Government 'must improve early language support to drive social mobility'

The charity's Language as a Child Wellbeing Indicator report said early language difficulties are an indicator of problems in later life including behavioural issues, poor mental health and offending. The report also notes how language difficulties are more common among children from the poorer families than in richer households.

The foundation, which promotes early intervention to improve children's lives, said that because of these issues, early language development needs to be made a public health wellbeing indicator just like obesity and vaccinations.

Jo Casebourne, chief executive of the foundation, said: "Our research makes clear the consequences of failing to close these income-related gaps in language development: a whole group of children who will face unnecessary extra challenges in achieving good results, entering employment and maintaining good mental health into their adult life.

"For this reason, supporting early language development should be put at the heart of any social mobility strategy."

As well as making language development a public health indicator, the report calls for more training on the issue for children's professionals, including health visitors and nursery workers.

It warned that efforts to identify and address the problem are being hampered by inconsistent terminology and imprecision in the screening and assessment tools currently in use.

"These limitations do not, however, suggest that language assessment in the early years is a futile process," said the report.

"Rather, they argue for the use of standard methods that monitor young children's language development over time, training to support their implementation, and ongoing monitoring."

The foundation recommends improving the monitoring of young children's language development by linking health visitor assessments at 30 months with the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile carried out in reception classes in England.

The report found that language difficulties are associated with household income, noting how one study reported prevalence rates of 18 per cent in the poorest families compared with three per cent in the richest households.

However, it said that low income does not determine language development and so policies designed to raise family incomes will not rectify the problem. Instead, the report recommended improving parents' access to education and other resources that can enhance the "home learning environment".

According to the report, between five and eight per cent of British children have speech and/or language impairments with boys slightly more likely to be affected than girls.

An independent review of service provision for children's speech, language and communication needs is currently being conducted by children's communication charity I Can and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, with the findings due to be published in early 2018.