These providers have signed the Unlocking Voices Ethical Practice Charter (Version 1: 15.9.26).
We are delighted to welcome commitments to good practice from providers around the world. To keep this website focused on families in the UK and Ireland, the public signatories list is for providers whose practice is based in the UK or Ireland. Fuller profiles are shown only with their permission. Providers based elsewhere will not be listed on this website, including by name; their responses and details stay private to Unlocking Voices. Online sessions or visiting workshops here do not, by themselves, mean a practice is based in the UK or Ireland. Signing is a personal commitment, not UV accreditation or endorsement.
Providers on this list can display this badge on their own website, linked back to this page.
Any provider can sign at any time. We check new sign-ups on the first Monday of each month and update this list then. Want to be removed or change your entry? Email info@unlockingvoices.com.
Spelling method: Connect through Spelling
Alex Hopwood is a qualified teacher and specialist in autism education, with over a decade of experience supporting autistic individuals with limited or unreliable speech. She has a strong track record of helping spellers develop clear, consistent and replicable pointing skills, enabling progression towards expressive communication and greater independence. Alex developed Connect through Spelling (CtS) for the UK, an individualised, literacy-based approach that supports autistic people to access age-appropriate education, develop purposeful motor skills and progress towards independent communication. CtS emphasises transparent teaching practices, measurable progress and high-quality specialist support. As founder of TEfA, Alex designs specialist education programmes, works directly with autistic individuals and provides professional training and consultation. She is passionate about advancing professional standards, supporting research and helping autistic individuals achieve greater independence.
Spelling method: Connect through Spelling (CtS)
I started working with two children on their EOTAS programme in 2018 and attended their spelling sessions with Alex Hopwood. This was my first introduction to spelling, and I could see how the sessions and wider principles around RPM supported their access to age-appropriate learning and formed part of their total communication approach. I went on to complete Soma’s Level 1 training in October 2020 followed by a mentorship programme with Alex, funded by Unlocking Voices. The mentorship involved theory-based learning, frequent practise with an experienced speller, specialist feedback and developing the skills to become a reflective practitioner.
I was then able to apply what I’d learned to the programme I work on. The spellers have two very different profiles and presentations, which taught me the importance of a flexible approach and personalisation. Alongside spelling and academics, our programme brings together multiple approaches to work on skills such as purposeful movement, core stability, balance, social skills and regulation, as well as bespoke handwriting and speech programmes. Bringing different approaches and therapies together has been a key part of our programme, driving forward spelling progression as well as development across many other areas. This has given me a wider outlook of how a combination of approaches can support spelling.
Alongside the programme, I run weekly sessions at a clinic, working with spellers with a range of profiles. I use Connect through Spelling (CtS), with a focus on transparency around accommodations and skill building, which supports parents, guardians, tutors and carers to have a greater understanding on how to work with their spellers at home. I continue to work closely with Alex and Unlocking Voices, and to learn from the spellers I work with every day. There’s always more to learn, and reflecting on and developing my practice remains a big part of what I do!
Providers not listed here are simply not listed as signatories. That does not mean they refused.
