Let's Talk Small Talk

SAFE-STEPS™: Rethinking Selective Mutism – Safety Before Speech

Let’s Talk Small Talk with Libby Hill

What if we've been approaching selective mutism from the wrong direction? What if, instead of focusing on getting a child to speak, we first focused on creating the conditions in which communication feels safe?

In this solo episode of Let’s Talk Small Talk, Consultant Speech and Language Therapist Libby Hill introduces her SAFE-STEPS™ approach to selective mutism, drawing on 40 years of clinical experience and her work with children, teenagers and families.

Libby explores why selective mutism is so much more than a difficulty speaking, and why traditional approaches that focus primarily on increasing speech can overlook the nervous system, relationships, environment and communication demands.

She discusses the importance of understanding each young person's individual profile, recognising the difference between communication competence and communication access, and moving away from pressure, compliance and expectations towards safety, connection and trust.

Because the goal isn't simply to get a child talking. It's to help them feel safe enough to communicate, in whatever way works for them.

An essential listen for parents, teachers, speech and language therapists and anyone supporting children and young people with selective mutism.

Georgina Smith is a specialist dyslexia tutor, author of Code Breakers and the creator of ND360 Hub—an inclusive platform designed to connect neurodivergent people and their families with trusted professionals, services and resources.

ND360 Hub provides a searchable register through which parents and carers can find the support they need, while enabling professionals to network, share their expertise and increase the visibility of their work. The platform also includes professional networking and marketing opportunities alongside a monthly magazine featuring practical information, specialist contributions and lived-experience perspectives.

In this episode of Let’s Talk Small Talk, Georgina joins Libby Hill to discuss the thinking behind ND360 Hub, the importance of making reliable support easier to find and the value of building stronger connections across the neurodivergent community.
https://nd360hub.co.uk/
https://dyslexia-codebreakers.co.uk/
Contact Georgina https://dyslexia-codebreakers.co.uk/contact-us/

Libby interviews Lyndsay Critchlow founder of Education For All. Lyndsay is a neurodivergent parent to 3 neurodivergent boys. She has been through things that people could only imagine to get to where she is today. From fighting for support all the way through to fighting for school placements. 

Lyndsay says, "I became an advocate in 2021 to support families to navigate through the systems and gain the support and help they need. I strongly believe my job is not to tell families what to do or take over their voices but to be there to support and ensure that they are heard. I believe Advocacy is supporting them to have their own voice and to ensure that they are making the choices of what they want and need in their lives. I advise every option available and then support them down their chosen path. I love the work that I do my only wish would be to be able to help more."

Lyndsay is also an author of 4 books about PDA with more to come:
https://amzn.eu/d/0av2Obds
https://amzn.eu/d/0eMq4BDr
https://amzn.eu/d/05H6CEz1
https://amzn.eu/d/0iLobWbl

Libby discusses Selective Mutism with Anna Biavati, and Anna's new book, My Brain Land. Anna is a well-respected, very experienced, highly specialist speech and language therapist who works with children with selective mutism. She is also passionate about helping fellow therapists who feel stuck in their practice go from feeling overwhelmed and ineffective with managing selective mutism to confidently applying a safe, brain-based, and connection-led framework. This empowers them to support children to naturally communicate, restoring both their passion for their profession and alignment with their values.

Anna has written a children's book 'My Brain Land' which is a delightful, heartfelt story which introduces children to the connection between emotions, the body, and communication in a gentle, child-friendly way.

Available on Amazon https://amzn.eu/d/0bjADhCS

Anna has also created My Brain Land Adventures—a fun monthly online session where children learn about their amazing brains, build confidence, and realise they're not alone in their worries. Even better, for every two tickets sold, one copy of My Brain Land is donated to a school or hospital, helping even more children understand anxiety and their emotions.

Anna's website https://www.selectivemutismsupport.uk/

Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@annabiavatislt

Libby discusses the upcoming conference on 7th September in London with Lucy Sanctuary and Ruth Fine: 'International Developments and Perspectives in Autism Research and Clinical Practice.'

Understanding of Autism has changed considerably since it was included in the DSM-3 as “Infantile Autism.” However, research highlights what we don’t know, as much as what we do. Even though there is a diagnostic criteria, we still cannot answer the question, “What is autism?” Attempts to answer this, have raised even more questions, e.g., are there gender-based differences? Are there different genetic groups within the umbrella of autism? Global perceptions, cultural beliefs and practices are equally varied, which is reflected in research, assessment, intervention, equality, diversity and inclusion across the world. The conference  brings together renowned speakers from different backgrounds and parts of the world to share international perspectives on research and clinical practice in Autism.

