Speech and Language UK launches new report: ‘Getting in early: Speech and language interventions that transform children’s lives’

Speech and Language UK is today calling on the Labour government to uphold its commitment to funding early language interventions and to provide better support for early speech and language development. 

Their new report states that the following factors are critical when supporting children with speech and language challenges: 

• Timing: The timing of interventions – nursery-aged as well as primary school children must benefit from available funding. 
• Choice: Having a range of approved interventions available for each nursery or school so they can choose what would benefit them the most.  
• Identification: A new tool to track talking and understanding words in early years settings as well as for Key Stages 1 and 2 children alongside explanations of who would benefit most from support. 
• Training: Giving key professionals training to help children’s speech, language and communication skills in all their interactions. 

The report warns that one size fits all solutions are rarely successful and could risk disengagement from schools wary of over-centralised schemes. 

Jane Harris, Speech and Language UK Chief Executive, said: 

“1.9 million children in the UK are struggling to talk and understand words right now. It has often felt that there is a disconnect between promises made by past governments and the lived experiences of the public. People need to feel that promises made by the new government will lead to a difference in theirs and their families’ day-to-day lives. Early interventions to support children with speech and language challenges offers a tangible opportunity to do this. Evidence shows that language at two years-old predicts reading, maths and writing when children start school. Acting early matters and every child still matters.” 

Speech and Language UK believes it is critical that the Government helps the one in five children with speech and language challenges. If they don’t get help, they are at risk of:  

• More mental health problems:  81% of children with emotional and behavioural disorders have significant speech and language challenges, often unidentified and 45% of young people referred for mental health services. 
• Worse literacy and numeracy:  6x more likely to be behind in English and 11x more likely to be behind in Maths at 11 years-old with only 15% gaining a 9-5 pass at GCSE in English and Maths. 
• Increased risk of offending:  At least 60% of young offenders have language difficulties. 
• Less secure employment:  2x more likely to experience insecure employment as adults.  

The report states that interventions could be provided to parents of children younger than three years old through Family Hubs. If early language programmes were available in every Family Hub, then children would benefit from intervention at an early stage. 

One family member of a child with speech and language challenges, told Speech and Language UK: 

“The current situation is appalling.  Our grandson is nearly six years old, and we can understand a maximum of 10% of what he says. This is going to wreck his life, friendships, relationships as we simply cannot understand him… we (must)allow much earlier and much faster access during the early stages of speech, at around 3 years old when it becomes apparent that a child has difficulties.”  

A current intervention developed by Speech and Language UK for pre-school children is Early Talk Boost* -aimed at three- to four-year-olds- who need help with talking and understanding words. The programme helps boost children’s language skills to narrow the gap between them and their peers and aims to accelerate children’s progress in language and communication by an average of six months after nine weeks*.   

Speech and Language UK are calling on the Government to offer a range of language interventions that allow settings to choose a programme that suits their needs and matches their in-house resources and skills when deciding which intervention is most suitable for them.  

To read Speech and Language UK’s new report, visit www.speechandlanguage.org.uk  

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Notes to editors 

For media enquiries, contact Simon Walsh, Speech and Language UK, Media and Publicity Manager via media@speechandlanguage.org.uk or call 07824 446989 

*Speech and Language UK’s Talk Boost  

Research shows that using Speech and Language UK’s Talk Boost programme can significantly improve children’s talking and understanding of words. Two thirds of children make good progress after just eight to ten weeks. Talk Boost programme includes: 

Early Talk Boost -a targeted intervention aimed at three- to four-year-old children who need help with talking and understanding words. Talk Boost KS1– a catch-up programme for children aged 4-7, Talk Boost KS2 – a catch-up programme for children aged 7-10. 

Who are Speech and Language UK?    

For at least 1.9 million children in the UK, learning to talk and understand words feels like an impossible hurdle. We run two schools, Dawn House in Nottinghamshire and Meath in Surrey. Supporting speech and language development is at the heart of everything we do at our schools. We give a voice to those that do not always have the words. We work to give every child the skills they need to face the future with confidence.  We design innovative tools and training for thousands of nursery assistants and teachers to use in their classrooms.  We give families the confidence and skills to help their children. And we put pressure on politicians to prioritise help for speech and language challenges.