Parent and carer support for children's communication development
The earlier we start chatting to babies, the better! Talking to your baby helps them learn about the world around them.
As well as there being lots of helpful advice on the Coventry Family Portal for parents and carers there are also some helpful resources that can be used at home with your child from the National Literacy Trust website.
Talk to your baby as you go about your daily routine, for example, as you get ready to go out make sure your baby can see you as you chat, it doesn’t matter what you say, just tell your baby what you’re doing.
For example: We’re getting ready to go out now ... Look, Daddy is putting on shoes ... Now it’s time to put on your coat ... We’re ready to go now ... I wonder what we'll see on our way to the shops ... I hear a dog barking.
Words for Life- The prompts in the cards will give you new ideas for conversations, which will support you to introduce new words to your baby. This will help them begin talking and communicating, they are free and can be downloaded or used online.
For activity ideas and advice on how to support your child's speech and communication at home, visit the National Literacy Trust Words for Life Website.
Speech and Language Therapy
Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) provides assessment, advice and intervention for children who have difficulties communicating (understanding and/or expressing their needs) or have eating, drinking, and swallowing difficulties.
Parents/carers are invited to all assessment and intervention sessions. The speech and language therapists set their speech and language therapy targets along with the child / young person and their families.
Some children have very specific needs which require our input urgently. This includes children with swallowing difficulties or those who have recently had a major head injury or surgery, leading to sudden onset speech, language, or communication difficulties. These children tend to be referred directly to us via their doctor.
Coventry Speech and Language Therapist Service have put together some fantastic top tips and online videos that are available for Parents and Carers.
Who should I contact if I have concerns?
You can also get free help and advice from Speech and Language UK
How do I know if my child has a difficulty with speech, language, or communication?
Children typically develop certain skills at certain age ranges. However, it is worth noting that all children are different and that there is a very wide range of ‘typical’ development. You may be concerned if your child has:
- unclear speech
- a stutter/stammer
- difficulty understanding you
- difficulty using the right words or making sentences
- an unusual voice quality
- difficulty talking in certain social situations or environment.
If you are unsure if your child needs to see a speech and language therapist, please refer to the Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Referral Leaflet for more information and support or their online page.
Expected ages and stages
Over 1.9 million children currently struggle with talking and understanding words, if you would like to see how far your child has developed with their talking, please see the Progress Tracker.
Pathways for professionals
For guidance and support for referrals for children to speak to a speech and language therapist please see the Speech, Language and Communication Referral Pathway