Analysis: Language - The speech barriers tumble down

Conservative MP John Bercow's review of services for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs has been wholeheartewdly supported by the government.

Responding to the report, Children's Secretary Ed Balls announced that £12m will be provided to meet its 40 recommendations, while a further £40m will be funnelled into a programme to support young children's early language development.

Monitor strategy

Proposals in the review include a national year of speech, language and communication, the provision of information on the subject for all parents, and the creation of a Communication Council to monitor and implement strategy. The review also recommends appointing a Communication Champion, as well as the monitoring of children and young people by primary care trusts and local councils to identify potential speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).

The review also proposes that speech, language and communication is prioritised by all children's centres, and that the government produces a joint framework for commissioners - including children's trusts and schools - on the commissioning of targeted and specialist services for children and young people with speech and communication problems. Among the other recommendations are that the Children's Workforce Development Council - in collaboration with the Children's Workforce Network - ensures that speech, language and communication and SLCN are a core requirement in all qualifications for the children's workforce (CYP Now, 9-15 July).

Bercow says the changes he proposes would be in the best interests of the nation. "Helping children with speech and language needs is not just about being nice, but it is relevant to other things such as antisocial behaviour, educational achievement, the skills agenda, reducing crime, improving mental health and economic competitiveness," he says. "Speech and language needs must cease to be at the back of services' minds and must be at the heart of what they do."

Bercow says the government would be wise to spend now so it saves later. "The consequences of not investing in this and intervening early will mean the costs to the taxpayer grow later in terms of health, crime, lost tax revenue, a lack of economic resource and more young people entering the not in education, employment or training category."

Balls says Bercow's review means the government will be able to make significant improvements to services for children and young people with SLCN.

He says: "I want to ensure that all children are supported to communicate whether they are severely impaired or because they simply need help to expand their vocabulary - this review will make a real difference to all children who need support," he says.

Lorraine Petersen, chief executive officer of special-needs association Nasen, says the government should implement all the recommendations since few of them will be effective in isolation. "Early identification and intervention followed by support for those with SLCN is key to effective provision being made and support being given," she says. "The need for a well-trained and skilled workforce working together in a multi-agency approach will enable the provision to be available to all children and remove the current postcode lottery."

Criminal justice

Emma Scowcroft, national policy officer at children's charity NCH, welcomes the review's recommendation that the government should consider how best to address the SLCN of young people in the criminal justice system. "Lots of young offenders struggle to express themselves - the review suggests how government can best address these issues," she says. "If a young person has never been able to communicate effectively, when they are in crisis, communicating becomes even more of a challenge - young people can get into trouble when this happens."

Liz Attenborough, manager of the National Literacy Trust's Talk to Your Baby campaign, says speech, language and communication skills developed from birth to three years old is the foundation of literacy in later years. She says: "There is not enough awareness of their importance and this is jeopardising the literacy of the nation. We welcome the review's strong emphasis on the need for all parents to have a better understanding of the role of speech, language and communication in supporting the child's development."

Virginia Beardshaw, chief executive of I Can, a charity that works for children with speech and language difficulties, believes the review is ground-breaking: "It moves the neglected issue of speech, language and communication out of the shadows and into the spotlight."

- www.cypnow.co.uk/doc

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE BERCOW REVIEW

- The government should consider funding national, regional and local speech, language and communications needs (SLCN) support services for parents

- The commissioning of specialist services for children and young people with SLCN should be developed through a pathfinder programme

- Children's trusts should appoint a member of their governing board to lead on SLCN in their area.