Who are we?

The National Special Interest Group in Disorders of Fluency was established by a group of Speech & Language Therapists who were keen to extend their knowledge of fluency disorders.

The groups aims are:

	to provide mutual support, information and contact for colleagues working in the field of dysfluency.
	to organise study days and meetings to promote continuing professional development.
	to act as a forum to discuss policy developments and issues relating to dysfluency.

We produce a newsletter signal twice a year.

We have approximately 200 members.

Study days are held three times a year at various venues in the UK. These meetings are free for members. See Events Diary for more details.

Membership is open to registered Speech & Language Therapists, SLT students, retired SLTs and other interested parties approved by the committee. See How to Join

See what to expect from your membership here

SIG Constitution here

Read minutes from SIG AGM 2011 including reports from the Committee for the year here

Read latest minutes from March 2012here

Current Committee 2011 - 2012

Chairperson:

Sharon Millard

Sharon is a specialist at the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children, where she is the Research Lead. Sharon was previously the SIG Membership Secretary for three years and is now the Chair responsible for coordinating meetings and overseeing the work of the SIG. Contact Sharon about any queries related to the SIG.
Email: Sharon.Millard@islingtonpct.nhs.uk

Secretary: Sarah Costelloe (East Anglia)

Sarah worked as a specialist speech and Language Therapist at Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT for 10 years. Since 2008 she has worked as a part-time Research Associate at University Campus Suffolk conducting a longitudinal study on early childhood dysfluency (a project that has been funded by the Dominic Barker Trust). She keeps up with some direct therapy work by running a small independent partnership in Norwich, and having a bank contract with the NHS. Sarah is also the chair of the new local Eastern Region Dysfluency SIG. Email: Sarah Costelloe

Treasurer: Louise Tonkinson

Louise is the Specialist SLT Stammering and Coordinator of Children's SLT Services for Nottinghamshire Community Health where she's been working since 1989.She was inspired to work with stammering by her beloved uncle Arthur who recently passed away- he was also good at book keeping so fingers crossed!
Email: Louise.Tonkinson@nottspct.nhs.uk

Membership Secretary: Kath Frazer

Kath manages the community team in Northumberland. She has a large caseload which includes children with fluency disorders

Study Day Organisers: Clare Emerson & Gillian Gaskell

Clare works for North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust community services, spending half her week with a specialist stammering caseload and the other half with a specialist voice caseload. She works with both adults and children who stammer and particularly enjoys working with teenagers.

Gillian Gaskell (joint study day co-ordinator) is a specialist speech and language therapist employed by Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust. Based in two different localities, she works in a range of settings to support children and young people with speech, language and communication needs. She has a special interest in fluency and currently holds the post of Secretary for the West Midlands Fluency SIG. Please contact Clare or Gillian if you have any queries about future study days/suggestions regarding potential topics or speakers. Emails: clareemerson@nhs.net and gillian.gaskell@sbpct.nhs.uk

Information Officer: Sharon Millard - also current Chair

Extra Ordinary Roles

Signal Newsletter Editor: Sarah Costelloe Email articles to: Sarah Costelloe

Online Resource Editor: Isobel Pickering (Ipswich)

Isobel has been the preschool co-ordinator for East Suffolk for the past 8 years and paediatric dysfluency specialist for the past 4 years. She works 4 days a week for the NHS and one day for the Dominic Barker Trust and is conducting an evaluation of a home based intervention for very young children who stammer.
Email: Isobel Pickering