Giving a voice to individuals with apraxia of speech
Latest news
Film on Speech Apraxia International!
The films on the front page of our website were made by the amazing film producer Rae Wiltshire! He is a Guyanese filmmaker, playwright, cinematographer and Chevening Scholar who is an ardent student of cinema. As the founder and creative director of the Georgetown Film Festival, he is devoted to telling and showcasing films about Caribbean people. www.georgetownfilmfestival.org/our-team
Presentations to events and conferences
Ruth Rowntree, CEO of Speech Apraxia International, has presented at numerous events and conferences, raising awareness and sharing knowledge about apraxia of speech.
In 2026, she was invited to present at the Apraxia Kids Conference on “Childhood Apraxia of Speech: How Much Knowledge and Experience Do Clinicians Have and What It Means.” She also presented at the Apex Ability Conference and for the University of Lancashire.
These opportunities have helped extend the organisation’s reach, bringing greater understanding of this rare condition to professional and academic audiences.
Speech Apraxia International Supports 'Invest in SLT compaign'
Speech Apraxia International is one of over 50 organisations to support the Invest in SLT compaign c oordinated by the RCSLT and Mikey’s Wish Foundation) (founded by activist and campaigner, Mikey Akers). Invest in SLT campaign letter delivered to Downing Street | RCSLT Invest-in-SLT-Letter-to-PM_-22March26.pdf
Research opportunity
📣Research Opportunity - help us understand Dyspraxia/DCD📣 🧬Researchers at the University of Surrey are exploring the genetic influences on Dyspraxia/DCD, through the GROW-DCD (Genetic Research Of Walking and Developmental Coordination Disorder) study🧬
Who can take part?-
Anyone aged 18 or over with a diagnosis of DCD or who suspects they may have Dyspraxia/DCD
- Who lives in England, Wales or Northern Ireland
What does participating involve?
-Completing a short online questionnaire
- Providing a saliva sample from home using a kit sent to you
🎁As a thank you, you'll receive a £20 Amazon voucher once you've completed the study
🎁 To take part, use the QR code in the attached flyer or follow this link: http://bit.ly/3UdPNRZ
Any questions? Please contact Judith (j.gentle@surrey.ac.uk)#dyspraxia #DevelopmentalCoordinationDisorder #research
Speech Apraxia International is now part of the Speech, Language and Communication Alliance!
The Speech, Language and Communication Alliance has been formed to ensure that the UK Government, and national and local policymakers are focused on the issue of speech, language and communication, and the potential impact of these on all children and young people when developing or reviewing policy, legislation and services.
Speech and language therapist;Laura Cookson
"The Speech Apraxia UK website has been very helpful in providing advice and information quickly when I made a query. I have also heard from parents of children with CAS who have found some of the podcasts and signposting on the website useful and informative"
Young Voices at Parliament
Ruth Rowntree, CEO of Speech Apraxia International visited the House of Commons with the Speech, Language and Communication Alliance, meeting MPs Jen Craft, Saqib Bhatti and Helen Hayes.
The visit gave young people the opportunity to ask MPs questions, share their experiences and raise awareness of speech, language and communication needs, including apraxia of speech.
RCSLT CEO Steve Jamieson to discusses our work
The RCSLT have a fantastic range of support and resources and it was a privilege to meet with CEO Steve Jamieson and talk about our organisation. www.rcslt.org
Proud member of the Alliance for Inclusive Literacy
Speech apraxia can have a direct impact on children's access to literacy support. We are proud to stand alongside organisations such as Teach Us Too, the ACE centre and Communication Matters in this powerful alliance.
Fantastic meeting with Elklan Training-Henrietta Mclachlan (Director of Elklan and Ruth Rowntree)
Fantastic meeting with Elklan Training-Henrietta Mclachlan (Director of Elklan and Ruth Rowntree)
Regular socials have become a firm feature of our work
Regular socials have become a firm feature of our work
Fantastic meeting with Elklan Training-Henrietta Mclachlan (Director of Elklan and Ruth Rowntree)
Having fun at the London Speech Apraxia International Social!
News
Some of the Organisations we have worked with
We cannot spread awareness alone.We work with many people with speech apraxia, organizations, professionals, and parents, including:
Charities/SLCN organisations
New Zealand Speech Language Therapy Association.
RCSLT
Selective Mutism Information & Research Association (SMIRA)
Elliot's Voice
From Stuttering to confidence
PROMPT Institute
Nuffield Association
RADLD
Universities
Newcastle University Students' Union
The University of Sydney: One of Australia’s top universities
Companies
SLPFlow AI - Best AI for SLPs | SLP
Researchers
Murdoch Children's Research Institute.
Sick Childrens Hospital-research group
No longer who I used to be says Kris Kamara
Chris Kamara admits, 'I'm no longer the person I used to be' and reveals deep regret. Sky Sports star Chris Kamara's life was turned upside down in 2022 when he was diagnosed with apraxia of speech (AOS), which also affected his balance and coordination.
Chris, 67, flew to Mexico for treatment in a bid to reverse or slow down some of the effects of the neurological disorder, which include difficulty when speaking. However, despite initial success, the machine that transmitted radio frequency and magnetic fields into the body similar to an MRI became less effective, resulting in Chris stopping treatment(Mirror, 2025).
Esteemed International Expert contributing to Speech Apraxia International
We were absolutely delighted to share that Professor Emeritus Anita van der Merwe globally respected leader in the field of motor speech disorders — has shared warm praise for our new website.
In her message, Professor van der Merwe wrote:
“Congratulations on your website for apraxia of speech for people in the UK and elsewhere; it is a great website!”
She even wrote a special guest piece for the site, focusing on apraxia of speech and approaches to speech motor treatment.
We’re truly excited and honoured to welcome her voice to the website.
Join the speech apraxia discussion on Facebook
Join our Facebook community to discuss all things Apraxia of Speech - Facebook
Elliot's Voice
Unique - Rare Chromosome Disorder Support Group
From a kitchen table laminator to schools, parks & even fire stations — Kendra Frank turned her son Elliott’s CAS journey into Elliott’s Voice. Her organization, which she founded in 2023, aims to provide accessible visual supports to children and adults who are nonverbal or have limited verbal abilities,
Unique - Rare Chromosome Disorder Support Group
Unique - Rare Chromosome Disorder Support Group
Did you know joining Unique is completely FREE?
If you have a rare chromosome or gene disorder you can join our membership to access our support, expertise and get connected with other families affected by the same condition. We'd love to have you join our supportive community.
https://rarechromo.org/join-us/
Autism, AAC and Autism
Laura Brown (spinningworldofautism) who has a son with autism and CAS has created two short Google Forms to gather experiences: one for families and one for both NHS and independent Speech and Language Therapists.
The aim is to collect lived experiences from families of autistic children, as well as from therapists who have supported autistic children.
If you could please complete the form relevant to you and also share it with families or colleagues who may wish to contribute, She would greatly appreciate it. If possible, it would also be very helpful if you could share it within your WhatsApp groups or networks. 
Form for families: https://forms.gle/D7BbsQPyqvGgbErcA
Form for NHS Speech Therapists: https://forms.gle/nQqCJkLQqewcH4B8A
Form for Independent Speech Therapists: https://forms.gle/YexT3CHNvnsDrRkw8