UK Advisory Group for the TICLD Project

We want to make research better for children with DLD — clearer, more useful, and easier to understand.
Our project focuses on making sure research studies clearly explain:

• What the intervention involved
• Who took part
• What outcomes were measured

This helps everyone — people with lived experience of DLD, families, educators, therapists, and researchers — better understand what works, for whom, and in what situations.

Our Advisory Group brings together people with lived experience of DLD, parents and carers, and professionals who work with children and young people. Together, we make sure that the research reflects real experiences and priorities.

Members of the group can choose to:

• Join meetings (online or in person) to talk about the research.
• Share their thoughts one-to-one or in small groups.
• Check that information is easy to understand.
• Give ideas on how to share research with others.
• Suggest ways to reach and involve more people with DLD.

For example, they might:

• Give feedback on resources we’re creating for children and families.
• Help us review leaflets or web materials to make them clearer.
• Work with us on writing an article or blog about the project in everyday language.

In recognition of their contribution, advisers receive vouchers as a thank you for their time and expertise.

So far, group members have already helped us:

• Refine our workshop materials so questions are clear and accessible.
• Make our consent forms easier to read and understand.
• Decide which terms and phrases best reflect how people with DLD describe their experiences.

Over the coming months, they will continue to help us:

• Shape two systematic reviews and a Nominal Group Technique (NGT) study.
• Decide which information about participants is most important to report in intervention studies.
• Share research findings in ways that make sense to families and professionals alike.

By working together, we are making sure that future research:

• Represents more children and families fairly.
• Uses clear, accessible language.
• Focuses on what really matters to people with DLD and those who support them.
• Shows how lived experience can shape better science.