I can find out more to develop my knowledge and skills to support children and young people at risk of speech, language and communication needs

Speech, Language and Communication Framework

This professional development tool outlines the key skills for staff working with children to support and develop speech, language and communication skills. It consists of 2 elements, a self-assessment tool and Universal level learning modules.  The self-assessment tool enables practitioners to map their confidence, knowledge and skills in supporting speech, language and communication and identify areas for development.  The learning modules provide opportunity for practitioners to develop their knowledge in supporting speech, language and communication.   A group function is also available to enable audit of a cohort of practitioners to inform training plans.

Cost: Free

Balanced System for Schools and Settings

The Balanced System Scheme for Schools and Settings is a whole system approach to improving outcomes for children, young people, and young adults across the range of speech, language and communication needs for any setting that supports children, young people, and young adults. 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: £

Nuffield Early Language Intervention 

The Nuffield Early Language Intervention is a 20-week programme proven to help young children overcome language difficulties. It is designed for children aged 4-5 years and combines small group work with one-to-one sessions delivered by trained teaching assistants, targeting vocabulary, narrative skills, active listening and phonological awareness. The intervention has been evaluated in robust trials and found to be effective for improving children’s oral language skills as well as promoting longer-term progress in reading comprehension.

• The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) is designed to improve the spoken language ability of children in reception classrooms.
• It is targeted at children with relatively poor spoken language skills.
• Teaching Assistants are trained in how to develop children’s language skills.
• Clear lesson plans are provided to save preparation time.
• Materials for children are bright and accessible.
• Three 30-minute sessions per week are delivered to groups of five children during the Spring and Summer terms (20 weeks).
• Children also attend an additional two 15-minute individual sessions per week.
• All sessions focus on listening, narrative and vocabulary skills.
• Work on phonological awareness is introduced in the final ten weeks.

Information about accessing training to deliver the intervention is also available here.

Cost: £

A Guide to Identification - Worcestershire SLCN Pathway

Identifying SLCN can be problematic for many reasons. Children and young people may have other difficulties as well as SLCN, they may have a wide and complex range of needs and therefore there can be co-occurrence with other diagnoses. SLCN is often considered to be a 'hidden disability'. Some aspects of SLCN are more visible than others, particularly those associated with speech sounds, others are less so. We know that early identification leads to better outcomes for children and young people, so the sooner a need is identified the better.

The Worcestershire SLCN Pathway guide and tools help practitioners to support identification of SLCN.

Download Worcestershire SLCN Pathway's Guide to Identification

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.

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

Course Beetle SLCN training

Course Beetle is a provider of workforce training within Education, Health and Social Care and specialise in training which supports practitioners to deliver evidence-based approaches and interventions for anyone with speech, language and communication needs or learning disabilities. Course Beetle Trainers are experienced and knowledgeable and are fully licensed to deliver the courses they offer.  Training includes a wide range of CPD masterclasses and courses that be accessed by individuals or organisations. Training in Hanen, Talking Mats and Makaton can be found here.

Cost: £

Communication Supporting Classrooms Observation Tool

Developed as part of the Better Communication Research Programme (2012) following a review of provision for children with speech, language and communication needs, the audit tool is to be used when observing the quality of a learning space from Early Years through the first half of primary school. By auditing the environment, language learning opportunities and language learning interactions, practitioners will be more informed about what they are doing well and what else they could do to support communication.

Cost: Free

Talk Boost KS1 Training

Information on how to access training to deliver the Talk Boost KS1, a targeted intervention for 4-7 year old children with language that is delayed, including children in Reception classes.  The programme is delivered in primary schools by classroom teachers and teaching assistants and provides a structured programme that boosts children’s progress in language and communication by an average of 9 - 18 months after a ten week intervention

Cost: £

Best Start in Speech, Language and Communication

This e-learning programme has been developed in partnership with Health Education England e-Learning for Healthcare, Public Health England and the Department for Education. Best Start in Speech, Language and Communication outlines the importance of the development of children’s speech and language skills for health visitors working with pre-school children and their families.

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

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 & £

Early Talk Boost Training

Information on how to access training to deliver the Early Talk Boost, a targeted intervention, delivered by a trained early years practitioner to a group of up to eight children aged 3-4 years old that have delayed language. The intervention helps to boost their language skills to help narrow the gap between them and their peers and includes two parent workshops.  The first workshop provides families with information about how children develop their speech and language skills; Tizzy's Talking Tips; and eight Jake and Tizzy story books to share with their child at home.  The second workshop provides an opportunity for children to share their learning from the intervention with their parents. 

Cost: £

Elklan training

Elklan courses are delivered by licensed tutors across the UK.  The evidence-informed courses are aimed at practitioners to support their knowledge about how to support children's speech, language and communication. Elklan have also developed a range of courses for parents.

Cost: £

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.  

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: £

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 young children 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: £

Talking Mats

Training to use Talking Mats communication symbols tool which is based on extensive research and designed by Speech and Language Therapists. It uses unique, specially designed picture communication symbols that are attractive to all ages and communication abilities and is used by clinical practitioners, carers and support workers in a wide range of health, social work, residential and education settings to increase children, young people and adults' capacity to communicate effectively about things that matter to them. 

Speech and Language UK Online Short Course: An introduction to speech, language and communication

This online short course is free and a great place to start learning about children and young people’s speech, language and communication development. It looks at how you can support the development of these skills on a day-to-day basis in your setting, and how to spot children and young people who might be struggling to develop these important skills.

The course is tailored for the needs of practitioners working across all the different education phases. You have the option to access four different pathways – early years, primary, secondary or further education so you can choose which pathway is most relevant to your area of work.

Cost: Free

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

Makaton training

Information about a variety of Makaton training options including online; face to face and inhouse workshops.  This page also provides information about the different levels of training that Makaton offer.

Cost: £

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