Specialist activities I can do to help my child / young person with their understanding, talking or communication

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The resources here will help you reach the outcome: "I know what specialist activities I can do to help my toddler with their understanding, talking or communication."

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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

Tiny Happy People SEND information
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Family SupportIntervention
Family SupportIntervention

Hear Glue Ear

A free, award-winning app, designed for children experiencing hearing loss due to glue ear.
 

The Hear Glue Ear app is a valuable tool to help families manage their child’s glue ear at home. Glue ear is one of the most common childhood conditions in children aged 2-6, and the concern is that some young children with persistent or recurrent glue ear might struggle to develop speech, language, listening, and social communication skills. 

Cost: Free App

Hear Glue Ear
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BBC Something Special

Something Special uses songs, rhymes and visual humour with Makaton sign language to help you and your toddler learn how to communicate as well as develop their language in a fun and exciting way.

 

Cost: Free

BBC Something Special
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Afasic About Talking

Afasic supports parents and carers with young children who have difficulties with listening, talking and understanding others. Here you will find information about: talking, listening and understanding; the terms used to describe these skills; how to recognise if your toddler may have difficulties in these areas; some of the terms used to describe types of difficulties; what might cause these difficulties and the impact that this may have on their development

 

Afasic About Talking
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Family SupportIdentificationIntervention
Family SupportIdentificationIntervention

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 & £

Signalong Training
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Family SupportWorkforceIntervention
Family SupportWorkforceIntervention

Makaton sign and symbol resources

These free Makaton resources are available for you to access and use to support communication with your toddler.  These symbols and signs help you to provide extra information and clues about what you are saying as well as support the development of essential communication skills such as attention and listening and understanding. 

Cost: Free

Makaton sign and symbol resources
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The Hanen Centre Parent Programmes

The Hanen Centre's programmes for parents are delivered by Hanen Certified speech and language therapists.  They are delivered through activities and group discussions - small groups of parents learn how to use everyday opportunities to improve their child's speech, language and communication skills. Hanen provides families with the tools they need to help their child reach their full communication potential.  Hanen has developed parent programmes for Language Delays and Autism Spectrum Disorder. 

The Hanen Centre Parent Programmes
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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.

AAC information
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Intervention
Intervention

Using visual support

Parents play a key role in supporting their toddler's language and communication skills in everyday life. Children learn about the world through their experiences and interests particularly within their play. Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust provide information and opportunities for families to learn more about developing their toddler's speech and language - this video introduces how to use visual support to help communication.

Cost: Free

Using visual support
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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.

EarlyBird Programme
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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 develop joint attention through play is broken down to help you easily understand what to do step by step.

Cost: Free

Developing Joint Attention
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Now and Next Boards

Birmingham Community Healthcare Speech and Language Therapists have produced this video to show you how to use a 'now and next' or 'first and then' board to help your child understand what is going to happen next and to encourage them to do what you want them to do.  It explains how using pictures can help if children are having difficulties with language.

Cost: Free

Now and Next Boards
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Using Objects and Sensory Cueing

Birmingham Community Healthcare Speech and Language Therapists have produced this video to show you how to use objects and sensory cueing to link words, objects and routines. This helps children prepare for and anticipate what is going to happen next; supports language development; supports them to become engaged in a variety of daily routines.

Cost: Free

Using Objects and Sensory Cueing
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Communication Boards

Birmingham Community Healthcare Speech and Language Therapists have produced this video to show you how to use communication boards through play and everyday activities to supporting understanding and as a way to allow your child to communicate with you.

Cost: Free

Communication Boards
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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 your child's opportunities to communicate and have a reason to communicate.

Cost: Free

Creating Opportunities to Communicate
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Family SupportIntervention

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

Signs and Symbols
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Intervention

Symbols

Widgit provides symbols that you can use to support communication 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.  Here you will find more information about how to use symbols at home to help communication and independence.  It also include resources and ideas to get you started.

Symbols
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