UK Professional Body: RCSLT

• Chair of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
  (6th October 2022 to 9th October 2024)
• Deputy Chair of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
  (October 2020 to 6th October 2022)
• RCSLT Nominations Committee
  Chair. Committee to advise the Board on appointments, with a view to encouraging diversity on the Board and within RCSLT committees
  (January 2022 to October 2024)
• RCSLT Honours Committee
  Chair (April 2021 to October 2024)
• RCSLT Clinical Excellence Network (CEN)
  Trans and Gender Diverse Voice & Communication
  Member (11/11/2015 to present),
  Committee member and Vice Chair (03/04/2019 to 28/03/2024)
• RCSLT Professional Practice and Policy Committee
  (December 2021 to October 2022)
• RCSLT Digital Strategy Oversight Committee
  Committee member
  (August 2015 to March 2020)
  (Committee disbanded after digital transformation project completed and embedded)
• Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT)
  Practising Member www.rcslt.org
  (September 1995 to present)

Other UK professional organisations

• British Association of Gender Identity Specialists (BAGIS)
  Member https://www.bagis.co.uk/
  (17/09/2019 to present)

International organisations

• World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) (21/03/2022 to March 2026)
  www.wpath.org
• International Association of Communication Sciences and Disorders (IALP)
  Member (21/08/2023 to present)
• International Association of Communication Sciences and Disorders (IALP)
  Board member - Representative - Large Affiliated Societies
  (September 2023 - August 2025)
  International Association of Communication Science and Disorders

UK regulatory body

• Health & Care Professions Council
  HCPC Registered http://www.hpc-uk.org/

Personal web site
www.speechtherapy.co.uk
The longest running UK web site for speech and language therapists.
Includes knowledge share learning resources on IPA transcription and Speech Sound Disorders (SSD).

Current BSc (Hons) Speech and Language Therapy Pre-Registration Degree Programme Teaching

• I am an academic adviser to a group of students from each year on the three-year programme (20 students).

Year 1 students:

• PCHN10572 Foundations in Phonetics and Phonology
  (New unit from 2025; Previously PCHN10222 Linguistics, Phonetics and Language Development B)
  • Phonemic and phonetic transcription of speech including the IPA and extIPA charts, the Northern English vowel system;
  • Suprasegmental features of English phonology, including Primary word stress and intonation.
    
    
• PCHN 10200 Clinical & Professional Practice
  • Professionalism
  • Simulated Clinical Learning
  • A day in the life of a Speech and Language Therapist: Voice and communication therapy with trans and non-binary individuals;
  • Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists Membership.

Year 2 students:

• PCHN20330 Clinical Phonetics, Voice and Fluency
  (New unit from 2025; Previously PCHN20100 Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics)
  •  Analysing transcriptions of children with Speech Sound Disorder, Reaching a differential diagnosis and identifying and implementing an evience-based therapy package;
  • Computerised analysis of speech using Praat and specialised plug-ins for the analysis of pitch (frequency), loundess (Sound Pressure Level) and screeing for voice disorder using Smoothed Cepstral Peak Prominence (CPPS).
  • Speech and Language Disorders in a Bilingual Context;
  • Transgender Voice & Communication Therapy.
    
    

• PCHN20321 Developmental Speech & Language Disorders A
  • Speech Sound Disorders (SSD) in children and young people.

Year 3 students:

• PCHN 30320 Developmental Speech and Language Disorders B
  • Complex and Severe Speech Sound Disorders (SSD) including Inconsistent Phonological Disorder (IPD), and Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)

Year 4 (Master's Level) students (Final year 2025-2026)

• PCHN 41432 Working with bilingual children and their families

Current Post Graduate Teaching

PhD Supervision

• Co-supervisor on a study into technnology and app usage for trans and non-binary people (September 2025 to present).
  
