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An image vocabulary for children about feelings, rights and safety, personal care and sexuality |
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Why the images were developed
How the images were developed
How to find the images
How should the images be used?
How should the images be introduced to children?
How it is resources
Your feedback and comments
There are widely recognised gaps in existing symbol vocabularies. These gaps both reflect the social position of disabled children and contribute to their increased vulnerability to abuse. In Triangle we have worked with many children who have a wide symbol vocabulary but are missing some of the basics that we feel are essential, for example:
The vocabulary gap also means that adults working with disabled children face additional and unnecessary difficulties in respect of child protection. We know of experienced child protection investigators who resort to freehand drawing of new symbols for children when investigating concerns about possible abuse, which creates serious questions about the safety of the evidence.
These new images are designed:
Children and young people from 20 months to 20 years were involved in a six-month project, working alongside a multi-disciplinary group of professionals and parents.
We put the vocabulary list together by looking at gaps in existing symbol systems, and drawing ideas from children's books, children's language, research literature and the knowledge of experienced practitioners. Twenty-four young children worked with their parents to build the vocabulary list and develop the images for some of the more sensitive areas.
An experienced symbol designer and members of the Triangle team then worked alongside children in various settings. This included disabled and non-disabled children and young people across a wide age range and from a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Some children were involved in the design stage, helping to think about images, and producing or commenting on initial drawings. Other children were involved in testing the images, they were asked to guess what different images might mean, and asked to draw or make suggestions for ways to represent the more challenging ideas.
Who is this vocabulary for?
The images were designed primarily for children already using Augmentative and Alternative Communication Systems (AAC). We hope they may also be useful for other children.
Children with speech and hearing learn most of this vocabulary by the age of about seven (from their peers as well as from adults), though much of it is learnt earlier. For very young children, some of the personal care images (nappy, potty, wee, poo) or some of the feelings (hot, cold, cross, happy) may be most relevant.
The images allow children to be negative ('I hate you'), to assert themselves ('its not fair', 'its my turn') and to describe a range of touches (tickle, rub, squeeze, hug) including painful things that may have happened to them (hit, smack, kick). Much of this vocabulary has been previously unavailable to children using AAC.
There are 383 images available in the set. They are divided into five sections:
There are two ways of searching for a particular image:
Firstly, by selecting 'Subject Browse' in the navigation bar on the left-hand side of the screen, you can select images categorised into the five sections and, within these, into pages. There are usually 6 images per page.
Simply click on the Descriptive Phrase that you think might be useful. The images available on that page, each with their own description underneath, will be shown.
If you wish to use one of these images in your work, click on the image you are interested in. A text-free version of the image will be opened in a separate box, which you are free to save or print (bearing in mind the copyright issue).
Once you have finished, close the image box and select 'BACK' to return to the Subject Browse screen
Alternatively, you can use the 'Image Search' link in the navigation bar. You can enter a word in the Search box. This could be an 'adult' word (eg: penis), or a children's (eg: willy).
If you are working with a child already using Rebus symbols, click on the 'Rebus Symbols Only' box to search only for those images.
Some of the more explicit images are protected within this structure; additional guidance is automatically offered when these images are accessed.
You will notice that some words have several images. This is because different images may be more or less meaningful for a particular child. You might like to offer different images to the child and see which they choose, or you may already have a clear idea which would suit them best. There are no absolute right or wrong meanings for any image.
Equally, you will see that some images have several words or phrases. This is to make it easier to find what you are looking for, and also to encourage you to use words familiar to each child, especially when first introducing the images.
For children already using AAC, these images can be included in their existing systems, adapted if necessary. They need to be taught and introduced in the same way as other new symbols or images.
For children not using AAC, we hope these images may be of value in:
If you are introducing new vocabulary to a child, it is essential that you know them well and are aware of the vocabulary they have already mastered as well as what they appear to understand but have no vocabulary for yet. Remember we all learn to recognise and understand vocabulary before we can use it ourselves, so it is quite likely that there is vocabulary in this set which your child is ready for.
Begin with teaching the simplest, most concrete ideas, not least to give the child encouragement. Make sure you give the child a chance to use the words in their own sentences before adding any more. It is vital they can USE the vocabulary, not just recognize it.
Children may need to be introduced to vocabulary in a context (that is within a few sentences or even a short story, or with physical examples) in order for them to grasp the context. Words like 'sting' and 'fluffy' might be examples. Also, some of the vocabulary really represents quite complex ideas. Phrases like 'It's not fair' seem so common-place in the non-disabled world, that we can forget that there is much that needs to be understood in order to use them accurately.
If you are unsure about using any part of this vocabulary, we would encourage you to consult others: parents, speech and language therapists, teachers, whoever you trust most about communication.
Encouragement has been given to symbol producers to adapt these images to fit with their style. Rebus symbols for all these images have been developed in parallel and are included in the set. We are equally happy for anyone else to adapt them to suit a particular child's needs. For example, you might colour images in, or alter their size, or redraw them or combine different elements to make new images.
Please be aware that:
Dialogue is vital, but our starting point is that every child has the right to learn to communicate about these ideas, not least to assist in keeping them safe.
The 'How it is' images and guidance notes also available in booklet and CD-ROM format at the following price:
Booklet and CD-ROM - £8.00
CD-ROM alone - Free of charge, subject to availability
Copies can be obtained from: NSPCC Publications, Weston House,
42 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3NH. Tel: 020 7825 7422. Email publications@nspcc.org.uk.
Please make cheques payable to NSPCC Registered Charity.
We do not imagine that this is the final set of images. We would welcome your comments,
suggestions and ideas.
Ruth Marchant and Merry Cross for Triangle April 2002
Triangle Unit E1, The Knoll Business Centre Old Shoreham Road Hove, E Sussex BN3 7GS Tel: 01273 413141 Email: info@triangle-services.co.uk
If you have feedback about further development of the images, please contact us using the above address or through the website www.howitis.org.uk (new window).
If you have any other feedback, please contact dmiller@nspcc.org.uk
Copyright © 2006 NSPCC - All rights reserved. National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Weston House, 42
Curtain Road, London EC2A 3NH. Incorporated by Royal Charter. Registered charity number 216401. NSPCC, charity registered in Scotland, charity number SC037717.