Nursery World - Early years staff lack speech training

Early years professionals are not receiving enough information or training on how to support children who have speech and language difficulties, new research shows. A survey of nearly 200 early years professionals, carried out by Nursery World, children's communication charity I CAN and BT's Better World campaign, found that 88 per cent had worked with children who had speech and language problems. Yet half had never received advice on how to support them.

A survey of nearly 200 early years professionals, carried out by Nursery World, children's communication charity I CAN and BT's Better World campaign, found that 88 per cent had worked with children who had speech and language problems. Yet half had never received advice on how to support them.

While two-thirds felt confident supporting children's speech, language and communication development, only one-third could identify what constituted a communication-friendly environment.

Knowledge of communication milestones was also limited. Most respondents had a basic understanding of how a child should be communicating from birth to two, but they struggled to identify what a three- to- four-year-old should be able to do.

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