£40m pledged for pre-school speech skills
Children's speech and communication problems are to be the focus of a £40m Government initiative.
The early language programme Every Child A Talker will help nurseries and childminders to access training and materials to support pre-school children's speaking and listening skills.
The funding is part of a package of measures announced in the Government's response to recommendations made by Conservative MP John Bercow in his independent review published on Tuesday (8 July), which looked at ways of improving services for children with communication problems.
The review found that the number of children who start primary school unable to speak in full sentences is rising.
The Government will spend £12m on implementing 40 recommendations from the review, with more details due to be revealed in the autumn.
Children's minister Beverley Hughes said, 'Language forms the basis for a child's ability to communicate with the world around them. We know that there are still many children starting school without the extended vocabulary and communication abilities they need for learning and making friends.'
She said the Every Child A Talker programme would improve practitioners' knowledge and understanding 'encouraging early language development right from the outset so that before they start school, children are confident and skilled communicators.'
