How I will know if a child or young person needs help with their understanding, talking and communication
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The resources here will help you reach the outcome: "I know what to expect and when with babies' speech, language and communication."
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WellComm Assessment
The WellComm Assessment is for use with any child aged 6 months to 6 years and enables practitioners to evaluate children's language skills, draw up a detailed profile and identify children at risk of having difficulty in developing language skills. It identifies those children who need setting-based monitoring and support and those who need referral to specialist support services. The screen is completed through observation, discussion with families and screening by asking children to carry out a variety of tasks ensuring that results obtained and conclusions drawn are more accurate than using one approach alone.
Child Monitoring Tool
A profiling tool to monitor a babies development in relation to Listening and Attention; Understanding; Talking; and Social Skills. As a practitioner you can highlight statements that the baby can do through ongoing observations and assessment as well as discussion with parents. The tool includes checkpoint statements which need to be particularly considered as, if a baby is not achieving these skills at the age indicated, this may indicate a speech, language and communication need that requires ongoing investigation and monitoring.
Cost: Free
TCT Universally Speaking 0-5
Universally Speaking is a series of booklets for parents or anyone who works with children and includes a booklet for babies and children aged 0-5. It gives typical communication skills, including attention and listening and understanding; interactions and speech. Use the booklets to find out whether a child is 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. You can also share this with the families of children you support.
Cost: Free
Progress Checker
Speech and Language UK's progress checker provides parents with short questions they can answer to see their baby is getting on with their communication development.
Cost: Free
Speech and Language UK Ages and Stages
This is a guide to the typical stages of speech and language development in babies. Children develop language at different rates. However, understanding what is typical can help you identify speech and language problems early. This page also provides information about how to support babies' development.
Cost: Free
Development Matters
Development Matters supports all those working in early childhood education settings to implement the requirements of the EYFS and support the early learning of young children. It can be used as part of daily observations, ongoing assessment and to inform planning. It can also be used to make best-fit summative judgements and with parents in relation to whether a child is showing typical development, is at risk of delay or is ahead for their age. The age and stage bands suggest a typical range of development in many areas including Communication and Language; Personal, Social and Emotional Development and Literacy. The development statements have not been designed to be used as a checklist but can highlight areas to focus on for developing key skills.
Cost: Free
WellComm Toolkit
The WellComm Assessment is for use with any child aged 6 months to 6 years and enables practitioners to evaluate children's language skills, draw up a detailed profile and identify children at risk of having difficulty in developing language skills. It identifies those children who need setting-based monitoring and support and those who need referral to specialist support services. The screen is completed through observation, discussion with families and screening by asking children to carry out a variety of tasks ensuring that results obtained and conclusions drawn are more accurate than using one approach alone.
The WellComm Big Book of Ideas has been designed for use following a WellComm assessment of any child aged 6 months to 6 years. It includes general strategies as well as very specific activities to develop and improve children's speech and language skills and can be implemented by any early years practitioner or parent using toys and items that can be found in settings or at home. The activities are used to develop the particular skills highlighted for support in the assessment - this means that the activities delivered are specific and appropriate to the individual child language development stage and can be used in the setting or at home.
Training videos are included in the toolkit.
ASQ-3
The Ages & Stages Questionnaires®, Third Edition (ASQ®-3) is a developmental screening tool that pinpoints developmental progress in children between the ages of one month to 5 ½ years.
Speech and Language UK Chatter Matters
This series of videos for parents and carers outlines how speech, language and communication skills develop; what families can do to support their baby; how these skills develop over time; children with speech and language needs and how to access information and support.
Cost: Free
