Information and advice to help my child / young person who is having difficulty understanding, talking or communicating

Parent information, advice and resources - Worcestershire

The Worcestershire Speech and Language Therapy service website provides a comprehensive range of resources, advice and You Tube videos to help parents to support their child / young person at home. 

Visit the website to find:

• Information about speech, language and communication
• Free resources you can download and use at home
• Links to our You Tube channel where you will find demonstrations of activities you can do at home
• Further information about the local team, where we work and what services we provide 

Cost: Free

Learning About New Words

This video focuses on learning new words and strategies to support young people in developing their vocabulary.

Cost: Free

Supporting Understanding

This video features six top tips to help a young person better understand what is being said to them.

It is part of a series that has been made to help parents and carers support young people (aged 11-18) with communication difficulties. 

Cost: Free

Speech and Language UK Ages and Stages

Understanding what is typical for children and young people's talking can help you identify speech and language support needs.  Here can find information about ages and stages of development as well as information to help your child / young person talk and develop their communication skills.

Cost: Free

Afasic About Talking

Afasic supports parents and carers with young children who have difficulties with listening, talking and understanding others. Here you will find information about: talking, listening and understanding; the terms used to describe these skills; how to recognise if your young child may have difficulties in these areas; some of the terms used to describe types of difficulties; what might cause these difficulties and the impact that this may have on their development

Enquiry Line

The Speech and Language UK Enquiry Service gives you a chance to discuss questions or concerns about your child’s speech, language and communication development with one of Speech and Language UK’s speech and language therapists.  The therapists can give helpful information about children’s talking and communication development as well as tips on improving these skills. They can also offer advice on ages and stages and what can be done to help your child get the right support.

Cost: Free

Afasic Parent Helpline

If you are worried about your child / young person's speech, language and communication, contact Afasic by telephone or email to speak to someone who can help. 

Cost: Free

Speech and Language UK How to support your child

This information about how to support your child / young person forms part of Speech and Language UK's guide to the typical stages of speech and language development.  Children and young people develop language at different rates and understanding what is typical and what you can do to support  can help you give them the best start on their journey to developing communication and language skills. 

Cost: Free

TCT Universally Speaking Ages and Stages 11-18 years

Universally Speaking is a series of booklets for anyone who works with children and young people. The booklets show where children and young people should be with their communication skills at any given age.  You can use the booklets to find out whether the children and young people you work with are on the right track, what helps them learn to talk and listen and what to do if you have concerns about any of their communication abilities.

Cost: Free

Makaton sign and symbol resources

These free Makaton resources are available for you to access and use to support communication.  These symbols and signs help you to provide extra information and clues about what you are saying as well as support the development of essential communication skills such as attention and listening and understanding. 

Cost: Free

Leeds Speech and Language Therapy Toolkit

Leeds Community Healthcare's Speech and Language Therapy Toolkit contains advice, activities and general resources to help you with your teenager's development of speech, language and communication skills.

Cost: Free

Signs and Symbols

Widgit provides symbols that can be used to support communication making information, documents and resources to be more accessible and inclusive.  The symbols can be used for a variety of purposes such as creating communication books to share information; visual timetables to support understanding of structure and routine; task boards to support independent learning; pictures to develop vocabulary and to support children learning English as an additional language.

This website has information to support your understanding of how to use symbols including training resources, events and links to a network of organisations around the UK who offer advice and support.

There is also information for parents and carers to help them understand how they can use symbols to support their child or young person at home.

Cost: £9/month upwards

Speech Link Parent Portal

The Speech Link Parent Portal offers you advice, information and activities for developing your children’s understanding, talking and listening.  It includes information about speech, language and communication, how these skills develop, activities and top tips videos.

Cost: Free

SMIRA

SMIRA became a UK Registered Charity in 1992, having been set up initially to support families with selectively mute children. Here you will find further information, advice and resources to help you understand and support your child.

Cost: Free

Symbols

Widgit provides symbols that you can use to support communication such as creating communication books to share information; visual timetables to support understanding of structure and routine; task boards to support independent learning and pictures to develop vocabulary. Here you will find more information about how to use symbols to help communication and independence.  It also include resources and ideas to get you started.