Children's radio bid promotes SLCN plans
A group of childcare experts have invited the BBC to partner a new digital children's radio service to support and enrich key aspects of children's early development.
The scheme, which has the working title Sound Start, would be aimed primarily at pre-school and primary school-age children and would be designed to complement the Government's Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) action plan, which culminates with the 2011 National Year of Speech, Language and Communication (News, 17 July and 17 December, 2008.)
The project has been costed at around £3.5m, which would be funded by the BBC, family and child focused trusts, the lottery and Government departments.
Broadcaster Susan Stranks, who launched the proposal, said, 'To learn to talk, we must first learn to listen. Language therapists confirm that radio can add necessary balance to the predominent screen and keyboard culture that is frequently blamed for increases in obesity, attention disorders and language delay.'
Operating as a not-for-profit public/private partnership on one of the vacant DAB networks currently being advertised by Digital One, the proposed service would promote learning through music and movement, stories, songs and rhymes, together with family guidance and information, that could be broadcast into homes, early years settings and schools.
Ms Stranks said, 'The station would give parents and early years settings another free resource available during the day. Some nurseries don't have much time for music and movement, some settings don't have musical instruments, and the channel would solve this problem'.
A blueprint has been sent to the BBC Trust and Executive Board, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DSCF) and the Department of Health, pending the appointment of a Communication Champion this month.
