual way to support more nuanced communication. You’ll find example Scale scenes in our Scene Library (https://www.therapybox.co.uk/scene-library), ready to use or customise for your own needs.
Watch our short video to see how it works: https://youtu.be/BMFDiMT9XVw. We’d love to see your creative uses, please send your examples!
3. Free Webinar: Diary of a Makaton User
From Natalie Applewhaite-Morgan, The Makaton Charity:
Diary of a Makaton user (part 1): The successes I felt and the problems I faced (plus live Q&A)
12.00-1.30pm, Wednesday 9th July 2025
FREE. All can attend. Online via Zoom.
Zoom Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/5517514561092/WN_6un5pR7uTg6Cqcp3zUQOow
Due to popular demand, we will be delivering this session live for a third time and have extended this event to include a live Q&A at the end where we will be answering all the questions from the delivery of this webinar and any questions that come in on the day.
This extended live session will be by hosted by Hannah Anderson and delivered by a Makaton representative who uses Makaton herself, from her childhood through to her adult years, using speech and Makaton signs and symbols to support understanding and to be understood.
If you would like to join us, please register here. This event is available for all who have a Makaton account to attend, including Free members.
Please note: This recording will not be added to the Makaton library on this occasion, so don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to listen to the perspective of a Makaton user.
4. Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) Survey
From Lucy Lee, Speech, Language and Communication Alliance:
Speech and Language UK is working with the Speech, Language and Communication Alliance and Disabled Children’s Partnership to collect information about Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) for children with a Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) designation.
This will really help us to explain to Government what is in EHCPs for children with speech and language challenges. We want to make sure that more children, not fewer, get the support they need in school. Please only complete this survey with information regarding EHCP provision for SLCN.
You can find the survey here: EHCP survey – Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives.
5. The Blockly Project – Testers Needed
From Kirsty McNaught, Kirsty McNaught Consulting:
The Blockly Project aims to make coding accessible for people who use Eye Gaze as their primary access method. We are currently recruiting testers to help shape this work and ensure it truly meets users’ needs.
What’s involved?
- 1–1.5 hour online session (flexible timing)
- Fully guided, with short pre/post questionnaires
- Adult must be present for under-18s
- £50 Amazon voucher for each participant
Who can take part?
Anyone aged 8+ who uses Eye Gaze as their main access method and is interested in computing or gaming.
We would be very grateful for your help!
See our information leaflet for more details. Please share this opportunity with anyone who might be interested. To participate, please email [email protected].
6. Paediatric Occupational Therapist Vacancy – AAC West
From Vicky Styles, AAC West of England Specialist Team:
AAC West of England Specialist Team (AAC WEST) is looking for a suitably qualified and experienced Occupational Therapist to join the multi professional team to support in the delivery of specialist communication aid assessments to people living across the South West region.
We are currently seeking a Band 7 Paediatric Occupational Therapist to join our team at AAC WEST. This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated clinician looking to contribute to the development of paediatric pathways while also enhancing their leadership skills.
Previous AAC experience is desirable but not essential; the experienced MDT at AAC WEST will assist the successful candidate in developing their knowledge in the assessment and implementation of communication technology. We are looking for someone who has gained solid foundation experiences but is passionate about the impact technology can have in supporting children with communication impairments
This post is based in Bristol which has been consistently voted the best place to live in the UK, with vibrant local music, arts and restaurants.
If you would like to know more about this diverse and highly rewarding role, please contact our clinical lead [email protected] or via phone on 0117 414 5850.
Full details on the role can be found at Job Advert. Closing date: 13th July.
7. AAC Technician Vacancy – Ace Centre
Salary: £33,366
Contract: Permanent
Working Pattern: Full-time
Location: Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Ace Centre is a national charity offering a range of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and Assistive Technology (AT) services for people with physical and communication impairments and those who support them.