  • PhD candidate: Emily Glover
  • Main supervisor: Dr Sarah Clinch

DClinPsy student supervision

• 'Exploring the clinical need of transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people with regards to their social communication needs.'
• Co-supervisor (September 2023 to present).
  • Candidate: Niahm Farrell
  • Supervisors: Dr Alex Sturrock, Dr James Lea, Dr Brendan J Dunlop

Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology programme

• Co-supervisor on a study into Dynamic Assessment (DA) with bilingual childrem / children who speak languages other than English (LOTE); Views and strategies of Educational Psychologists and Speech and Language Therapists (2024-Present)
  • Candidate: Georgina Leyland
  • Main supervisor: Dr Catherine Kelly

Previous and occasional teaching

• PCHN 20200 Clinical and Professional Practice
• PCHN 30531 Clinical Research 3
• Blended Clinic Simulation (Design contributor)

Previous four year NHS bursery funded programme teaching (2014-2020):

• HCDI 20/ 30/40 060 Professional and Clinical Studies
• HCDI 20/ 30/40 400 Clinical Practice
• HCDI 20990 Clinical Phonetics
• HCDI 31001 Clinical Linguistics II - Bilingualism
• HCDI 40100 Advanced Study Option
• HCDI 41031 Developmental Language Disorders II - Bilingualism

Previous Year 4 (Master's Level) students (until 2024):

• PCHN 41430 Working with bilingual children and their families
• PCHN 63531 Working with bilingual children and their families e-Learning course

Previous Post-Graduate teaching

• MSc/PGDip Deaf Education programme - Clinical Phonetics
• HSST module Audiology Practice (Adolescents & Children) -  Impact of OME on Speech Communication Seminar
• Supervision of Master's Student - Social Communication Conditions and Trans Voice & Communication Change
• HCDI 63531 Working with bilingual children and their families e-Learning course

Previous Pre-Doctoral supervision

• Supervision of a NIHR ARC Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Student - Deaf Children with SLCN in a Bilingual Context (September 2021 to October 2023)

Previous leadership roles

• I was the Lead for Clinical Education, overseeing clinical placements (2014-2018). As part of this role I provided training days for speech and language therapists who provide clinical placement experience as clinical educators in collaboration with Manchester Metropolitan University Clinical Lead staff.
• I was the Admissions Officer for the pre-registration HCPC approved Speech and Language Therapy BSc (Hons) and Integrated Masters programmes (August 2020 to September 2023).

Voice & communication workshops (Voice coaching)

From February 2016 to February 2020 I worked in partnership with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans foundation (LGBT foundation) to provide award-winning Voice and communication workshops for trans and gender non-binary individuals. The aim of these workshops was to provide evidence-based information to trans people wishing to change their communication. This may involve changing the voice pitch (frequency), resonance, articulation style, use of language and non-verbal communication (also known as 'body language'). The workshops provided information on safe changes, as some non-professional online advice may risk damage to the vocal folds.

The workshops were typically delivered as intensive weekend group events at the LGBT Foundation in Manchester's Gay Village and involved student speech and language therapists studying on the BSc (Hons) Speech and Language Therapy degree programme at The University of Manchester. We have also welcomed student volunteers from Manchester Metropolitan University, Sheffield University, Leeds University and De Montford University. This involvement encouraged students to feel confident supporting people from the Trans community.

Volunteering
This service is now offered via an NHS commissioned service, The Indigo Gender Service. We continue to offer volunteering opportunities to both student speech and language therapists, and qualified speech and language therapists looking to widen their clinical experience with trans and gender diverse people. Please see the application guide here.

NHS Commissioning Consultation

I have advised the NHS on the provision of speech and language therapy for the planned Greater Manchester Transgender Health Service care community care pathway.

LGBTQ+ Social Responsibility: Out in the Valley and Happy Valley Pride

I am the current Chair (October 2024 to present), and a founder member of Out in the Valley, a social group for LGBTQ+ people and allies who live in Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Todmorden and the Calder Valley (February 2020 to present). We believe that a supportive and inclusive group improves mental wellbeing. We continued our meetings online during the UK lockdowns, providing quizzes, book clubs, poetry reading and other social events. We now have a successful Theatre Group, Book Group, Social Group, Open Mic poetry and prose nights and several others.

I volunteered for the Happy Valley Pride annual LGBT Festival centred in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire since it's launch in 2016. The week long festival is run by volunteers as a not for profit organisation. I joined the Board of Trustees in May 2018 and chaired the Youth Engagement Committee. The committee encouraged children and young people to participate in the festival through art. I finished my term with Happy Valley Pride in January 2020 following the successful organisation of the Information Fair and engaging with local primary and secondary schools in the Calder valley.

