A Lot to Say written by Jenny Morris and published by SCOPE is a guide for social workers, personal advisors and others working with disabled children and young people with communication impairments. Available to download from www.scope.org.uk/downloads/action/publications/lotsay.pdf 

How it is consists of an image vocabulary for children about feelings, rights and safety, personal care and sexuality. The vocabulary comprises 380 images that are designed to be used as a flexible resource to support children to communicate about their feelings, bodies, rights and basic needs. The pack includes a booklet and CD ROM. More information is available from www.howitis.org.uk Available to purchase from: NSPCC Publications and Information Unit, NSPCC, 42 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3NH. Tel: 020 7825 2775. Email infounit@nspcc.org.uk. 

How to use easy words and pictures produced by the Disability Rights Commission is an Easy Read guide that describes what Easy Read is and why it is needed and used. There is useful advice about how using the right words and pictures makes information easier to understand. Available to download from http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/publicationsandresources/Pages/ HowtouseEasyWordsandPictures.aspx 

How to involve children and young people with communication impairments in decision-making is one of the series of ‘How to’ guides from Participation Works. It covers what is meant by communication impairment, barriers to communication, creating the right culture, accessible information, getting to know children and young people, practical suggestions and additional resources. Available to download from: www.participationworks.org.uk 

 I’ll Go First newly updated planning and review toolkit designed by with and for disabled children to enable them to communicate their wishes and feelings. The pack includes a series of colourful, hardwearing boards for children to complete with illustrations and electrostatic stickers and topics including keeping safe, review meetings and healthy living. A CD ROM version with a range of drag and drop objects, activities, people and feelings allows children to create their own online record of their views, wishes and feelings. Available to purchase from: The Children’s Society PACT Project Tel: 01904639056 or email: pact-yorkshire@childrenssociety.org.uk 

In My Shoes is a computer package that helps children and adults with learning disabilities communicate their views, wishes and feelings as well as potentially distressing experiences. It has been used in a wide range of circumstances, including with children who may have been abused and has been used successfully in interviewing vulnerable adults. Further information from http://www.inmyshoes.org.uk/index.html 

Listen Up produced by Mencap, is a toolkit of multi-media resources to help children and young people with a learning disability complain about the services they use. Available free from Mencap publications, 123 Golden Lane London EC1Y 0RT Tel: 020 7454 0454. 

My Life, My Decisions, My Choice is a set of resources to aid and facilitate decision-making including a poster, set of laminated ring bound cards and a guide for professionals. The resources, produced by The Children’s Society were designed with disabled young people and are aimed at young people, and the professionals that work with them. Available free to download from: http://sites.childrenssociety.org.uk/disabilitytoolkit/about/resources.aspx or in hard copy format from The Disability Advocacy Project Telephone 020 7613 2886.

Personal Communication Passports are a resource outlining the key principles of making and using communication passports as a way of documenting and presenting information about disabled children and young people who cannot easily speak for themselves. Available from www.callcentre.education.ed.ac.uk/ where the resources can be explored online before purchasing. Tel: 0131 651 6236. A website to specifically address questions about planning, creating and using passports can be accessed at www.communicationpassports.org.uk 

Talking Mats is a low tech communication framework involving sets of symbols. It is now an established communication tool, which uses a mat with pictures/ symbols attached as the basis for communication. It is designed to help people with communication difficulties to think about issues discussed with them, and provide them with a way to effectively express their opinions. Talking Mats can help people arrive at a decision by providing a structure where information is presented in small chunks supported by symbols. It gives people time and space to think about information, work out what it means and say what they feel in a visual way that can be easily recorded. Available from Talking Mats Telephone 01786 467645 Email info@talkingmats. More information http://www.talkingmats.com/ Ten Top Tips for Participation 

What disabled young people want. This poster is written in words used by young people and gives advice about how to ensure disabled children and young people have a say in decisions, which affect their lives. Available as free download from: http://www.ncb.org.uk/Page.asp?originx_666ui_67604737284116e48a_200835330g 

Two Way Street: Communicating with Disabled Children and Young People is a training video and handbook about communicating with disabled children and young people. The video is aimed at all professionals whose role includes communicating with children and was developed in consultation with disabled children and young people. The handbook (also available separately) gives further information and guidance plus details of the main communication systems in current use in the UK and annotated references to good practice publications. Available to purchase from: www.triangle-services.co.uk Tel: 01273413141. More information available from http://www.triangle-services.co.uk/index.php?page=publications

(Gov.uk, July 2009)