How to make sure children and young people at risk of speech, language and communication needs are identified early and effectively
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The Integrated Review
The early years foundation stage (EYFS) Progress check at age 2 and the Healthy Child Programme review offer 2 opportunities to:
- identify additional needs for children aged 2 to 3
- work in partnership with parents, carers, guardians and any relevant professionals to put the right support in place for the children who need it
Since 2015, the government has encouraged early years providers, local authorities, and health visiting services to work together to combine the Healthy Child Programme review and the EYFS Progress check at age 2. This is known as an ‘integrated review’.
Cost: Free
Tiny Happy People SEND information
This area of the Tiny Happy People BBC website provides a wide range of information, ideas and activities for parents of toddlers with SEND.
Cost: Free
NHS Services and support for parents
NHS website with details for how to find a GP, Health Visitor and child health clinics in your area
Cost: Free
Early Language Identification Measure and Intervention (ELIM)
This handbook is a guide for practitioners to carry out the Early Language Identification Measure and Intervention programme as part of the 2 to 2½ year review. It is structured as a conversation with the child’s parent/carer, encouraging practitioners to support the parent/carer to make informed decisions for their child. It outlines the 3 steps of the Early Language Identification Measure and Intervention programme.
The first step (Assessment) concerns a simple measure for identifying which children might have early SLCN as part of their 2 to 2½ year review. Based on the outcomes of this first step, those children where there is no current need can be offered general signposting to support ongoing language development. Where a need is identified they can be offered step 2 and 3 of the identification and intervention programme.
The second step (Conversation) gives guidance on how to discuss and explore the identified needs and observations of the child’s language with the parent/carer. This may then lead to signposting to specific support and consideration of options.
These can be explored fully in the third step (Intervention) which offers a framework for comprehensive engagement with families to work in partnership on agreed goals and interventions tailored to the family.
Cost: Free
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
Speech and Language UK Information for Professionals
Speech and Language UK is the children's communication charity which provides training and resources for professionals to develop knowledge, skills and strategies to support children's speech, language and communication skills and needs and links to further information.
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Cost: Free
TCT Building a Profile
This document has been designed to guide you in making a referral to speech and language services. Being aware of the different types of speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) will make it easier for you to describe the child's difficulties accurately, enabling them to access the right support as quickly as possible.
Cost: Free
PEEP
Peep Communication and Language strand - evidence-based parenting programme for parents and children together to attend together. There is a focus on bonding, attachment and the quality of the home learning environment as well as a focus on communication and language. Parents have the opportunity to gain 3 credits towards NOCN Learning Together at home.
Peep Early Literacy Strand - evidence-based parenting programme for parents and children to attend together. There is a focus on bonding, attachment and the quality of the home learning environment as well as a focus on literacy. Parents have the opportunity to gain 3 credits towards NOCN Learning Together at home.
Cost: Free
Child Monitoring Tool
A profiling tool to monitor development of a toddler in relation to Listening and Attention; Understanding; Talking; and Social Skills. As a practitioner you can highlight statements that the toddler 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 toddler 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
Enquiry Line
The Speech and Language UK Enquiry Service gives parents a chance to discuss questions or concerns about their 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 the child get the right support.
Cost: Free
Progress Checker
Speech and Language UK's progress checker provides parents with short questions they can answer to see how their toddler is getting on with their speech, language and communication development.
Cost: Free
Afasic
Afasic supports parents and carers with young children who have difficulties with listening, talking and understanding others. Here is information for you to use and share with families of the children you support. It includes a wide range of information about talking, listening and understanding and what might cause these difficulties. If families are worried that their toddler is not talking or not saying as much as other children of their age, they can contact Afasic by telephone or email to speak to someone who can help.
Cost: Free
Afasic Parent Helpline
If a parent is worried about their child / young person's speech, language and communication, share this Afasic helpline information so that they can speak to someone who can help by telephone or email.
Cost: Free
Speech and Language UK Ages and Stages
This is a guide to the typical stages of speech and language development in children. 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 toddlers' development.
Cost: Free
Greater Manchester 10 Tips for Talking
The Greater Manchester (GM) 10 Tips for Talking are ten key messages to support the development of language and communication skills for babies and young children and can be used by everyone. Each tip is designed to give families and anyone working with children some small suggestions that can make a big difference and help give children the best start. Each message is based on sound research and is delivered by children.
Cost: Free
Talking With Your Children
Activities for parents to help nursery children’s speaking and listening Skills. This booklet has been put together to help parents and carers to support their nursery aged children and contains examples of activities to do to support their speaking and listening.
Cost: Free
Slow down
Find out how to slow down your talking and understand more about how this can help your child.
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.
Afasic My Child Isn't Talking and I'm Worried
Children develop and learn to talk at different rates – some more slowly or quickly than others. However, there are key milestones parents can look out for and it can help them to know how talking develops, what happens and when. Here Afasic provides information for you to share with parents on: identifying who can help; first steps to getting help and support; gathering information and keeping a record and questions to ask professionals.
Cost: Free
NLT Tips for talking leaflets
The National Literacy Trust provides a wide range of parent-friendly downloadable leaflets outlining tips for talking, why talking to your toddler matters and the benefits for their development. The ideas include information for talking in daily routines such as during nappy changing, information for dads and activities to support communication when out and about.
Cost: Free
EYBIC Word Pack
Early Years Based Information Carrying Word Pack is a rich resource of beautiful pictures and interesting activities to help you assess and promote the vocabulary, speaking and listening of toddlers you work with through the principle of Information Carrying Words. The Information Carrying Words concept provides a structured framework which helps children increase the amount of information they can remember. At the same time EYBIC will develop their knowledge and language of everyday topics.
Cost: £
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 Link Parent Portal
The Speech Link Parent Portal offers advice, information and activities for you to share with families so that they know how to develop their 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
Speech and Language 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 child; how these skills develop over time; children with speech and language needs and how to access information and support.
Cost: Free
Speech and Language UK Learning to Talk, Talking to Learn
This series of videos for practitioners helps you to understand your role in supporting speech, language and communication development. The videos cover: the importance of communication; early years observations; how children learn to talk and activities that help. It includes built in exercises to support and reinforce your learning.
Cost: Free
National Literacy Trust Bilingual quick tips
The National Literacy Trust has produced a series of bilingual quick tips for parents and practitioners to help children develop good talking and listening skills. There are lots of different languages. Copies can be downloaded and shared with families.
- Say hello to your new baby
- Dummies and talking
- Talk to your baby and child in your own language
- Making the most of television
- Talking with your baby
- Sharing songs and rhymes
- Playing with your baby
Cost: Free
Stoke Speaks Out - Sound Development Checklist
An overview of the typical sounds children should be able to use in words at different ages.
Cost: Free
Stoke Speaks Out - Out and About activity packs
Being out and about is a great opportunity for language learning! Download these free printable activity packs for ideas to support your child's speech and language and occupy their busy little minds while you're out and about.
Cost: Free
UKBT Assessment Tool
The UK bilingual toddlers online assessment tool is a free online site for UK educators and health care practitioners to assess the word development of bilingual toddlers at 24 months.
Cost: Free
