ACQ_Vol_11_no_3_2009

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ACQ Volume 11, Number 3 2009 171
Mental health
Adolescent mental health
versus child development
A new graduate’s perspective of working within
these settings
Shannon Walsh
speech pathology services to children with developmental
delays and disorders. The speech pathologist’s role is to
assess and provide intervention for children from birth to five
years of age with delays or disorders in the areas of
articulation, phonology, fluency, voice, motor speech,
language and early feeding.
TASSC has exposed to me a different range of clinical
skills, and I now have increased confidence in my ability to
manage a reasonably large caseload. The most prominent
concept I have learned from TASSC is that no two clients
are the same, and that therapy planning should consider
the techniques to which the child responds well. I have
also found that early success in therapy creates a feeling of
confidence for the child, which, in my opinion, has been a
strong indicator for positive outcomes.
After graduating from university, I felt reasonably confident
in my clinical skills in early speech and language, however
working at TASSC provided countless opportunities for
learning. The multidisciplinary team works together in a way
I had not previously experienced, and I believe this greatly
benefits the clients. My time at TASSC was thoroughly
enjoyable and I feel fortunate to have had the experience.
Conclusion
As a new graduate speech pathologist entering the
workforce I was unsure of the direction my career would
take, and as I write this article, I remain unsure. The
difference between then and now, however, is that I have
had many experiences that will assist me in making career
decisions in the future. In addition, the clinicians I have
worked with have been role models for their high levels of
knowledge and dedication to the profession. I feel a strong
sense of pride in the speech pathology profession, and
helping people achieve their goals has become more than a
job – it is a need that drives my determination to deliver
quality speech pathology services. My experiences thus far
as a new graduate speech pathologist have been the first
steps in what I hope will be a long and rewarding career. I
look forward to continuing the journey.
My name is Shannon Walsh and I graduated
from the University of Queensland in
December 2008 with a Bachelor’s degree in
speech pathology. I entered the workforce
working one day per week at Barrett
Adolescent Centre and four days per week at
Therapy and Support Service for Children on a
six-month contract, which ended in June 2009.
This article is a brief account of my
experiences working within these settings.
Barrett Adolescent Centre (BAC)
Barrett Adolescent Centre(BAC) is situated in the grounds of
The Park Centre for Mental Health in Wacol, Queensland and
provides inpatient care and schooling to adolescents with
complex and severe psychiatric disturbances. The
multidisciplinary team includes psychiatrists, psychologists,
social workers, speech pathologists, occupational therapists,
dieticians, leisure therapists, teachers, teacher-aides and
nursing staff.
The role of the speech pathologist within BAC involves
recognising the reciprocal nature of communication abilities
and mental health, and integrating this knowledge in the
assessment, diagnosis, treatment and maintenance of
mental well-being. During my time at BAC I worked with two
clients, targeting the areas of pragmatics, receptive language
and study skills. We also participated in a community access
visit, which aimed to increase the students’ confidence
and interaction with the public, and I found that this had a
carryover effect on their participation in therapy sessions.
Working in mental health emphasised to me more than
anything the need for a holistic approach to intervention. The
adolescent clients needed high levels of support to develop
and maintain mental well-being, and this was a philosophy
that I tried to incorporate into their management plans. My
time at BAC allowed me to develop clinical skills in an area in
which I had no practical experience, and my work there was
tremendously rewarding.
Therapy and Support Service
for Children
Therapy and Support Service for Children (TASSC) is a
division of Child and Family Health Service (CAFHS), located
in the Community Health Plaza of Ipswich, Queensland,
which provides physiotherapy, occupational therapy and
Correspondence to:
Shannon Walsh
Speech Pathologist
Ipswich Hospital
Ipswich, QLD 4306
phone: 0411 205 505
email:
Shannon Walsh