The government must do more to ensure speech and language problems are addressed at the earliest opportunity, a report from a coalition of communication charities is urging.

The report ‘Engaging for Their Futures and Our Society’ has been produced by the Children’s Communication Coalition and calls on the government to bring in routine screening of early years age children for speech and language problems.

The report also calls for better screening and support for speech and language problems among children in the criminal justice system. It is estimated that six out of ten young people in custody have speech and language problems.

Senior specialist speech and language therapist Juliette Gregory, who works with young offenders, said: "Early diagnosis and intervention for this vulnerable group is essential.  For many reasons, such as an often chaotic lifestyle, very few of the young offenders I have worked with have had any previous speech and language therapy involvement, despite having significant language and communication difficulties."

The Children’s Communication Coalition members include the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, the Prison Reform Trust and the Association of Youth Offending Team Managers.