“Do you think they’re improving?”In my 12-year career as a speech pathologist, I’ve heard this question from parents/carers countlesstimes. Given how resource-consuming speech therapy is, I don’t blame them for wanting to seetangible results, and yet in the past, I felt my ability to measure and convey outcomes was lacking.Over the years, I’ve tried different ways to measure therapy outcomes. I’ve created and sought outprobes, informal assessments, and surveys. I’ve even turned to the parent after they’ve asked methat question and said, “What do you think?” A therapy plan, if you’re not sure what it is, is a document written by the therapist at the start of atherapy block that explains: We could also forget to collaborate and explain our plan to parents/carers/clients, a crucial part ofbeing a family-centred therapist. A written therapy plan helps both therapists and families to feel asense of direction and clarity in the therapeutic journey they take together.And, if something isn’t working, the therapy plan, with sign-posted moments for collecting data, canhelp us make necessary clinical decisions such as changing strategies, intensity, goals, or evenceasing therapy. With reference to our therapy plan document, we can share our clinical thinking,and have these trickier conversations with families.If you’d like to start using therapy plans in your practice, you can: Written by Celine Lowe Pascual, Managing Director

In July 2022, Celine and Rosie sat down with The Talking DLD Podcast to discuss therapy planning and how to build practice based evidence into your work. We invite you to listen to their podcast episode here!