Category Archives: Blog

I never stammered until I had two epileptic seizures

As part of our series sharing the voices of people who stammer,  Richard Roaf from the Home Office talks about how he started stammering late in life. My names Richard Roaf, and I’ve just turned 49.  My journey (don’t you hate that word, lol) is probably different to a lot of peoples, as I got myContinue reading “I never stammered until I had two epileptic seizures”

“1% of you stammer”

Charlie Barnes, from the Department of Work and Pensions delivered a talk this month about his speech and as part of our series to share the stories of people who stammer, he’s shared his speaking notes. Talk to Strategy Directorate, Department for Work and Pensions 14 March 2018 My name is Charlie Barnes. I’m aContinue reading ““1% of you stammer””

Fighting stammering stigma by changing our words

Guest blog by Patrick Campbell, a British Stammering Association trustee, who has written a paper challenging the way people describe stammering and unwittingly contribute to stigma. A diverse and inclusive workplace is being increasingly appreciated to be vital to maximising the abilities and talents of all employees. In a recent blog post, Sir Jeremy Heywood, CabinetContinue reading “Fighting stammering stigma by changing our words”

New guide on stammering for employers

The Civil Service, a member of the Employers Stammering Network, is committed to providing help and guidance to all staff who have or work with someone who stammers. But it can often be difficult to know what help to give or how to approach the subject. As everyone who stammers knows, there are many misconceptionsContinue reading “New guide on stammering for employers”

How I brought my whole self to work

Paul Barrett from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, part of our network of ambassadors, explains what it means to ‘bring his whole self to work’ as someone who stammers.     The department values were launched recently, promoting inclusiveness and inviting everyone to “bring their whole selves to work”. But what mightContinue reading “How I brought my whole self to work”

How could I encourage others with disabilities to be open when I wasn’t?

Amanda Bradbury, from Department for Work and Pensions, talks about making the choice to be open about her stammer. It was only very recently I acknowledged that I have a disability. I have a stammer. I’ve had a stammer since childhood and over the years I’ve learned how to manage it. If you met meContinue reading “How could I encourage others with disabilities to be open when I wasn’t?”

My mission was to hide my stammer at all costs

Angela Morgan from the Department of Work and Pensions opens up about her covert stammer. For those colleagues who know me, you would potentially describe me as confident, wears nice shoes and doesn’t stop talking. What most of you don’t know is that I have a covert stammer. Well, there you have it – IContinue reading “My mission was to hide my stammer at all costs”

Supporting civil servants who stammer

“Stammering is a complex neurological disorder that is often misunderstood. A stammer can affect each person in very different ways and at different times in their life and career. The Civil Service is committed to supporting everyone at all grades to feel confident to express themselves, regardless of fluency. By supporting stammerers, we can improve our communications culture across all departments and show it’s the quality of what you have to say, not how you say it, that matters.”