Commentary on “Research priorities relating to communication and swallowing for individuals with learning disabilities across the lifespan”

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary on the article by Chadd et al. The commentary sets out the key principles of good support and considers how the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists research priorities impact on the practice of a team of Speech and Language Therapists who support people with learning disabilities, including autistic people and those with complex needs who display behaviour described as challenging. The commentary considers how the research priorities fit within current policies and frameworks and reflects on areas that could be considered further.

Design/methodology/approach

This commentary provides a narrative account of the reflections of a team of Speech and Language Therapists on the impact that the research priorities have had on their work.

Findings

The Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) team are all keen to be involved in research but identify barriers to this relating to time within their current roles and challenges in meaningfully involving people they support. The research priorities have provided a broad framework for them to use to consider areas for research, and the focus on measuring outcomes is welcome. The research priorities largely fit within the frameworks that support current social care practice; however, they are not written in a way that is accessible for most people with a learning disability, and some do not fully reflect the social model of disability. The wider involvement of people with lived experience may have led to different research priorities identified.

Originality/value

The commentary provides an account of the impact that the research priorities have had on a team of Speech and Language Therapists working within a social care setting. It encourages readers to consider the wider context for people with learning disabilities and the role SLT plays within the social model of support for improving quality of life.