What to do and specialist resources to support the speech, language and communication

Balanced System for Schools and Settings

The Balanced System Scheme for Schools and Settings is a whole system approach to improving outcomes for children across the range of speech, language and communication needs for any setting that supports children. The framework enables a setting to understand existing need and provision for speech, language and communication and develop provision to address the gaps. The framework supports a setting to demonstrate impact of the support for speech, language and communication.

Cost: £

Tiny Happy People

Tiny Happy People BBC website provides a wide range of information, ideas and activities for you to use and signpost parents to use in daily routines to help develop toddlers' communication skills. The website is for parents of children aged up to 5 years, parents can choose information that is relevant to the age of their child.  It includes information about what to expect and when as well as activities and games to play to help speech, language and communication.  It includes 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

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

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

Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists

The RCSLT support speech and language therapists by providing leadership, setting professional standards, facilitating research and promoting better education and training.  They are the professional body for people working in or studying speech and language therapy in the UK.

Cost: Free

What Works database

The Communication Trust worked with the Better Communication Research Programme to develop the What Works database of evidenced interventions to support children's speech, language and communication. What Works is endorsed by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.  It supports practitioners to deliver evidence-informed interventions and approaches to support children and young people with speech, language and communication needs.

Signalong Training

Signalong provides training and resources to assist those with communication difficulties and English as an additional language.

Signalong is a key word sign-supported communication system based on British sign language and is used in spoken word order. It uses speech, sign, body language, facial expression and voice tone to reference the link between sign and word.

Cost: Free & £

CBeebies supporting speech and language difficulties

Discover what you can do to help your toddler learn to communicate with these strategies to help children make themselves understood and express their feelings.

Cost: Free

The Hanen Centre

The Hanen Centre offers evidence-based interventions and professional development opportunities to early childhood education professionals. Their training programmes and interventions provide practical, naturalistic approaches for promoting the social, language and early literacy skills of preschool children.

Cost: £

AAC information

The “Focus On…” series of eight leaflets cover topics related to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). They are available in print copy and as downloadable PDF files.

Developing Joint Attention

Birmingham Community Healthcare Speech and Language Therapists have produced this video to show you how to help develop your child's joint attention - this means being able to focus on the same thing as you at the same time. How to help your child developing joint attention through play is broken down to help you easily understand what to do step by step.

Cost: Free

Creating Opportunities to Communicate

Birmingham Community Healthcare Speech and Language Therapists have produced this video to show you how to make small changes throughout the day to increase a child's opportunities to communicate and have a reason to communicate.

Cost: Free

The SCERTS® Model

The SCERTS^® Model is a research-based educational approach and multidisciplinary framework that directly addresses the core challenges faced by children and persons with ASD and related disabilities, and their families. SCERTS^® focuses on building competence in Social Communication, Emotional Regulation and Transactional Support as the highest priorities that must be addressed in any program, and is applicable for individuals with a wide range of abilities and ages across home, school and community settings.