The issue

1.9 million children in the UK are currently struggling with talking and understanding words. Learn more about the scale of the issue and how you can help us make a difference.

The issue

Making an impact

For children who struggle to talk and understand words, their whole lives are affected. Our recent report, Listening to unheard children, found that they are:

  • six times more likely to be behind in English at age 11
  • eleven times more likely to be behind in maths at age 11
  • have more mental health problems
  • twice as likely to be unemployed as an adult

These figures show the scale of the challenge in front of us. We believe that every child should be able to get speech and language support when they need it so they aren’t left behind.

Our campaigns

We urge politicians to prioritise support for children with speech and language challenges. And we educate the public about what it’s really like to be one of the 1.9 million children with challenges learning to talk and understand words. Learn more about our campaigns and how you can help us make a difference.
Learn more
A young boy and an educator laughing at a school table. The boy is primary aged, mixed race and wears a green and orange striped top. The educator is black with long dark hair and wears a white and black striped top.

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