Staff LGBTQ+ Allies Training

I take part in training sessions for LGBTQ+ allies, as part of the University of Manchester LGBTQ+ Staff Network.

Gender Identity, Pronouns and Sexuality
I am cis-gender and my pronouns are 'he'/'him'. I am a gay man and strive to be an ally for LGBTQIAA+ people.

Current roles
I am a Senior Clinical Lecturer and Consultant Speech and Language Therapist. As an openly gay man I have a keen interest in diversity, especially:

• Trans & Gender Diverse Voice & Communciation,
• Speech Sound Disorder (SSD) and Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) in a Monolingual English and Bilingual Contexts, and
• LGBTQIA+ representation in the Speech and Language Therapy profession.
• Increased diversity in the Speech and Language Therapy profession, including Black, Asian, and Ethically Diverse people, and people with disabilities.

Employment and consultancy

• I am employed full-time at the University of Manchester.
• I teach on the BSc (Hons) degree programme full time.
• Consultant Speech and Language Therapist for the Indigo Gender Service in Greater Manchester.
  • I provided clinical supervision on a monthly basis (May 2024-May 2025). 
  • 01/10/2022-31/05/2024 Seconded two days a week.
  • September 2020-October 2022 one day a week to set up the Voice and Communication Therapy service.
• Consultant Speech and Language Therapist on bilingualism and languages other than English (LOTE)
  • March 2019 - June 2024 for the Heather Van der Lely Foundation funded BEST programme evaluation, known as the LIVELY project, This randomised control trial on early language intervention for children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) showed that the Building Early Sentences Therapy (BEST) was effective in kick-starting young children's language development. I worked on treatement fidelity and LOTE adaptations for children who speak Pakistani heritage (Mirpuri, Punjabi and Urdu), Bangladeshi heritage (Sylheti) and Polish languages.
• Chair of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
  • Seconded a day a week (06/10/2022 to 09/10/2024)

Clinical Experience
I have three decades of experience as a speech and language therapist (1995 to present), having worked in the NHS for almost 20 years and in Higher Education since 2014. I have worked as a highly specialist speech and language therapist, Principal SLT / service manager and student co-ordinator. Clinically I have mainly worked with:

• Trans and non-binary adults on voice and communication change
• Bilingual children with speech sound disorder (SSD) and developmental language disorder (DLD), and their families
• Children with severe speech sound disorder (SSD) and developmental language disorder (DLD)

Specialist Training
I have extensive experience providing both in-person and online training to speech and language therapists, including students, returners to the profession and whole department training on:

• Speech and Language Disorder in a bilingual context (children and young people)
• Transcription of speech and disordered speech (International Phonetic Alphabets)
• The assessment, analysis, diagnosis and treatment of speech sound disorders in children.

Clinical Specialism:

Trans and Gender Diverse Voice & Communication
I wrote the commissioning document and set up the Voice and Communication Therapy (VCT) Service in Greater Manchester as part of the Indigo Gender Service. The service has a co-production group and is trans-led to ensure that all care is trans-positive. Many of the staff identify as trans or non-binary, and/or are LGBTQIAA+, and all staff strive to be trans allies. The service was one of three Primary Care Pilot Services set up in England by NHS England and is now fully commissioned following excellent service user feedback.

I am an Specialist Adviser on Trans and Gender Diverse Voice & Communication for the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (2019 to present).

I developed the NHS commissioned service from an initial voluntary service provision provided in partnership with the LGBT Foundation Trans Programme (Winner of the RCSLT Sternberg Award, 2017 with Louie Stafford and UoM Making a Difference Award 2017 and the Staff Volunteer of the Year 2018). 

I was a committee member and Deputy Chair of the RCSLT Clinical Excellence Network (CEN) (11/11/2015 to 28/03/2024), encouraging practitioners to join the network for training, Continuing Professional Development (CPD), support and clinical supervision. I remain a member of the CEN and clinical adviser.

I have completed the PG Cert in Gender Identity Healthcare Practice at the University of London. This allowed me to shadow the multi-disciplinary team and gain a deeper understanding of the barriers trans and non-binary people face when accessing healthcare.

