Adapting educational speech-language pathology services during a pandemic

Abstract

Background: Hanen Programs® have a research-based history of helping parents learn to support the oral language, social communication, and literacy development of their young children. Programs are delivered by Hanen-certified speech-language pathologists, usually in preschool speech and language centers. The global COVID-19 pandemic that began in March 2020 required school-based clinicians to adjust their professional practices to meet the needs of students during disruptive school years. Method: This clinical case study describes the two-year project launched to incorporate Hanen Programs® through telepractice, and discusses the feasibility of offering them as part of a continuum of services at the Toronto District School Board in Toronto, Ontario Canada. Results: Favorable responses from stakeholders led to the expansion of the project. Attrition rate and staff allocation were found to be problematic. Discussion/conclusion: Reasons for the high attrition rate were explored, and a response plan was developed. Additional training for interested staff members was scheduled. Ongoing monitoring is needed to determine the long-term feasibility of offering Hanen Programs® in a school board setting.