What to do and specialist resources to support the speech, language and communication
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The resources here will help you reach the outcome: "I know what to do and have the resources to support toddlers who need specialist speech, language and communication support."
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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
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.
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
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 & £
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.
CBeebies supporting speech and language difficulties
Ideas for parents and carers to help their toddler learn to communicate. This webpage provides a range of strategies to support families to help their child make themselves understood and express their feelings.
Cost: Free
ASLTIP
The Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice (ASLTIP) provides information and a contact point for members of the public searching for an Independent Speech and Language Therapist. It also provides members with access to a UK network of SLTs and ongoing professional support.
Cost: £
EarlyBird Programme
EarlyBird is a support programmes for parents and carers, offering advice and guidance on strategies and approaches to working with young autistic children under five years. The programme works on understanding autism, building confidence to encourage interaction and communication, and understanding and supporting behaviour.
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
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.
Cost: £9/month upwards
BBC Something Special
Something Special uses songs, rhymes and visual humour with Makaton sign language to help practitioners and parents learn how to support communication with signing in a fun and exciting way.
Cost: Free
