Accessing Justice

Selective Mutism with Susannah Thomson (SMIRA): Hidden Disabilities (episode 6)

October is Selective Mutism Awareness Month. In this episode, intermediary Demi Holden talks to Speech & Language Therapist Susannah Thomson about Selective Mutism, touching on everything from Selective Mutism myths, to how professionals can better assist court users with selective mutism in the justice system.

Susannah Thomson is a Speech and Language Therapist working online but based in Bristol. Her private caseload includes children and adults with Selective Mutism (SM). She was trained to the Advanced level by Maggie Johnson and Alison Wintgens, the authors of the SM Resource Manual, and is a member of the profession’s Clinical Excellence Network. She is a Trustee of the national SM charity SMIRA and is a regular contributor on the SMIRA Facebook group . She designed the guided process on “How to Get Help for Selective Mutism” and runs training courses on working with teens and adults with Selective Mutism. More information about Susannah's work can be found on her website: speech-freedom.co.uk

Additional resources mentioned in podcast

• SMIRA Facebook group
• SMIRA website
• Selective Mutism Resource Manual
• Waiting list for Susannah's general training
• Help With Talking website

Developmental Language Disorder with Becky Clark (ClarkSLT): Hidden Disabilities (episode 5)

Becky Clark is a speech and language therapist and founder of ClarkSLT. She co-founded the RADLD YouTube campaign to raise awareness and understanding of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD).

In the fifth episode of our Hidden Disabilities series, Becky talks to Communicourt intermediary, Maija Siren, about this underdiagnosed language disorder, unpacking DLD, alongside some of its potential impacts for court users. 

As RADLD Editor, Becky produced many of the films, and in 2018 RADLD won a Charity Film Award for DLD 1-2-3. In 2021, Becky received a 'Giving Voice Award' and became a 'Fellow' of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the profession. Becky's research and online publications can be downloaded here.

ADHD and Legal Proceedings with ADHD UK: Hidden Disabilities (episode 4)

ADHD UK hosted a panel discussion on "ADHD and the Criminal Justice System" as part of the first Global ADHD Conference.

Henry Sheldon (ADHD UK) chaired a conversation with William Scrimshire (Communicourt), Michelle White (Teesside University) and Allison Woodhead (Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust), exploring topics including underdiagnosis of the condition among individuals in the criminal justice system, police questioning of individuals with ADHD and the barriers to participation a defendant with ADHD may face at court.

Stroke and Legal Proceedings with Austin Willett: Hidden Disabilities (episode 3)

Austin Willett is the CEO of Different Strokes, a charity helping younger stroke survivors and their families to achieve active recovery throughout their lives. In the third episode of our Hidden Disabilities series, Austin and Miriam John (intermediary) explore the possible impacts of stroke upon communication and the potential challenges a stroke survivor may face when participating in legal proceedings. 

Trauma and Legal Proceedings with Cliff Hawkins: Hidden Disabilities (episode 2)

Cliff Hawkins is a clinical psychologist with considerable experience working with people with learning disabilities. He has also served as an expert witness in legal proceedings. In the second episode of our Hidden Disabilities series, Cliff discusses trauma and its possible impacts on individuals involved in legal proceedings, with intermediary Carla Millington. 

Stammering and Legal Proceedings with Dr David Ward: Hidden Disabilities (episode 1)

Intermediary, Miriam John, woke up one morning with a psychogenic stammer, which later disappeared as mysteriously as it appeared. In the first episode of the Accessing Justice podcast series 2 (Hidden Disabilities), Miriam talks to her former Speech and Language Therapy lecturer, Dr David Ward (University of Reading) about her own experience and explores how stammering may impact an individual's participation in legal proceedings. 

If you would like to contact David, please note that the email address provided in this episode has now changed. He can now be contacted at: David.ward@reading.ac.uk

For more information about stammering & legal proceedings, download our free guide from The Access Brief and explore some of the excellent work undertaken by STAMMA, including their guidance for judges.

Communication needs and the right to a fair trial, Sanchita Hosali

In this podcast, we talk to the Director of the British Institute of Human Rights, Sanchita Hosali. 

The Right to a Fair Trial is Article 6 of the Human Rights Act, however do we know how to use that right if we need it? Sanchita talks to us about the protection the right offers for defendants and respondents with communication difficulties in criminal and family courts.

Communication needs and police interviews, Dr Katie Maras

In this episode we speak to Dr Katie Maras, Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Deputy Director of the Centre for Applied Autism Research at the University of Bath.

Her current work, funded by the ESRC, focuses on how autistic adults think and communicate differently, and what adaptations service providers can make to accommodate these differences.

Dr Maras is particularly interested in how autistic people fare when they are interviewed by the police as a witness or as a suspect of an alleged offence. We spoke to her about how communication needs can be a barrier to fair access to justice during initial police investigations, and when making statements.

Communication needs and the Criminal Court, Samantha Forsyth

In this episode, we are talking to Samantha Forsyth, a Specialist Criminal Practitioner at No5 Chambers in Birmingham. 

Ms Forsyth has extensive experience of supporting defendants with mental health difficulties.

She has spoken at the Supreme Court about the role of intermediaries in England and Wales.

Communication needs and the Family Court, Lucy Reed

In this episode, we talk to Lucy Reed, Family Barrister, and Author of the Pink Tape legal blog.

Ms Reed has worked at the family bar for more than 15 years, and is committed to helping people to understand what happens in Family Court. She set up her own Pink Tape blog and was also a founder of The Transparency Project.

We spoke to her about how much support there is for respondents with communication needs in the Family Court.