Speech and language therapists have the skills to provide all practisable supports in compliance with Mental Capacity Act guidance
Reviewed by Anna Volkmer

Deciding where to live can be complex. However, people with communication difficulties can find this even more difficult, and they are often completed excluded from the process. In the past, people with complex communication difficulties may have been placed in institutionalised settings, without being able to participate in the decision. Yet, it is increasingly recognised that these settings may restrict a person’s ability to participate in society. The authors of this qualitative research study interviewed five speech and language therapists to explore how they supported people with complex communication needs to make decisions on where to live. Using reflexive thematic analysis, 7 major themes were identified that captured the skills of speech and language therapists as a key component in supporting client’s needs, understanding the context and knowing how to navigate the context and the need to implement supported decision-making. Given that communication is central to supported decision-making, speech and language therapists are key to ensuring people with complex communication needs are provided with all practisable supports, as is their right in line with the Mental Capacity Act.  

Speech language pathologists’ perspectives of supporting people with complex communication needs to make decisions about where and how they live.
McLeod A, Froude E, Watson J, Berg N.
INT J SPEECH-LANG PATHOL
2026;1–12 [ePub ahead of print].