I first started using Makaton about 12 years ago to assist my non-verbal son. Due to poor motor skills, he struggled with signing, this combined with little educational support at the time due to untrained staff in Makaton; without realising our use of Makaton slowly stopped.  

Through Conwy Connect I was fortunate to be asked to assist with the Makaton choir. This then encouraged me to re-do all the levels of Makaton and supported through work and funders I continued with training and became a tutor myself.

This was a great decision as I am now also able to tutor the choir at Conwy Connect, deliver training to others, confidently use Makaton daily and my son now has more input of Makaton within his educational setting as well as within a home environment. The signs also encourage speech which is an added bonus! I was over the moon when my son signed and spoke his longest sentence “ Mummy is big, fat and old”.

Watching our members converse using Makaton has opened up a world to some and has made others around them more willing to try and work out what people are trying to communicate. Time and patience is key along with a willingness to work out what is being said. Seeing the choir members gather on the dance floor at the disco so they can practise with huge smiles on their faces is just incredible and worth the couple of years of hard work it took to achieve the qualification.

Our members, as well as my son are flourishing with their Makaton and it’s amazing to be part of it.