Clinical Specialism (Children and Young People):
Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), and DLD and Speech Sound Disorder (SSD) in a Bilingual Context
I collaborated with Professor Cristina McKean, Senior Lecturer at Newcastle University and Dr Carol Stow fRCSLT (Retired) to design a language intervention for children with severe language difficulties, Building Early Sentences Therapy (BEST, Winner of the RCSLT Sternberg Award, with Dr Cristina McKean and Dr Carol Stow, 2012).

I worked with Dr Carol Stow, fRCSLT (Retired) to deliver a home-language highly specialist service for bilingual children and their families in the NHS in North West England.

As part of our PhD studies, we published bilingual assessments for speech sound disorder (BiSSS, Joint Winner of the RCSLT Sternberg Award with Dr Carol Stow, 2005) and language disorder (BASS) in Pakistani heritage languages (Mirpuri, Punjabi and Urdu).

In addition to my research publications, I have written advice leafets for the charity Afasic on Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), Speech Disorders, Inconsistent Speech Disorder, Language Disorder and Bilingualism (2016).

I am a Specialist Adviser for the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists on Speech Sound Disorder (SDD) and Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) in a Bilingual Context (March 2004 to present).

National Clinical Guidelines (RCSLT)

• I was the lead author on the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists' Clinical Guidelines on Bilingualism (2018)
• I contributed to the RCSLT Trans and Gender Diverse Voice and Communication Therapy Competency Framework (2019). 

Key Awards

• I have been the joint winner of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists' Sternberg Award for Clinical Innovation on an unprecedented three occasions.
  
• I have also won awards for teaching, volunteering and media.
• Please see the Prizes section for full details.

2020-2021 The University of London
Postgraduate Certificate in Gender Identity Healthcare Practice
Awarded 10th January 2022
Modules completed:

• GIM400 Practicum 1
• GIM010 Fundamental Ideas in Gender Identity and Diversity
• GIM030 Clinical Responses to Gender Dysphoria Part 1
• GIM020 Gender diversity in the context of Society Part 1

2020 The University of Manchester
Senior Fellow of the AdvanceHE (Formerly The Higher Education Academy)
University of Manchester. Awarded 15th September 2020

2020 The Open University
Take your teaching online. Completed 29th June 2020
OpenLearn Free course 

2018 University of Manchester
PG Cert in Higher Education

2017 The University of Manchester
Fellow of the AdvanceHE (Formerly The Higher Education Academy)
Completion of the New Academics' Programme (NAP)

2009-2011 University of Salford
PgDip Healthcare management:

• Leading and managing in healthcare organisations
• The 'Me' in leadership
• Leading change for patient and/or service improvement
• Project management and methods of inquiry

2000-2007 University of Newcastle upon Tyne
PhD. Thesis title: Bilingual language development in Pakistani heritage children in Rochdale UK. Intrasentential codeswitching and the Implications for the identification of specific language impairment. Available at: http://hdl.handle.net/10443/2230

1992 – 1995 Manchester Metropolitan University
BSc (Hons) Speech and Language Pathology
Dissertation: An evaluation of the dysarthria profile (revised) with reference to cerebral vascular accident, head injury, motor neurone disease client groups (Dissertation supervised by Sandra Robertson MScLCEST Reg.MCST LLCM), May 1995. Available at: http://www.speechtherapy.co.uk/PDF/1995SPertDissertation.pdf

Language Intervention in the Early Years (LIVELY) https://research.ncl.ac.uk/lively/

• Professor Cristina McKean
• Dr Carolyn Letts
• Dr Helen Stringer
• Dr Helen Wareham
• Dr Christine Jack

Professor Cristina McKean, Newcastle University on the Building Early Sentences Therapy (BEST) early language remediation package.

LIVELY Project pre-registration
McKean, C., Benson, K., Jack, C., Letts, C.A., Pert, S., Preston, E., Trebacz, A., Stringer, H., Wareham, H., (2020) ISRCTN10974028: Language intervention in the Early Years - comparing the effectiveness of language intervention approaches for pre-school children with language difficultiesISRCTN https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN10974028

Ludovica Serratrice, Centre for Literacy and Multilingualism (CeLM) on Research-based answers to the needs of practitioners working with multilingual children.