The report from Speech and Language UK calls on the Government to uphold its commitment to fund early interventions within its manifesto, published ahead of the General Election in May, and considers how it can maximise its impact on children.
The charity outlines what it calls ‘four fundamental steps that must be taken now to help children benefit from speech, language and communication interventions, they are:
- Implementing a range of interventions in schools that reach nursery-age children as well as those in Reception.
- Allowing different settings to choose between interventions that fit their circumstances.
- Training health visitors better to identify which children would benefit from support.
- Empowering staff in every childcare setting to support children’s speech, language and communication skills so every interaction becomes a meaningful opportunity to provide necessary support.
Jane Harris, Speech and Language UK chief executive, said, ‘1.9 million children in the UK are struggling to talk and understand words right now. It has often felt that there is a disconnect between promises made by past governments and the lived experiences of the public. People need to feel that promises made by the new government will lead to a difference in theirs and their families’ day-to-day lives.
‘Early interventions to support children with speech and language challenges offers a tangible opportunity to do this. Evidence shows that language at two years-old predicts reading, maths and writing when children start school. Acting early matters and every child still matters.’
A family member of a child with speech and language challenges told Speech and Language UK, ‘The current situation is appalling. Our grandson is nearly six years old, and we can understand a maximum of 10 per cent of what he says. This is going to wreck his life, friendships, relationships as we simply cannot understand him… we (must)allow much earlier and much faster access during the early stages of speech, at around three years old, when it becomes apparent that a child has difficulties.’
