Welcome to our news pages
Postcode lottery for speech therapy, says commissioner
Children in England face a postcode lottery when it comes to getting speech and language therapy, a report claims.
England’s Children’s Commissioner says that in the top 25% of areas, at least £291.65 a year is spent on children with these needs. In the lowest quarter that drops to £30.94 or less. Anne Longfield says the needs of children with speech, language and communication issues are overlooked. Read more here….
Charities unite to call for more funding in early years
Nursery World, May 2019
Children’s charities and a teaching union have joined forces to call for more investment in early years education, amid evidence that underfunding issues are damaging children’s life chances.
The group, which is calling for more funding ahead of the spending review, includes Save the Children, Coram Family Childcare, the National Association of Headteachers, Early Education and the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years. Read more here…
Language Unlocks Reading: Supporting early language and reading for every child
The National Literacy Trust, April 2019.
England is currently facing a huge literacy challenge, with two out of five children from disadvantaged backgrounds not reading at the expected level by the end of primary school, and teachers reporting an increase in numbers of children who have limited vocabulary.
To help address this challenge our Language unlocks reading report sets out a new approach for structured, targeted and explicit language learning, in the home, in early years settings and at the start of school, as a vital foundation for learning to read. Read more here….
National Downs Syndrome Awareness Week 2019
Down’s Syndrome Association, March 2019.
Every single person with Down’s syndrome should have the same opportunities as everyone else, in EVERY area of life.
This week marks national Down’s Syndrome awareness week. Where We’ll be celebrating the achievements of people with Down’s syndrome, telling their stories and amplifying their voices. Read more here….
Screen Time ‘May Harm Toddlers’
Letting a toddler spend lots of time using screens may delay their development of skills such as language and sociability, according to a large Canadian study. The research, which tracked nearly 2,500 two-year-olds, is the latest piece of evidence in the debate about how much screen time is safe for kids. Read more here…
It’s Never Too Early to Have Conversations with Your Child
By Lauren Lowry at The Hanen Centre, January 2019.
Parents know that talking to their young children is really important and helps them develop language, literacy, and thinking skills. But it’s not enough for children to just hear lots of words – children need to have many back-and-forth conversations with their parents throughout the day in order to learn language. Read more here…
Research and Policy – Across the great divide
By Jean Gross CBE, November 2018
On November 14th I attended a ‘Summit’ convened by government to engage the business community, media organisations, academics, charities and others in a national effort to improve the way parents are able to support their children’s early language development. Read more here…
Have you heard of Developmental Language Disorder?
October 2018
Today is Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) awareness day, a hidden disability that affects approximately 7% of the population – that’s two children in every classroom. It can impact on a children’s learning, academic achievements, personal relationships and employability and is a life long condition. Read more here….
New research says how much you talk with babies is linked to their IQ in adolescence
A 10-year study by LENA researchers confirms that the amount of talk with adults that babies experience in the first three years of life is related to their verbal abilities and IQ in adolescence. Read more here….
Children starting school ‘cannot communicate in full sentences’
July 2018
Damian Hinds to address parents’ concerns about screen time in first major speech on social mobility. Read more here….
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