Talking Mats Foundation Training
About this course
Foundation Training is for anyone who would like to learn how to use this innovative and award-winning approach to support people with communication difficulties.
This training leads to registration as a Registered Talking Mats user. People attending this course receive a downloadable manual and example resources to support their learning on the course. There are options to purchase card resource packs and bundles, mats, and the digital Talking Mat.
There are a total of 3, morning sessions to attend.
The first 2 sessions have the full course group in attendance (maximum number of participants = 12)
The third session (1 hour duration) will be with a maximum of 3 other delegates, and requires that you have pre-prepared a video of yourself demonstrating your use of a Talking Mat, either with a friend or relative volunteer, or a client if you have the required permissions.
All 3 sessions must be attended in order for you to be registered with Talking Mats as a Registered Talking Mats User. Although the final session is reflective/ advisory as opposed to formally assessed, the full process cannot be signed off as complete if you have been unable to submit a video demonstration covering the requested components.
If for any reason you are unable to attend your reflection session, or unable to produce the required video for the session, every effort will be made to arrange an alternative session for you. There is a charge of £35 for arranging alternative reflection session slots.
Course Times
For a list of course dates and times please go to the Booking page
Course pricing
| Book and pay online | Organisational payment | Student / Returner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course Price Per Person before 1st April 2026 | £225.00 | £253.00 | £115.00 |
| Course Price Per Person after 1st April 2026 | £236.25 | £265.65 | £120.75 |
Course prices from 1st April 2026 are to be confirmed.
Please book your place here or alternatively, you can contact us if you are you would like to:
- Book four or more courses (we can offer you a discount)
- Make a block booking for a group
- Book a closed course
Course presenter
Claire Neaves
Claire Neaves is a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist. She became a Licensed Talking Mats trainer in 2022 and joined Talking Mats Ltd as an Associate Tutor in 2025.
Formerly, Claire worked as the NHS Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) for Leicestershire Partnership Trust’s Children’s Service. She worked with children and young people who need AAC to support their communication in a range of mainstream and specialist settings and has a keen interest in supporting AAC users to give their views and opinions using Talking Mats.
Claire now works as an independent Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, including working in multi-disciplinary teams with medico-legal clients who have acquired brain injuries. She is a classical singer, a qualified Vinyasa yoga teacher and a member of the Yoga Alliance Professionals.
Course topics
Session 1 (2.5 hours)
- What is a Talking Mat?
- The Talking Mats Process
- Research Evidence
- Who Can Use Talking Mats?
- Impact of Talking Mats
- Preparation for Session 2 Assignment
Session 2 (2.5 hours)
- Session 2 Assignment – Reflection
- Thinking about Top Scales
- Digital Talking Mats
- Planning your own Mats
- Preparation for Video Assignment
Session 3 (1 hour)
- Video presentations
- Supportive reflection with your tutor and peers
- Next steps: Registration, Licensing, and Network opportunities
Course resources
Talking Mats – Health and Wellbeing Set
This resource may be of interest
This Resource uses specifically designed communication symbols to help people organise their thoughts when discussing their health and well-being. It consists of 13 topics broken down into 4 areas and it supports the individual to become more involved in making decisions about interventions and support required. The four topic areas are:
Communication:
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- Understanding – receiving verbal, non-verbal and contextual communication
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- Expression – producing verbal, non-verbal and contextual communication.
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- Learning and Thinking – learning and applying knowledge.
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- Relationships – interacting with people.
Looking After Yourself:
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- Self Care – looking after your body
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- Domestic Life – carrying out everyday actions and tasks where you live
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- Work and Education – carrying out actions and tasks relating to paid and unpaid work and education
Health:
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- General Health – senses and body functions
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- Mobility – moving, transferring and using transport
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- Coping – carrying out general tasks and demands
Leisure and environment:
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- Environment – surroundings and support where you live
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- Leisure away – leisure activities away from home
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- Leisure home – leisure activities where you live
Packaged in a clear plastic wallet with quick reference postcards and guidance booklet included. This comes in a Fair Trade Talking Mats bag with mat.
Please note: This resource can be purchased directly from the supplier here, or through Course Beetle when booking on to this training.
Talking Mats Health and Wellbeing Set - £228.80
The price of £228.80 is inclusive of UK delivery.
For overseas delivery, please email info@coursebeetle.co.uk for a quote.
Talking Mats – Consulting Children and Young People Set
This resource may be of interest
These resources cannot be sold to non-course delegates, but can be included in a Talking Mats Foundation Training course booking
This Talking Mats resource gives a holistic picture of how a child or young person feels about their lives at home, school and in the community and is widely used across a range of settings. 3 stages of development are covered
Early Years – preschool
Primary – ages 5-11
Secondary – ages 12-17
Each stage covers 3 areas;
My Body and Skills – how the child is growing and developing
What I do and my support – the child’s experience of activities and the support they receive
My Wider World – the child’s experience fo the communities where they grow up
Packaged in a clear plastic wallet with quick reference postcards and guidance booklet included. This comes in a Talking Mats Fair Trade bag with mat.
Please note: This resource can be purchased directly from the supplier here, or through Course Beetle when booking on to this training.
Consulting Children and Young People set - Price £228.80
The price of £228.80 is inclusive of UK delivery. For overseas shipping please email info@coursebeetle.co.uk for a quote
Talking Mats – Best Value Bundle
This resource may be of interest
These resources cannot be sold to non-course delegates, but can be included in a Talking Mats Foundation Training course booking
- Health and wellbeing set – 4 main topics (communication, looking after yourself, health, leisure and environment.) with 13 sub-topics in total
- Consulting children and young people set – 3 age groups (Early years, primary, secondary)
- Social care set – 3 topics (Activities, where you live, personal wellbeing)
Please note: This resource can be purchased directly from the supplier here, or through Course Beetle when booking on to this training.
Talking Mats Best Value Bundle £363
The price of £363 is inclusive of UK delivery. For overseas shipping please email info@coursebeetle.co.uk for a quote.
Who this course is suitable for
This course is suitable for: Careers Advisors, Children's Care Workers, Clinical Psychologists, Dieticians, Educational Psychologists, Nurses, Occupational Therapist Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Students, Primary Caregivers, Returners to Speech and Language Therapy, Social Workers, Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCo), Specialist and Advisory Teachers, Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs), Speech and Language Therapy Students
This course is suitable for a wide range of participants such as Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Teachers, Care workers and Advocacy workers, Social Workers, Nurses, Dieticians, Psychologists, Career Advisors and Rehabilitation professionals.
Booking information
This course is presented Virtual Live – Online over Zoom
This course is available on various dates throughout the year. To view available course dates and book your place click here.
During the booking process, you can select to reserve a place instead (while you confirm you can attend or to organise payment through your employer for example). We can hold your place for up to four weeks, if we have not heard from you after this time, we may need to cancel your reservation so other people can attend the training.
Course Beetle is an approved supplier for NHS Trusts, Local Authorities and Schools.
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