Support individuals with specific communication needs

Unit aim

This unit is for those who support individuals with specific communication needs. It provides the learner with the knowledge and skills that address personal interaction and the use of special methods and aids to promote communication.

Outcome 1 Understand specific communication needs and factors affecting them

1. explain the importance of meeting an individual’s communication needs

2. explain how own role and practice can impact on communication with an individual who has specific communication needs

3. analyse features of the environment that may help or hinder communication

4. analyse reasons why an individual may use a form of communication that is not based on a formal language system

5. identify a range of communication methods and aids to support individuals to communicate

6. describe the potential effects on an individual of having unmet communication needs.

Outcome 2 Contribute to establishing the nature of specific communication needs of individuals and ways to address them

1. work in partnership with the individual and others to identify the individual’s specific communication needs

2. contribute to identifying the communication methods or aids that will best suit the individual

3. explain how and when to access information and support about identifying and addressing specific communication needs.

Outcome 3 Interact with individuals using their preferred communication

1. prepare the environment to facilitate communication

2. use agreed methods of communication to interact with the individual

3. monitor the individual’s responses during and after the interaction to check the effectiveness of communication

4. adapt own practice to improve communication with the individual.

Outcome 4 Promote communication between individuals and others

1. support the individual to develop communication methods that will help them to understand others and be understood by them

2. provide opportunities for the individual to communicate with others

3. support others to understand and interpret the individual’s communication

4. support others to be understood by the individual by use of agreed communication methods.

Outcome 5 Know how to support the use of communication technology and aids

1. identify specialist services relating to communication technology and aids

2. describe types of support that an individual may need in order to use communication technology and aids

3. explain the importance of ensuring that communication equipment is correctly set up and working properly.

Outcome 6 Review an individual’s communication needs and the support provided to address them

1. collate information about an individual’s communication and the support provided

2. contribute to evaluating the effectiveness of agreed methods of communication and support provided

3. work with others to identify ways to support the continued development of communication.