Speak Out April 2019

Association news

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee • Provides perspectives and recommendations to the project consultants and to the Board to ensure that the values of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are appropriately respected and reflected in the revised standards. Speech Pathology Australia Board • Provides advice to the project consultants and approves final new standards. Project phases The project has three main phases. Phase 1 has recently been completed. Phase 1 of the project has involved: • Identifying issues relevant to speech pathologists now and in the future. • Benchmarking and mapping the competencies and standards of other professions. • Reviewing literature and practice documents relevant to professional competency standards. • Surveying over 1100 speech pathologists, student speech pathologists and speech pathology managers via two online surveys. • Conducting fourteen focus groups with up to 10 participants in each group. • Formally consulting with CSAC, PSAC and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee several times throughout the phase. Next steps The project consultants are currently synthesising the information received from the multiple consultations, reviews, and investigations to date. Using this information, the consultants will work with the PSAC to prepare a draft framework for the new standards. The draft framework will be presented to the SPA Board for review and endorsement. Progress on the review, including the key issues identified, the framework for the revised standards, and the next steps for the review, will be presented at the Joint Conference in June in Brisbane. The next stage of consultations will occur from June to August 2019. This stage will focus on developing the detail for populating the framework. Draft revised standards will be released for public consultation in October 2019 before being finalised at the end of December 2019 The new standards will require a careful and systematic implementation plan. This will ensure the new standards are successfully embedded into all relevant aspects of Speech Pathology Australia’s functions, university curricula and for the Australian speech pathology workforce more broadly. Development of the implementation plan will commence in late 2019. If you have any questions about the project please contact Stacey Baldac, Manager Professional Standards sbaldac@ speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

SPA recently welcomed Nadia Marussinsnzky into the role of Ethics Advisor. “I have worked within the disability sector since 2012. The majority of my experience is with early intervention, however across the years I have also worked with both the adolescent and adult populations. I have worked in a number of organisations and in homes, centres, schools and day programs, in Adelaide, Vancouver and now Melbourne. Over this time I have worked alongside many other professionals and, as is often the case when we collaborate, our similarities and differences highlighted to me the importance of embedding ethical decision making into everyday practise. I am excited to help guide SPA members through ethical dilemmas that may arise and to help maintain the high level of ethical standards that we, as a profession, hold ourselves to. On a personal note, I live in Yarraville and during my free-time you might find me gardening, paddle-boarding, reading or trying to teach my cat new tricks. I feel the best way for us to move forward ethically is to work together, so please feel free to contact me with questions and feedback. New SPA Ethics Advisor

Stacey Baldac Manager Professional Standards

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April 2019 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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