Better communication: Improving services for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs
Speech, language and communication are crucial to every child’s ability to access and get the most out of education and life. Children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) are among the most vulnerable and most in need of effective support to reach their potential.
Following the review of services for children and young people with SLCN by John Bercow MP, the Government published Better Communication: An action plan to improve services for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs on 17 December 2008. A further press notice on 8 July 2009 gave further information about progress.
The communication champion and the Communication Council
In Better Communication, the SLCN action plan, the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department of Health committed to the appointment of a communication champion and the formation of the Communication Council to support initiatives to improve services for children with SLCN.
Jean Gross was announced as the communication champion on 15 October 2009. Jean will take up this post full time from 1 January 2010. A Departmental press notice accompanied this announcement.
As communication champion, Jean Gross will raise awareness of the importance of communication, share good practice and lead delivery of the National Year of Speech, Language and Communication.
The communication champion and Communication Council will have strong and independent voices and work in an inclusive way with all stakeholders.
The Communication Council has now held its first meeting. The Council terms of reference are included in Annex B to Better Communication, the SLCN action plan.
Further details on the Communication Council and communication champion can be found on the Communication Council website.
SLCN Commissioning Pathfinders
The DH and the DCSF are working with the Commissioning Support Programme on SLCN commissioning pathfinders in sixteen areas to develop effective commissioning approaches for SLCN, and support development of a joint commissioning framework on SLCN with tools and guidance which will help commissioners across the country improve their provision.
More information about the pathfinders is available on the pathfinders page.
SLCN Cost-Effectiveness Research Programme
The DCSF and the DH commissioned the Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal and Research (CEDAR), University of Warwick, to deliver a research programme with consortium partners to guide the development of future policy and practice in providing services for children and young people with SLCN.
For more information, please see the CEDAR website.
Work with the alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) sector
Becta is making grants totalling up to £1.5 million to support the alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) sector between 2009-10 and 2011-12 on behalf of the DCSF and DH. The deadline for applications for grants in 2009-10 has now passed and an application process for grants in 2010-11 will be launched later in 2009-10.
For more information on these grants and the organisations that will receive them in 2009-10, see the AAC grants page.
Becta has recruited Anna Reeves as the national alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) coordinator.
