Speech and Language UK responds to the Chancellor’s Spring Budget

Whilst we understand the Chancellor’s desire to make childcare more affordable, this is not the way to do it. Children should have enough attention and time from adults to learn new skills. More funding is welcome, but some funding needs to go on improving the skills of the childcare workforce. Currently the Scottish government gives nursery workers more training than England.  

Getting parents back to work should not be the only aim of childcare. We should care just as much about giving children the best opportunities in life through environments that help them to develop. 1.7 million children in the UK have challenges in talking and understanding words in the UK.  Government needs to fund more training opportunities so that everyone who works in childcare knows how to support them.  

It’s also very disappointing to see no new money to help children with challenges talking and understanding words despite the Government only releasing its special educational needs plan only 2 weeks ago. Unless adequate support is put in place in the early years, children who still need help, will not get it, leaving them at risk of mental health problems, failing in reading, writing and maths and ending up in the criminal justice system.    

Now is the time to change that and we call on the Government to do more to help children with challenges in talking and understanding words.   

Jane Harris, Speech and Language UK Chief Executive