Support Not Sanctions: Children with speech and language challenges are being unfairly punished at school
New research from Speech and Language UK reveals the alarming extent of the two million children with speech and language challenges being unfairly punished at school.
The YouGov study found 78% of teachers said children with speech and language challenges are punished because of it. Nearly half – 49% – said they have not had sufficient training to support children’s speech and language development, while 46% said their school’s behaviour policy doesn’t prioritise children’s speech and language enough. Schools’ interpretation of the guidance is a key part of the problem, and leaves teachers unsure of how to proceed.
This injustice is rooted in the Department for Education’s (DfE) current guidelines which fail to show schools how to adapt behaviour management strategies to the needs of children with speech and language challenges – this results in unfair, inappropriate and often counterproductive sanctions.
The ripple effect is felt beyond the classroom, the report reveals – with 44% of families saying their child has been punished because of a lack of support for their speech and language challenges.
In response to the worrying findings, Speech and Language UK is uniting with teachers and families across the UK to call on the Government to revise behaviour management protocols in its upcoming educational reforms and ensure fairness for every child from all backgrounds.
Parent and former teacher Róisín told us how her daughter Ellen’s traumatic experience at school, as a child with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), has had a lasting effect on her and her family. Róisín said “Ellen was called lazy because she wasn’t finishing the work. She couldn’t finish the work because she couldn’t understand the work. So we were forever called up to the school.”
“Ellen was often shouted at for daydreaming. She was punished, not allowed out at break time because she had to finish her work. She wasn’t daydreaming. It was an overload of work on her brain and was taking all her energy just to keep up with things.”
“Ellen went from a confident, fun, loving four-year-old entering primary school and left as an invisible 11-year-old. The confidence and sassiness was sucked out of her. She left as a selective mute with low self-esteem, aware that others saw her differently.”
Having taught in mainstream schools for nine years, teacher Lauren moved to special needs specific education because she wanted to work in a system that acted upon the change that is so desperately required. Lauren said: “Teachers are not the ones failing these children, it’s the system that is. I’ve had children with speech and language challenges look me in the eyes and ask, ‘What’s wrong with me?’ which is heartbreaking. The truth is that there’s nothing wrong with them. What’s wrong is the system – a system that wasn’t built to support every child.”
Why is this happening?
Current guidelines encourage the use of “sanctions” and “corrections” and fail to acknowledge the growing number of children with speech and language challenges. When these children fail to comply with rigid behavioural management rules immediately, or misunderstand instructions, they are unjustly viewed as intentionally disruptive or defiant. Without clear communication, frustration builds, misbehaviour escalates and children risk becoming completely disengaged from school altogether.
The implications are lifelong. Without the right support, they are six times more likely to fall behind in English, eleven times more likely to be behind in Maths by age 11, twice as likely to be unemployed as young adults, make up almost half of mental health service referrals, and two-thirds of the young offender population.
Why guidance must be urgently overhauled
The number of children with speech and language challenges increased by 35% in the last three years to two million. This record high elevates this punishment crisis to unprecedented levels.
In response to the findings, Speech and Language UK is today launching the Support Not Sanctions campaign, which calls on the Government to:
- Train every teacher to recognise and support children with speech and language challenges.
- Revise government guidance for schools to develop behaviour policies to ensure children with speech and language challenges aren’t unfairly punished.
- Provide teachers with proven tools to help children communicate effectively
- Implement targeted group interventions for children struggling with their speech and language at every key stage.
Jane Harris, Chief Executive of Speech and Language UK, said: “Our research highlights the urgent need for action by the DfE – because despite teachers doing all they can to help these children, their dedication is undermined by a lack of specialist support and training. Our research paints a clear picture – the current guidance for behaviour management in schools is catastrophically failing the two million children with speech and language challenges.
“And is failing teachers and families, who agree change must happen to drastically improve the lives of children with speech and language challenges. With election commitments made to break down barriers to opportunity and ensure every child’s wellbeing, ministers have no excuse but to act upon these findings during their imminent education reform.
“We want the Great British public to join us in demanding more training and support for teachers so they can help these children succeed in school and be productive members of our communities. Better schools mean a better future for all of us.”
To find out more about the Support Not Sanctions campaign, click here.
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For more information, or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Hannah Sherrard: hannah@thisisstand.com | SpeechandLanguageUK@thisisstand.com
Amelia Moran: amelia@thisisstand.com | SpeechandLanguageUK@thisisstand.com
About Speech and Language UK
For at least 2 million children in the UK, learning to talk and understand words feels like an impossible hurdle. 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 early years staff and teachers to use in their classrooms. We run two special schools for children with complex speech and language challenges, Dawn House in Nottinghamshire and Meath in Surrey. 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.
We demand a country in which every child with challenges in talking and understanding words has the skills they need to face the future with confidence. Together we can achieve it.
About the research
In August 2024, YouGov polled 1,003 teachers, 49.6% of which were primary teachers and 50.4% of which were secondary – August 2024
The Family and Young People survey ran from 11 March to 17 May 2024. A total of 1,866
individuals responded to the survey. Of these, 57.3% (1,070 respondents) were either related to a child/young person with speech and language challenges. The survey was supported by members of the Speech, Language and Communication Alliance.
References
- Speech and Language UK. 2025. Support not sanctions: Making school fair for 2 million children
- Law, J., Rush, R., Schoon, I., & Parsons, S. (2009). Modeling developmental language difficulties from school entry into adulthood: Literacy, mental health, and employment outcomes. Law 2009.pdf
