Vocational education and training for speech and language therapists and parents for rehabilitation of children with cochlear implant on how to speak Erasmus Project

Project Title

Vocational education and training for speech and language therapists and parents for rehabilitation of children with cochlear implant on how to speak

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Inclusion – equity; Health and wellbeing; Access for disadvantaged

Project Summary

Hearing loss has become an important problem for the health of Europe’s citizens, 10% of the total population experiencing it. Innovative medical technology, among which cochlear implants are the most important, can reduce the burden. For the past 50 years, the science and technology of cochlear implant has registered an outstanding development and this has resulted in a steady improvement of the overall speech recognition of the CI patients. But a cochlear implant is not miraculous. Even if children have a cochlear implant, this does not mean that they will not have some hearing deficit. This is why children with CI need all the support necessary from speech therapists so that they could reach a sustainable level of speech. It is necessary for every child who has received a cochlear implant to begin as quickly as possible a specific therapy program, essential in the formation of listening skills, understanding sounds and speech. Without a corresponding auditory-verbal recovery program, the results obtained by the child with a cochlear implant may be limited. The operations are successful but the recuperation of the impaired child is non-existent because the child, once implanted, has no real chances of rehabilitation: there are no speech therapists trained to work with these children and their families do not have the skills how to teach them the complexities of the language.

In this context the VOICE project’s main objective is to offer vocational education and training for speech and language therapists (SLP) and parents for teaching children with cochlear implants how to speak.
The specific objectives:
– To raise expectations and outcomes for deaf children and increase awareness and expectations of what deaf children can achieve if they receive specialised therapy, through the cumulative actions of the VOICE project.
– To equip the speech and language therapists (SLP) with a package of supporting resources for their further improved work with CI children, through the research and data base of the 1st IO of the project.
– To develop the minimum standards for rehabilitation after paediatric cochlear implant needed at transnational level, through the 2nd IO of the project.
– To develop knowledge, competences and skills of SLP and the students year 3/MA in psychology (future SLP), through the IO3 Handbook and IO4 VET programme, including theoretical study and a practical development of competences based on study of cases and share of experiences and practices on direct work with CI children.
– To support families accept an early intervention programme and become aware about their role as the child’s best expert, through the IO5 platform’ resources which empowers parents/carers to develop their child’s listening, speaking and social skills.

The long path of rehabilitation of a deaf child who is provided with a cochlear implant involves the common effort of a multidisciplinary team. It all starts with the surgeons and continues with speech and language therapists (SLPs), families, teachers and educators, current doctors and psychologists and sometimes social workers. Therefore the project is addressed directly to speech and language therapists (SLPs) (in the first professional stages) and the students year 3/MA in psychology (future SLPs), who work directly with CI children and adults, as well as parents, who have to continue the therapy at home, and teachers and support teachers who have to work with the children in order to integrate them in the mainstream education. The project also addresses, indirectly, to patients, doctors and family doctors, schools, speech and language therapists (SLPs) associations, medical centres and College of Physicians, psychology – pedagogy Faculties, parents associations and educational NGOs.

The project results:
IO1: Portfolio with case studies of children with cochlear implant therapy (CI therapy Portfolio)
IO2: Minimum standards for rehab after paediatric CI (CI paediatric standards)
IO3: Handbook for speech and language therapists (SLP) and parents for teaching children with cochlear implants how to speak (VOICE Handbook)
IO4: Vocational education and training for speech and language therapists (SLP) for teaching children with cochlear implants how to speak (VOICE E-Training course)
IO5: Open/ online/ digital education for parents and support groups in the rehab of children with cochlear implants (VOICE E-TOOLKIT)
C1. Vocational training for speech and language therapists (SLP) for teaching children with cochlear implants how to speak (VOICE Training), (5 training days, held in Romania, 25 participants (15 transnational participants)
Multiplier Events – Education and training for speech and language therapists, parents and support groups in the rehab of children with cochlear implants, in 4 different countries

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 255530 Eur

Project Coordinator

Spitalul Clinic de Recuperare Iasi & Country: RO

Project Partners

• STICHTING ZUYD HOGESCHOOL
• SOCIETATEA DE OTOLOGIE SI IMPLANT COHLEAR
• UNIVERSITATEA ALEXANDRU IOAN CUZA DIN IASI
• UNIVERSIDADE DE AVEIRO
• FUNDATIA EUROED
• ONICI