The Department of Special Education Needs Services announces the Expansion of Speech Therapy Services

PRESS RELEASE

FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL NEEDS SERVICES

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands 6^th February 2025 – The Department of Special Education Needs Services (SENS) is pleased to announce the addition of speech therapy interns to Zone 1 – Grand Turk and South Caicos, further expanding access to essential therapy services for children on the islands.  Since mid-January, these dedicated interns have been providing speech and language therapy, ensuring that children on these islands receive dedicated support.

This initiative is a part of our ongoing partnership with Therapy Abroad, aimed at increasing speech therapy capacity across the country.  Our data indicates that in addition to autism spectrum disorder, speech delays and disorders are the highest presenting issues among our children.  By integrating speech therapy interns into our program, we are taking a significant step toward addressing these challenges.  With this expansion, our department’s speech therapist can now accommodate more children in Providenciales and the twin islands, ensuring a broader reach and measurable improvement in early intervention and long-term outcomes for children with communication difficulties.

Director of SENS department, Dr. Anya Malcolm-Gibbs shared, “our statistics clearly show that speech delays and disorders and among the most common issues affecting our youth.  By integrating speech therapy interns into our program, we are not only expanding access to these critical services in Grand Turk but also paving the way for a more comprehensive approach to early intervention.  This initiative is a key part of our strategy to address the communication needs of our children and help them reach their full potential.”  Permanent Secretary of Education, Mr. James Astwood, also commented, “this expansion of speech therapy services is a significant milestone for our education and health sectors.  It demonstrates our commitment to leveraging international partnerships, such as those with Therapy Abroad, to bring best-in-class support to our communities.”

Through this collaboration, the Turks & Caicos Islands will see an influx of trained therapists in the areas of speech and occupational therapy in the near future, significantly improving access to specialized care for children with speech and communication challenges.  Parents and guardians are encouraged to register their children with the Department of Special Education Needs Services to ensure they receive the necessary support.  For more information on our department and its services, please contact the department at sens@gov.tc or visit our social media pages.