Listening to unheard children

Speech and Language UK report finds highest number of children with speech and language challenges ever recorded

Shocking new figures released today from Speech and Language UK find that at least 1.9 million* primary and secondary aged children are now estimated to be behind with talking and understanding words.

A new report from the charity, Listening to unheard children, finds this number is up from 1,675,617 (1.7 million) last year** and now equates to 20% of all pupils throughout the UK - 1 in 5 school aged children - the highest number ever recorded.

The YouGov commissioned survey, also found that:

• 80% of teachers surveyed think children in their classroom are behind with their talking and/or understanding of words.
• 73% of teachers surveyed think that children’s speech and language is not prioritised by the Government.
• 53% of teachers surveyed don’t believe they have sufficient training to support pupils' speech and language in the classroom.

Speech and Language UK had previously warned that if Government didn’t take urgent and specific action and invest in targeted catch-up support and teacher training, they risked failing significant numbers of children.

One school teacher said:
"There is definitely an impact and an increase in nonverbal children who can't articulate their needs or how they feel. I'm seeing lots of children struggle with sentence construction/sounds/vocabulary. My experience is that this also impacts behaviour which in turn can impact the class. It's not just one or two children either…There is no funding for support, and I firmly believe early intervention is what's needed on many levels.”

One parent told Speech and Language UK:
“My son struggled with speech and language challenges since he started school at the age of five and we have had a massive fight all along since. He is now fifteen. Once your child struggles with going to school, which can be for many reasons, the professionals don't always understand why the child is struggling to attend. They might be in a school where they are not being properly supported.”

To drastically improve the lives of 1.9 million children, the charity is urging Government and school leaders to take a number of actions***. These include:

• Introduce a new tool for schools to track talking and understanding words at Key Stage 1 and 2 in the same way that every school tracks literacy and numeracy skills.
• Train all teachers and early years practitioners to spot children struggling with talking and understanding words and know how to help or where to refer them to.
• Produce guidance for schools about evidence-based tools and programmes for children with speech and language challenges of all ages that schools can deliver without specialist support.
• Fund a more ambitious campaign to give all new parents advice on speech and language development, in the same way they get information on feeding babies and vaccinations.
• Push the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to develop the first ever guidance on support for children with speech and language challenges in its 24 year history.

Jane Harris, Speech and Language UK Chief Executive said:
“A lack of investment and prioritisation, and a difficult pandemic has created an alarming number of children struggling with talking and understanding words. Our education system has repeatedly failed to recognise that children with speech and language challenges will also struggle with reading, writing and maths. For the 1.9 million children affected, this impacts every aspect of their lives. They are more likely to fail in key subjects at school, more likely to be lonely, have mental health problems, and to be out of work as an adult.

As we approach a General Election, all political parties must put speech, language and communication skills at the centre of their education plans. 1.9 million children in the UK are relying on us to act. After all the challenges our education system has endured recently, they can’t afford to wait.”

Speech and Language UK is calling on children and young people with speech and language challenges, politicians, teachers, families and the public to join them in working towards creating a country where every child has access to the skills they need to face the future with confidence.

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Notes to editors
To interview spokespersons, case studies or for any other media enquiries, contact Simon Walsh, Speech and Language UK’s Press Manager via media@spechandlanguage.org.uk or call 07824 446989.

*Using a pupil population estimate of 9,359,152 pupils in England, Scotland and Wales. The 1.9 million figure was calculated by Speech and Language UK using mid-point analysis of a YouGov survey of 1,000 teachers in June 2023 asking “Approximately, what percentage of your class(es) do you think are behind with either their speaking or understanding language?”

**(2022 - Speech and Language UK: 1.7 million young futures report equation data
The 1.7 million figure was calculated by Speech and Language UK using a mid-point analysis of a YouGov survey of 1,000 teachers in June 2022 asking “Approximately, what percentage of your class(es) do you think are behind with either their speaking or understanding language?” Calculated to be 18% of pupils. Using a pupil population estimate of England, Scotland and Wales of 9,190,799 primary and secondary pupils, this equated to 1.7 million children.

2021 Speaking up for the Covid generation report 1.5 million equation data
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1,002 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 28th May - 2nd June 2021. The survey was carried out online. Teacher estimates of the percentage of children affected were subjected to a mid-point interval analysis by Speech and Language UK. Using a pupil population estimate of England, Scotland and Wales of 9,190,799 primary and secondary pupils, this equated to 1.5 million children. 

***Speech and Language UK’s proposed nine solutions to transform the lives of 1.9 million children outlined below:

1. Introduce a new tool for schools to track talking and understanding words at Key Stage 1 and 2 in the same way that every school tracks literacy and numeracy skills.
2. Train all teachers and early years practitioners to spot which children are struggling with talking and understanding of words and know how to help or where to refer them to.
3. Produce guidance for teachers and schools about what evidence-based tools and programmes work for children with speech and language challenges, especially those that can be delivered by schools without specialist support.
4. Update Ofsted guidelines to include more ambitious language goals for educational institutions on speech, language and communication. For example, all good nurseries should help children to use new vocabulary and speak with increasing confidence and fluency, not just outstanding ones.
5. Incentivise the new Integrated Care Boards to work with local authorities and make sure there is support on language skills from the start of new parents’ journey, just as it is for feeding or vaccinations.
6. Change guidance for Family Hubs, which currently actively disincentives any programmes for children on language and communication before the age of 3.
7. Ask the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to develop guidance on Developmental Language Disorder so that there is more clarity about what support the NHS should provide and what children with speech and language challenges and their families can expect.
8. Work with experts on proper workforce planning, making sure there is enough specialist support available for children with life-long challenges and bringing down the 25% vacancy rate for children’s speech and language therapists in the NHS year-on-year.
9. Fund a more ambitious campaign to shift families’ behaviour and prevent speech and language challenges developing, building on learnings from the Government funded Hungry Little Minds and alongside the BBC’s Tiny Happy People.