Version 1: 15.9.26 · Review date: 15.12.26
A plain-English summary for busy readers. It is not the charter itself, and it is not a formally checked Easy Read version. The full charter follows below:
Treat every speller as able to understand, even when their speech or movement does not show it.
Speak to spellers directly and in an age-appropriate way. Their wellbeing comes before finishing a lesson. No humiliation, coercion or pressure.
Parents are partners. Providers support them to learn and practise alongside the speller from the start, and explain what they are doing.
Be honest and clear about training, experience, fees and the limits of what a provider can offer.
Be clear about what support is being given and why. An answer that was scaffolded is not presented as the speller’s independent view.
Watch for unintended influence, welcome feedback and keep learning.
Follow UK safeguarding, checks, insurance and data protection requirements.
Aim to widen the speller’s choices and independence. Get their consent before sharing their words, image or story.
Providers who sign the charter agree to be listed here by name, so parents can see who has signed and who has not. A provider who is not listed is simply not listed as a signatory. That does not mean they refused.
Signing is a personal commitment to these standards. It is not accreditation or endorsement of any provider or method by Unlocking Voices.
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.
Providers on the signatories list can display this badge on their own website, linked back to the list.
This Charter aims to:
Signing the Charter represents a commitment by spelling providers to ethical practices. It does not constitute accreditation or endorsement of any particular method or provider.
To produce this document, UV has consulted with spellers, parents and providers to ensure all views are represented. There will be regular reviews and updates made as necessary.
Providers should not assume that a person’s speech, movement, sensory regulation or outward responses accurately reflect their understanding or intellectual ability.
Presuming competence means:
Spellers shared:
‘It’s about age-appropriate language and telling me interesting things I don’t know about’ – Chris R
‘I want to learn about lots of things. It’s not about the teachers making us do topics and assignments that students do in mainstream. It’s about working with our brains to see how far we can go’ – Jack. A
‘Avoiding babyish talk and speaking normally gets a better response from me as undermining tones or language triggers emotional responses and stims’ – Mandeep
Presuming competence does not mean assuming that every nonspeaking person has the same knowledge, literacy, education or spelling skills. Some spellers report having learned through listening to family conversations, television, radio, books or lessons taking place around them. Other spellers have shared that they needed support to develop their spelling skills during sessions as they lacked previous exposure.
Overall, presuming competence promotes that each autistic individual has the capability to think, learn and make progress in their learning and sharing of language.
Providers must show respect for each speller’s intelligence while balancing this with respecting their participation and regulation needs. The overall wellbeing of the speller must take priority over completing a lesson or producing a particular response.
Spellers shared:
“Language should be inclusive and respectful. Please address me directly, even if I’m not looking” – Paddy
“May I describe my life before people knew that I was smart? A lot of people assumed that I didn’t understand. They would actually talk about me as if I wasn’t even there. It is without a doubt that it’s extremely rude but it was also belittling to my intelligence. Presuming capability to understand is what all autistic people deserve. This is the first and most important step” – Charles B
Providers should:
Unlocking Voices recognises parents as their speller’s key resource in developing sustainable and replicable communication. When a new family sees a provider, the usual starting position should be that they, and/or appropriate communication partners, are supported to begin learning and practising alongside the speller from the beginning and be involved throughout. Where there are exceptions to this, clear rationale should exist.
Spellers shared:
“I want all parents to know that any practice is beneficial, it doesn’t have to be perfect.” – Paddy C
Where parents are not treated as partners in their speller’s journey, progress is slower and there is the risk of over-reliance on one provider.
Good practice from a provider may include:
Every family’s circumstances are different. Where parents or providers are unsure how this applies to their situation, further information and guidance is available from Unlocking Voices.
Providers should give families clear and accurate information about their practice, including:
Providers should not exaggerate their experience, qualifications, outcomes or professional status.
Where a provider offers formal reports, assessments or recommendations, they should be clear about their qualifications to do so. Reports should distinguish between:
Providers must have sufficient literacy skills to deliver spelling sessions accurately and effectively. A provider should not deliver spelling sessions if literacy difficulties would prevent them from doing so.
Any communication or access need that may affect service delivery should be managed responsibly, with appropriate systems and support in place.
Families and spellers should be able to understand what support is being provided and why.
This may include:
Supports / accommodations should have a clear purpose and should be reviewed regularly. Wherever possible, they should be reduced or changed as the speller develops greater control and independence.
Context should always be given. Across different methods, providers may also use strategies to help spellers reach letters, such as pointing to letters, using verbal encouragement or gestural support. These strategies should be used for spelling practice, rather than for open-ended questions where a person’s views are being sought. Please note that physical support to reach letters is given only to teach/motor model how to make a movement and is immediately followed by independent pointing. This is different is from accommodations such as holding up the letter board. Any scaffolding/support used needs to be recognised so that the speller’s voice is not misrepresented and areas for skill-building can be identified.
All communication partners can unintentionally influence a response. Ethical practice requires providers to remain alert to both conscious and subconscious prompting.
Providers commit to:
No practitioner or method should be considered beyond reflection, questioning or improvement.
Providers must work within all relevant UK legal, safeguarding and professional requirements.
As appropriate to their role, this should include:
Any disclosure of abuse, neglect, exploitation or risk of harm must be managed in accordance with safeguarding duties.
The ultimate purpose of spelling practice is to expand the individual’s ability to communicate, participate, make choices and have greater influence over their own life.
Providers should therefore:
Consent from the speller for social media:
By signing this Charter, I confirm that I have read and understood its principles and will seek to apply them honestly within my practice.
I recognise that ethical practice requires openness, ongoing learning and accountability. I will respond constructively to concerns and will place the dignity, safety, autonomy and long-term communication interests of the speller at the centre of my work.
