How early intervention supports children’s language development

Early support for the one in five children in England who struggle with talking and understanding words is more crucial than ever, with growing gaps in early development.

Research suggests that experiences in the early years can have long-lasting impacts on children’s educational, cognitive, behavioural and social outcomes, as well as on mental health and employability later in life.

The Education Policy Institute has been working with programmes funded by the Mercers’ Company’s Early Years Special Initiative (EYSI). This supports organisations and partnerships working to improve educational attainment and life chances for London families facing disadvantages.

We look at evidence on why early gaps are increasing and ways to ensure children are not left behind. We then focus on lessons learned through three Mercers-funded programmes: Speech and Language UK, Tales Toolkit and the National Children’s Bureau (NCB).

Reasons for gaps

Researchers have argued that a decade of cuts have resulted in rises in child poverty, which impact across child health and development. This results in growing gaps between more and less disadvantaged children.

Then the unprecedented consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic are crucial. Lack of face-to-face interaction and poor parental mental health have had an impact on the home learning environment, where children learn to think and understand through social interactions.

Not left behind

Supporting parents to engage with their child’s early learning is key to language skills. There are activities and ways of communicating that can support language development.

Access to early education and care can also have a long-term impact on a range of outcomes. This is most effective when high-quality providers and supportive families work together to create positive learning environments.

But research has found that as many as 42% of settings think training for speech and language is insufficient. Increased investment focusing on building essential skills to nurture children’s speech and language development can add to setting “quality”.

Mercers’ programmes

Speech and Language UK aim to give children and young people skills so they are not left behind. They create tools for education settings, give advice and guidance to families, and lobby for better designed policy.

They have offered nine solutions to help tackle speech and language challenges, including training all teachers and early years practitioners. They also encourage work through local authorities to ensure support with language skills from the start of new parents’ journeys.

Tales Toolkit aims to close the attainment gap using evidence-based, play-centred online storytelling training. This focuses on developing children’s language, socio-emotional skills, and engagement with literacy.

Storytelling provides a bridge to literacy, promoting imagination and language skills. Tales Toolkit’s research has found children who participate in the programme make greater progress on all seven Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) areas.

NCB have created a literacy-based home learning environment programme, Making it REAL, delivered through a borough-wide approach with Lewisham Council.

EYFS Profile results for 2019 indicated an increase in the number of children with a “good level of development” after participating in the programme.

Skills for the future

Language and communication lay the foundation for future learning and development. To ensure children are not left behind, learning across EYSI programmes suggests a multi-faceted approach is important.

The most effective interventions include training for early years practitioners, involvement from parents and engagement with wider services. All of this can be cultivated with investment, as demonstrated by the Mercers-funded initiatives: providing crucial support and building skills.

• Joni Kelly is a research assistant in the early years development team at the Education Policy Institute.