People vocabulary

Also called Names on a board, Family vocabulary, People set

Family, friends, staff and pronouns: the words that let a person say who did what, who they want, and who they mean when that person is not in the room.

What it is

People vocabulary is the set of words for the people in a person's life: Mum, Dad, Nan, brother, sister, teacher, carer, friend, doctor, plus the names that matter and the pronouns that stand in for them. A generic set covers the roles; personalisation adds the actual names.

Without it, a person can ask for a drink but not say who upset them, who they miss, or who they want to sit next to. Most of what any of us talk about is other people.

Who it can help

Everyone, and particularly anyone who is supported by a rota of staff: children in residential school, adults in supported living, people in a care home. Being able to name a staff member is the difference between "someone was rough with me" and "Kevin was rough with me", which is a safeguarding matter and not a vocabulary nicety.

The generic roles are not enough on their own. "Carer" tells nobody which carer. The names have to go on, with photos where a photo helps, and they have to be kept current as people come and go.

How it works

A people set normally carries two layers. The first is the roles and relationships (Mum, Dad, grandparent, brother, sister, friend, teacher, nurse, carer, driver), drawn as symbols so the same board works for anyone. The second is the person's own people, added by name, and this is the layer that needs a photo, since a line drawing of "friend" is no help in telling Sam from Priya. See photographs or symbols.

The Talk board's people set gives the roles. Names are the kind of thing that varies from one person to the next, so they belong in a personalised vocabulary or on a paper page kept with the device.

Pronouns live with people. "I", "you", "me", "him", "her", "they" let a person talk about someone without a card for them, and "mine" and "yours" settle a lot of arguments.

Getting started

Write down the ten people the person sees most this week and check each one can be said on their board, by role or by name. Add the missing ones. Add a page of staff names on a ward or in a home, with photos, and update it when the rota changes.

Model people words in gossip, not just requests: "Nan is coming", "Dad is funny", "teacher is cross". Talking about people is how people vocabulary gets used.

For safety, make sure "who" is available (see asking questions) and that a person can name every adult who provides their personal care.

Where to get help

Mencap and Scope both advise families and carers on communication in supported settings. Communication Matters for AAC vocabulary design. If you are worried that a person cannot report harm because they lack the words, contact your council's adult or children's safeguarding team; the Care Quality Commission inspects registered services.