A vacancy has arisen in our Abingdon office for an AAC Technician to join our friendly team. The successful applicant will be an enthusiastic self-starter who will help support children and adults with communication and physical difficulties by setting-up and maintaining our assessment and client equipment, and by providing technical support by telephone, remotely and face to face.
This is an opportunity to join a small and friendly multi-disciplinary team offering excellent CPD opportunities.
Closing date for applications: 27th July. Interviews: w/c 4th August.
For further information and to apply, please visit our website: https://acecentre.org.uk/work-with-us
Ace Centre is an equal opportunities employer; we welcome enquiries from everyone and value diversity in our workforce.
8. CM2025 International AAC Conference – Register Now – 1 Week To Early Bird Deadline!
Registration is now open, but we wanted to highlight some exciting changes and additions taking place this year.
One notable change is the conference being shortened to two days. We will open the main conference on Monday 8th September at 9AM and close at 4PM Tuesday the 9th. While this means a slightly shorter conference than previous years, we have worked hard to consolidate the programme to offer better value with events on either side. These include:
- Pre-Conference Relaxed Exhibition: on the afternoon of 7th September, we will be providing a time for conference delegates and the community who need a quieter and less busy space to meet with suppliers. This is a free optional event for those who wish to add it to their delegate package. Tickets will also be available to people not attending conference.
- AAC Awards: on the evening of 8th September, we will be hosting our biennial event celebrating all forms of communication, the people who use AAC, the professionals, families and suppliers that support them. Being held at the Royal Armouries in Leeds, we are certain the awards, dinner and dancing will prove to be a fun and exciting night for all! This event is included in the full delegate registration price. It can be added to one-day and exhibition-only delegates at an additional price. Tickets will also be available to people not attending conference.
- Post-Conference Research Study Day: this additional day on 10th September is open to conference delegates and others who are interested in research focused strands delivered by an international cohort of researchers and academics. This event can be added to all delegate packages at an additional price. Tickets will also be available to people not attending conference.
Changes to accommodation
In another effort to offer choice and value, there are now options available for conference delegates to choose accommodation. When going through the registration process you can add on-campus accommodation at Storm Jameson, which will be added to the full conference delegate rate. You can also choose to opt-out and stay elsewhere. We have teamed up with Conference Leeds to offer delegates preferential rates at hotels within Leeds for your convenience.
Registration is now open!
Book early to take advantage of the Early Bird discount which expires NEXT FRIDAY 11th July.
See prices and book online here.
9. CM2025 Great Book Draw
Wanted: Recently Published Books
Are you the author of a recently published (or about to be published) book that addresses any aspect of AAC, either fiction or non-fiction? Would you like to have an image and description of your book included in the CM2025 Conference Programme?
Why not donate a copy to the CM2025 Great Book Draw? Approximately 450 delegates will have the opportunity to sign up for the Great Book Draw which will be held during the International AAC Conference at the University of Leeds on 8-9 September.
We are open to all books about AAC but this year we would particularly welcome books regarding neurodiversity, adults using AAC, and/or empowerment.
If you are interested, please email [email protected] by Friday 11th July.
10. Call for Nominations for Trustees
The time has come again to request nominations for Trustees for the next term in the life of Communication Matters. This is a role which demands stamina, commitment and skill mixing but which can be very stimulating and enlightening!
This year there are five vacant places to be filled and the opportunity of appointing a further three Co-opted Trustees as appropriate. The announcement of Trustees will take place at the virtual Annual Meeting of Associate Members on Sunday 7 September 2025 ahead of the Communication Matters International AAC Conference.
For more information and to download a nomination form, please go to: communicationmatters.org.uk/news/call-for-trustees-2025
Completed nomination forms must reach us by Friday 18th July.
11. About Friday Announcements
These ‘Friday Announcements’ comprise weekly product updates, upcoming courses, and supplier news. Please email [email protected] with the item you want to be included by Thursday at 5pm – no more than 200 words (one entry per organisation per week) – and include contact email and/or link so readers can find out further information (no file attachments please).