Book here https://lucysanctuary.com/autism-conference-2026

Lucy Sanctuary is a neurodivergent Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapist, an internationally certified ADOS-2 Trainer,  a cognitive behaviour therapist, specialising in autism. She works work with neurodivergent young people and their families & is deeply committed to the principles of equality, diversity, and inclusion, to reducing stigma that surrounds neurodivergence as this has a significant impact on quality of life.

Her job has 3 main parts:
- Diagnostics: ADOS-2 as part of a multi-disciplinary team with all ages. She specialises in complex assessment and has a particular interest in working with autistic girls & women.
- Intervention: Lucy uses adapted CBT to support young people and their families. Her approach is bespoke to the individual.
- Training and talks: Lucy is an ADOS-2 trainer. She  runs ADOS-2 training courses, reliability workshops & ADOS Refresher courses. She is often part of GAIN Reliability Workshops.  She has hosted webinars on autism and related topics for ACAMH, and she has written four published resource books, contributed to Mary Sheridan’s From Birth to Five Years, been involved in research on autistic girls & masking.
Website lucysanctuary.com

Ruth Fine is a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with diverse and varied experience of working with children, young people, and adults with speech, language, and communication needs. She has worked in a range of settings carrying out assessment, intervention, and training, developing her knowledge and skills around online assessment and input using a variety of platforms.

She has a wealth of experience across a range of settings and in multidisciplinary teams. She primarily works in the area of diagnosis and therapeutic input for autistic people and other neurodivergence and is passionate about neurodiversity informed practice, providing an exceptional standard of care, using evidence based practice, and continually learning and developing her knowledge and clinical skills.
 [email protected]

All HCPC registered staff are required to have supervision; Libby interviews Rachel Jackson,  who is a very experienced clinician but also a very experienced and skilled supervisor.

Indeed, she has over 30 years of experience as a Speech and Language Therapist — including 10 years as an NHS Team Leader — and more than 15 years delivering clinical and operational supervision to AHPs (such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, specialist nurses, and health visitors), she offers a supportive, practical space designed to meet both your needs and those of your clients.

If you want to know more about her tailored supervision for independent Speech and Language Therapists and other Allied Health Professionals, guiding you through complex cases, refining your skills, and enhancing your clinical decision-making, you can contact her  www.speechandlanguage.co.uk/supervision

Libby Hill talks to Rike Brand about PDA and Rike's new book. It has been a best seller in Germany for a while and is now available in the UK. Rike is a mother of two. It was her journey as a parent which sparked her interest in PDA. With a background in cultural anthropology, she has spent years deeply immersed in the PDA community, learning from families, advocates, and lived experience. A seasoned nonfiction author and entrepreneur, Rike combines her research and storytelling skills to create practical, empathetic guidance for parents navigating the complexities of neurodivergent and PDA children. She is an active part of the PDA community on Instagram (@rikebrand). 
The book is available on Amazon https://amzn.eu/d/03ZNpaqu

In this episode, Libby is joined by author and advocate Elly Chapple, founder of Flip the Narrative and writer of Diagnosis Human. Elly shares the deeply personal story behind her book and the lessons she learned from her deafblind daughter, Ella — lessons about identity, presence, and seeing the world differently.

Together, they explore the realities many families face when navigating education systems and professional support for children with complex needs. The conversation touches on advocacy, the impact of budget cuts on services, and the challenges parents experience when trying to ensure their child is understood.

Libby and Elly also discuss the importance of language, relational safety, and moving from reactive to responsive approaches in both families and professional settings. Above all, this episode highlights the importance of trust, allyship, and collaboration between parents and professionals to support children in ways that truly respect who they are. 
Read more about Elly at www.ellychaple.com and buy her brilliant book here https://amzn.eu/d/08VWyVTs available in paperback and kindle

Libby interviews Rishi Kaushal who has created "The Speech Heroes" to empower children with speech and language delays, inspired by his son Aryan's journey. Following a diagnosis, Rishi used music (song "Speech Bound") and authored the book The Speech Heroes vs. The Word Stoppers (released Feb 2026) to help children find their voice. They talk about what led to this and his personal journey. His book is proving very popular with both children and their parents https://amzn.eu/d/00VKcx53
To find out more https://www.thespeechheroes.com/about

https://www.facebook.com/dean.beadlespeaker/directory_contact_info
https://www.youtube.com/@DeanBeadleuk
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